12 May 2021

Dear Hebrew University faculty members,

Thank you for your determination to adhere to the values ​​that guide us, even during these terrible days of violence and fear.

The situation is complex: citizens, Jews and Arabs, who are currently using violence, often do so out of a sense of despair and frustration, out of disappointment at the government’s failures to provide them protection of life and property, failure to guarantee freedom of worship and failure to act to promote equality. Alongside our understanding of these profound reasons for this behavior on the parts of citizens, and our partnership in the fight against injustice, acts of violence, intimidation and terrorism are terrible. They harm not only their direct victims, and those who are forced to live in fear of being attacked, but also the possibility of living a shared life of tolerance and brotherhood here, in our beloved country. Another point of complexity is our attitude towards the security forces, police and soldiers. These women and men are working hard to protect us all, and their efforts deserve recognition, appreciation and respect. At the same time, we must point out faults and injustices that are sometimes caused by government officials in the heat of events. Let us not sin by taking one-sided and simplistic positions;" Do not hate your brother in your heart; [When fitting] you shall reproach your fellow".

In our small world, we face two major challenges. One challenge is to continue our activities in classrooms and in the teaching and research labs. Given the danger posed by rocket fire and riots, it would be easy to prefer to return to remote instruction. The sterility of Zoom, being safe at home with family members, is a tempting choice. But it is precisely during these days that it is especially important for us to overcome our fear and to come to campus. We are not obligating students to come to attend classes physically on campus, but we must offer them a supportive framework of human encounter in the classrooms. Our personal example, the invitation to partake in direct interaction, on campus, is invaluable in strengthening the mental resilience of us all. Please try to continue teaching on campus, even if the number of students who choose to attend classes these days is relatively small. Alongside the desire to maintain a routine, it is incumbent upon us during this period to be considerate of our students in a particularly great way, and to refrain from adding the burden that results from our lack of flexibility and insensitivity, to the already present difficulties arising from the current situation. Please contact the students whom you teach and take an interest in their well-being.

A second challenge is one that stems from the morally unacceptable statements made by students whom we are privileged to teach. This is not a common phenomenon, but there are quite a few cases of expressions of hatred and incitement to violence and racism, against Arabs and against Jews, during classes and on the social networks in which students are active. In this regard, our commitment to a complex concept of tolerance is reflected. We must exercise restraint and refrain from exercising our powers as teachers and managers towards those who express outrageous attitudes. We refrain from expelling students from class or otherwise punishing them for abusive remarks. We also allow students to demonstrate, on and off campus, and the only restriction is that of complete avoidance of violence. At the same time, we have a duty to resolutely condemn wrongful positions that express hatred and incitement. We must emphasize the gravity of the act of calling for violence and incitement to racism. We must point out that such expressions express poor perceptions, and that adopting them, or even giving public expression to them, is a sign of weakness and cowardice.

Thank you so much for being able to meet the challenges. If it were easy, there would be no need for special men and women like you in this role of members of the faculty of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Good days are still to come.

Yours,

Barak Medina, Rector