Disgusting denial of free speech

In the aftermath of the major disruptions of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s recent appearance at the University of Chicago, JUF has arranged for Jewish Agency chairman and human rights icon Natan Sharansky to speak on that same campus next Monday November 16 at 3:30 PM. Details are in the attached flyer.

As reported by the Tribune and ABC TV, not only was there a protest outside the hall by demonstrators against Olmert (that is old hat by now), but it was interrupted so severely inside as to seriously impede the program. Two dozen hecklers shouted vile epithets at Olmert, and did so in a carefully orchestrated attempt to literally stop, prevent the speech. After about 30 minutes of constant interruptions, and the perpetrators being kicked out one by one, Olmert finally delivered his talk.

Omert's speech disrupted at U of C
It was a despicable display, one that violated the letter and spirit of U of C policies, common decency and that was the greatest disruption ever of an Israeli speaker on an Illinois campus. As such, it was also a clear escalation in the manner of anti-Israel protest and was a shot across the bow to our community and our students, effectively trying to not just stop one speech, but likely also aimed at intimidating, deterring us from sponsoring such events in the future, at U of C or any local campus. Obviously, we will not allow any such result. The very next day JUF was in direct communication with the university’s president, senior faculty and of course, the Hillel director, and JCRC convened a strategy conference call for its constituent groups most active on college campuses, including Rabbi Michael Balinsky of the CBR. Please, if you are able, do consider attending Monday’s program and/or circulate the attached flyer and encourage your congregants to attend. We need to support our Jewish college students and free speech on campuses. A strong adult turnout is one of the most concrete ways we can demonstrate to the Jewish students that we are, literally and figuratively, standing with them.