Lenny Steinberg - The Oregon Hillel Foundation Executive Director

For folks that don't know, what is Oregon Hillel?

Yeah.

So we are the Center for Jewish Student Life at the University of Oregon.

We're one of a few different Jewish organizations that are really there to help promote Jewish joy, Jewish culture, be a safe space for Jewish students to come to and have a welcoming environment for not just Jewish students, but all students to come practice whatever they believe and whether it's religious, spiritual, or cultural perspective, we're here to help support all students.

Okay, and you have not only a chapter on the University of Oregon campus, but there's one over at Oregon State University.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Yes,

we're considered a multi-campus Hallel.

There are Roughly 140 plus different Hillels throughout the entire country and Canada and a few other places as well.

Okay.

But we operate on both campuses, yes.

So, October 7th, of course, 2023, is the day that Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Jews.

They also took, what was it, 230-some prisoners, some of whom ended up subsequently dying as well.

and so october 7th is one of those days that is has become a day of remembrance for those of the jewish faith and as part of that um a lot of shall we say uh anti-jewish protests and some really ugly activities occurred And in particular, they're targeting you.

But there's posters on the campus that have been posted, and honestly, they look like wanted posters with your face on them.

Why in particular are they attacking you?

Yeah, so unfortunately right now, we are seeing not just at the University of Oregon or college, Eugene, but clear across the country, there is this wave of conflating and using anti-Zionism and the right for Israel's self-determination and right to exist to be downplayed that it's truly just anti-Semitism.

And these folks are... using these posters as a way to perpetuate what they believe is an organization that fully supports everything israel does because yes we we do have ties to israel it's our ancestral home and we do take students to israel not just jewish students and when we take our students to israel we have them speak to people of all faiths and backgrounds, not just Israelis, but Arabs, Druze, Ethiopians, the list goes on and on and on.

And it's really a shame that these folks are putting these false accusations out there without really giving the opportunity for us to even have a conversation.

Now the posters themselves, uh, some of them saying Hillel off campus, they want you ex the, the group Oregon Hillel expelled from campus.

They're referring to you directly as quote, an enemy of the people.

They accuse you of quote, supporting the continuation of Zionism and genocide in Palestine.

Um, Why in particular you? I mean, is it just because you happen to be the director? I mean, are they attacking directors nationwide or why are they just, why are they focusing on you? In

short? Yes.

For folks that don't know, what is Oregon Hillel?

Yeah.

So we are the Center for Jewish Student Life at the University of Oregon.

We're one of a few different Jewish organizations that are really there to help promote Jewish joy, Jewish culture, be a safe space for Jewish students to come to and have a welcoming environment for not just Jewish students, but all students to come practice whatever they believe and whether it's religious, spiritual, or cultural perspective, we're here to help support all students.

Okay, and you have not only a chapter on the University of Oregon campus, but there's one over at Oregon State University.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Yes,

we're considered a multi-campus Hallel.

There are Roughly 140 plus different Hillels throughout the entire country and Canada and a few other places as well.

Okay.

But we operate on both campuses, yes.

So, October 7th, of course, 2023, is the day that Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Jews.

They also took, what was it, 230-some prisoners, some of whom ended up subsequently dying as well.

and so october 7th is one of those days that is has become a day of remembrance for those of the jewish faith and as part of that um a lot of shall we say uh anti-jewish protests and some really ugly activities occurred And in particular, they're targeting you.

But there's posters on the campus that have been posted, and honestly, they look like wanted posters with your face on them.

Why in particular are they attacking you?

Yeah, so unfortunately right now, we are seeing not just at the University of Oregon or college, Eugene, but clear across the country, there is this wave of conflating and using anti-Zionism and the right for Israel's self-determination and right to exist to be downplayed that it's truly just anti-Semitism.

And these folks are... using these posters as a way to perpetuate what they believe is an organization that fully supports everything israel does because yes we we do have ties to israel it's our ancestral home and we do take students to israel not just jewish students and when we take our students to israel we have them speak to people of all faiths and backgrounds, not just Israelis, but Arabs, Druze, Ethiopians, the list goes on and on and on.

And it's really a shame that these folks are putting these false accusations out there without really giving the opportunity for us to even have a conversation.

Now the posters themselves, uh, some of them saying Hillel off campus, they want you ex the, the group Oregon Hillel expelled from campus.

They're referring to you directly as quote, an enemy of the people.

They accuse you of quote, supporting the continuation of Zionism and genocide in Palestine.

Um, Why in particular you? I mean, is it just because you happen to be the director? I mean, are they attacking directors nationwide or why are they just, why are they focusing on you? In

short? Yes.