Penn Students Sue University Over Alleged Antisemitism, US

PHILADELPHIA – Days before the University of Pennsylvania’s 268th commencement ceremony last May, graduating senior Eyal Yakoby walked through campus with a heavy heart. People say graduation should be bittersweet, Yakoby said. It’s just bitter at this point. In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Yakoby, who is Jewish, is one of several students suing Penn alleging the university has failed to sufficiently respond to antisemitism on campus and has violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the aftermath, we had a number of Jewish families, both students at Ivy League and other universities, and their parents who came to us to say that the atmosphere on campus was hostile and threatening to their kids, said Marc Kasowitz, with Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP. Kasowitz’s firm represents Yakoby and other plaintiffs in similar lawsuits against Columbia University, New York University, and Harvard University. The complaint against Penn suggests a pattern of antisemitism on campus dating back to 2015, with incidents including the hosting of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, attended by speakers accused of making antisemitic statements. While Penn officials established a Task Force on Antisemitism and a Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community in response to these allegations, criticism persisted, leading to President Liz Magill’s resignation. The university has since stated its strong condemnation of antisemitism, though plaintiffs like Yakoby continue to seek meaningful change on campus. Penn’s response conveys that the lawsuit may not be the appropriate venue for addressing these grievances. My hope for Penn is that they find their North Star. Is that their moral compass, courage are restored to Penn, Yakoby said.