On Oct. 21, Students Supporting Israel hosted an event at the University of Maryland with former Israel Defense Forces soldiers talking about their experiences during the Hamas war. A little over two weeks later, Maryland’s Student Government Association passed a resolution that called on the school’s administration to ban IDF speakers on campus.
It passed 25-0 in a body that has pretty much been captured by Students for Justice in Palestine, according to Jewish UMD students.
It also doesn’t hold much weight.
“They have no authority to change policy at all. They can just urge the administration to do so,” said Isaac Shiner, a Jewish senior at Maryland and a former Mid-Atlantic Media intern. “The administration has reiterated time after time that student government resolutions have no bearing on university policy.”
Shiner has served as treasurer for Kedma, an Orthodox organization on campus; the Jewish Student Union; and Terps for Israel. He’s part of a student body that includes nearly 6,000 Jews out of 30,000 undergraduates, and many of them know each other.
Like many campuses, Maryland has a Hillel and Chabad House. But it also has Students Supporting Israel, Kedma and the Jewish Student Union, among other Jewish organizations. The campus even has a Jewish media outlet: Mitzpeh.
Among these Jewish Terps, agreement with Shiner appears strong: The actions of the SGA are largely symbolic.
“I don’t think they really have an impact on Jewish student life,” said Mia Mikowski, a Maryland junior and the vice president of Israel engagement for the Jewish Student Union. “SGA is a step below administration, and I’m confident the administration will protect Jewish students on campus.”
On Yom Kippur, the SGA passed a resolution calling for the university and its charitable foundation to implement boycott, divestment and sanctions policies against companies, institutions and academic entities “that support or profit from Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation.” University officials said the resolution would not affect their investments and policies.
At the recent event with the IDF speakers, protesters were banging on doors and shouting, according to Uriel Appel, a Jewish senior at Maryland and the event organizer. Appel said university police kept the event safe and peaceful.
“I’m very thankful for the UMPD,” Appel added.
The main function of the SGA is to provide funding for student groups, according to Shiner. If the groups submit requests in accordance with UMD rules, their funding must be provided. So far, there have been no issues between this SGA and Jewish student groups.
Such an action, though, would provide grounds for a response.
“I’m certain that civil rights groups would have no issue writing a letter to the university, and the university would act swiftly in accordance with Supreme Court precedent to get that decision reversed,” said Shiner, referring to the 2000 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System v. Southworth, which stated that fee distribution to student groups had to be viewpoint-neutral.
At the same time, symbolic actions still hold weight, according to Jewish Maryland students. After the Yom Kippur resolution, 18 Jewish groups, led by Hillel, announced a boycott of SGA meetings related to the BDS issue, and Jewish students continue to feel isolated from their government.
“It feels like it’s kind of an attack on the Jewish community. It feels like we are being silenced a bit, and we want to have an open dialogue and have all types of people come and talk on campus,” said Meirav Solomon, a Jewish junior at Maryland who is involved with Kedma.
Students Supporting Israel isn’t letting the SGA resolution stop them. The group’s president is planning on bringing Yoseph Haddad, another IDF veteran, to campus in two weeks. The Arab-Israeli Orthodox Christian has become known for his advocacy for the Jewish state.
He’ll speak on how Israel “really treats” its citizens, including non-Jews, according to Appel.
“This shows SGA that we will not be silenced by them,” he said.
The SGA’s elections are held every April, and Solomon said it’s important to try to reverse the capture and direction of the student body.
“We’re trying to get people involved and to get more people to vote,” she said.
A month after that, the Jewish groups will hold their annual Israel Fest on campus. There were protests across the street from the event two years ago, but it still went well, according to Mikowski.
“I think it’ll be great,” she said.
