Columbia president to testify before Congress as antisemitism complaints continue

Antisemitism allegations remain a major issue at Columbia University as the institution faces two lawsuits from opposing groups and a hearing before Congress in April.

On the Ivy League campus, Jewish and pro-Israel students have reported being harassed, vilified, and assaulted, and hearing professors make antisemitic comments, especially since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. At the same time, pro-Palestinian groups at Columbia organized a class “walkout,” called for divestment from Israel, and advocated for the student council to cancel an annual event in “solidarity” with their cause.

Meanwhile, Professor Shai Davidai, a Jewish Israeli who has been vocal about the issue, said the university recently launched an investigation against him.

“Students are being faced with normalized hate. There’s complete indifference from the university administration,” Davidai told The College Fix in a recent phone interview.

Administrators to testify before Congress

The concerns voiced by Davidai and others recently prompted U.S. House Republican leaders to launch an investigation and upcoming hearing with Columbia’s top administrators.

In April, President Minouche Shafik and Trustees David Greenwald and Claire Shipman are scheduled to testify at the hearing, “Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University’s Response to Anti Semitism,” according to the House Education Committee website.

“An environment of pervasive antisemitism has been documented at Columbia for more than two decades before the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack,” Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx told the administrators in a recent letter.

Shafik’s office did not respond to two requests for comment from The College Fix, asking how the university currently is addressing antisemitism concerns on campus.

Jewish professor investigated

Davidai, an assistant professor at Columbia Business School, told The Fix the situation on campus is “quite unbearable” for Jewish and Israeli students.

Since he began speaking out about the problem last fall – one speech went viral online – Davidai said the university launched an investigation against him.

In a recent X post, he said he is accused of verbally attacking pro-Palestinian students.

He told The Fix while he has called out pro-Hamas organizations and Columbia administrators, he “never targeted students based on any race, gender, ethnicity or nationality.”