Jewish Students Safe at UCI

IRVINE - Jewish student leaders at UCI took the unusual step this week of issuing a press release saying Jewish student life is thriving there, and no one is in danger from anti-Semitism on campus.

The move comes in the wake of assertions from outside groups that UC Irvine is so rife with anti-Semitism that it's become an unsafe place for Jewish students.

Tensions between fervent Jewish and Muslim students on campus, primarily over the Israeli government's relationship with the Palestinians, have spilled over into the international blogosphere and even been investigated by the federal government.

"There's been a lot of misinformation put out about what's going on at our school," said UCI student Isaac Yerushalmi, 21, president of Anteaters for Israel. "Unfortunately, there are organizations out there that are very passionate and concerned, but they don't really know what's going on."

The press release was issued by the presidents of four Jewish student organizations on campus, including Anteaters for Israel; Hillel: The Jewish Student Union; Alpha Epsilon Pi and Epsilon Pi fraternities.

"Jewish students are physically safe and secure on our campus … (and) Jewish life is thriving more than ever," the release states.

Continue here

If you're unfamiliar with the background, check out Muslamics' earlier post on this.

I would love to have seen the face of the ZOA people when the read the press release! I have to respect the UCI Jewish student organizations for stepping out of ZOA's cloak and speaking for themselves. If only they would seperate between Judaism and Zionism - but that's a whole other discussion.

"Thank you, Ann, for uniting Jews, Christians, and Muslims"

By Rebecca Trounson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 25, 2007

Full story here, excerpts below:

As Muslim students and their supporters protested outside, commentator Ann Coulter told a USC audience Wednesday night that Americans should get tough on terrorists and "stop genuflecting before Islam."

The protesters who gathered outside the auditorium, chanted, shouted and carried signs, such as "Fight the Real Fascist, Down with Coulter" and "Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate."

Another sign noted the diversity of the protesters: "Thank you, Ann, for uniting Jews, Christians and Muslims."

Along with Ayloush's organization [CAIR], others represented included the Progressive Jewish Alliance of California, MEChA, the Anti-War Coalition and the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace.

The Rev. Louis Chase, president of the interfaith group and pastor of Hamilton United Methodist Church in South Los Angeles, was among the protesters. "I have problems with Ann Coulter's characterization of the perfect society as a Christian nation, both as a pastor and a theologian," he said.

Steve Puzarne, a cantor who frequently sings at a Pacific Palisades synagogue and who heads the newly formed Pilgrimage of Peace, said he took issue both with Coulter and with what he called the demonization of Muslims.

"As I see it, these are very much cut from the same cloth," Puzarne said. "And I'm quite distressed that the Jewish community, which has responded vociferously to her comments about Jews, has remained relatively silent during her much longer history of hate speech about Muslims."

The term Islamo-Fascism, Puzarne said, is "beyond demagoguery."