Columbia University is scheduled to open its global center in Tel Aviv this summer, following an announcement made Monday by adjunct professor Nadav Eyal on the “Call Me Back” podcast hosted by Dan Senor. Originally announced by the university in April 2023, the initiative previously drew dueling letters from faculty members both supporting and opposing the project.
Columbia Tel Aviv Center Opening Follows Faculty Divide and Protests
The upcoming summer launch arrives after campus pro-Palestinian protests roiled universities across the United States. During the podcast appearance, Eyal noted the extensive media traction and criticism surrounding those campus demonstrations, some of which critics asserted crossed into antisemitism and intimidation. “After what we saw on university campuses across the US, including, of course, at Columbia University, got a lot of traction in media and our criticism, it’s really nice to know that this is opening,” Eyal stated.
When the center was first introduced in 2023, the institution faced immediate internal friction, reflected in competing letters from faculty regarding the establishment of the academic hub. While the project generated significant controversy during periods of heightened tension over the war in Gaza, the summer opening remains on track according to the recent podcast announcement.
Student Workers Union Drops Israel Divestment Demand
In a related development at Columbia University, the student workers’ union dropped its demand at the bargaining table Tuesday for the institution to divest from Israel. According to the Columbia Spectator, union president Grant Miner explained the decision, stating, “You start off a campaign with one thing, and then as you bargain, you have to face the realities of where you are.”
This concession by the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers marks a sharp reversal for the organization. The union previously served a central role in the pro-Palestinian protest movement that affected campus operations throughout the war in Gaza.
End Jew Hatred Petitions Governor Hochul Over New York City Mayor
Outside of campus, political tensions have intensified regarding city leadership. End Jew Hatred, an antisemitism advocacy group founded by pro-Israel conservative activists in 2020, launched a petition urging New York Governor Kathy Hochul to remove Mayor Zohran Mamdani from office. The petition follows a May protest organized by the same group outside Gracie Mansion.
The push for removal comes one week after several New York Jewish leaders condemned the mayor’s rhetoric following an Upper West Side stabbing attack that wounded two men, including a Jewish individual. The petition text argues that Mayor Mamdani has failed to address public safety concerns or lower the temperature, concluding with a formal request for the Governor to commence removal proceedings for malfeasance in office.
Upper West Side Stabbing Suspect Indicted
In connection with the Upper West Side incident, 51-year-old Raul Morales was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday. Morales is accused of stabbing a Jewish man and an Asian man last Thursday. He previously pleaded not guilty to all charges during a court appearance last Friday, which included two counts of attempted murder as a hate crime. The indictment is scheduled to be unsealed on Sept. 22 during Morales’ next court appearance.
Irvington Police Investigate Racist and Antisemitic Graffiti
Meanwhile, law enforcement in Irvington, a suburb of New York City, is investigating the discovery of anti-Black, antisemitic, and racist graffiti found at Halsey Pond. The recent discovery follows an earlier incident months prior in which antisemitic graffiti was uncovered at the Irvington Train Station, an event that previously spurred a communal rally.