Harvard Square has recently become the backdrop for a series of disturbing incidents targeting the Jewish community, with antisemitic stickers found plastered on poles and signs around the area. According to WHDH, the stickers that replace the Star of David on the Israeli flag with a swastika accompanied by the message "Stop Funding Israeli Terrorism" have sparked outrage and concern. Cambridge police, along with the local community, have denounced these acts of hate.
These events have come swiftly in the wake of other acts that members of Harvard Hillel consider to be antisemitic, escalating since the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Jason Rubenstein, Executive Director of Harvard Hillel, described the growing unease within the community, detailing various acts of vandalism from red paint spilled on the esteemed John Harvard statue to broken windows. "We don’t know who’s doing these things or what their playbook is or if they have one, but there’s a sense of unpredictably that’s building with each incident," Rubenstein told WHDH. The response from the Anti-Defamation League's New England chapter has been one of resolve, wherein they expressed a desire for a thorough investigation and accountability.
As per MassLive, authorities were alerted to the stickers in the early hours of Monday, leading to a search by the Harvard University police for a suspect seen placing the stickers around the campus and the Charles River area, although no one was apprehended. Harvard University has made it clear that any form of antisemitism is intolerable, stating, "Harvard has and will continue to be unequivocal that antisemitism will not be tolerated on our campus."
Following these instances, Hillel discovered posters, labeled intimidating by some, attached to a Harvard building last week. As reported by MassLive, the posters were critical of the war in Gaza and funded by the co-chair of JStreetU at Hillel using Hillel's resources. In response, Jason B. Rubenstein suspended JStreetU, and the co-chair from accessing Hillel’s funds, "First we saw for a long stretch of time this was happening on social media, and then there were calls for escalation," Rubenstein told the Crimson. "Now, we’re seeing it happen physically — in a physical manifestation — just a few feet from the Hillel building."
Despite being shaken by the incidents, Rubenstein has expressed a commitment to stand up against such acts of violence, saying the community has become stronger and united in creating something enduring and beautiful. Cambridge and Harvard University's police departments are actively investigating the stickers, and updates on these incidents are anticipated as the situation unfolds.
