It has become a challenge to maintain a spirit of dialogue on campus when it comes to the Middle East.
The recent program "Israel Inspires" rallied pro-Israel students, faculty, staff and several organizations on campus and brought thousands of community members to Rutgers in a public demonstration of support for Israel. aMore limited, though vocal, pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place during that weekend, and a group of Rutgers professors protested in a public letter against the "radical Right" platform of invited speakers to the weekend student conference following the rally.
It is important to remember that Hillel, a Jewish student organization, initiated "Israel Inspires" in response to a conference planned by New Jersey Solidarity, a pro-Palestinian student organization that denies Israel's right to exist and supports "all forms of resistance," including suicide bombing. This group's radical agenda, far more extreme than the Palestinian Authority's position, has been denounced by a number of national Arab and Islamic groups. Yet while the professors accused Hillel of being a proponent of right-wing extremism on campus, they remained silent about the extremist message of New Jersey Solidarity.
Few would argue against the goal of promoting a more balanced representation of the Middle East conflict on campus. But this one-sided, selective approach by the professors undermines the educational goals the group claims to champion. We as professors need to encourage our students to express their views and to teach them that the way to resolve conflicts is through educationand the reduction of prejudice and by and opening a dialogue rather than chastise them in public. The advocacy of a more pluralistic representation of Israel is important, but it could be more constructively and effectively delivered through a positive message, with no agreement on what these solutions might be.
The presentation of a variety of views on the Middle East through public programs and student discussions is possible and indeed is happening on campus. Unfortunately, such ongoing activities may not have the same media appeal as the outcry provoked by more extreme actions. It is our responsibility and goal nonetheless to encourage the spirit of dialogue on campus. The department of Jewish Studies and the Middle East Studies have co-sponsored programs relating to the Middle East involving student organizations in this process. The Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish ife has brought to campus internationally-known experts on Israel representing a wide range of positions. More such activities are planned for this academic year. One hopes the spirit of dialogue would continue to be promoted on campus and would help reduce prejudice and encourage exchange among faculty and students alike.
Yael Zerubavel is the director of the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life and chairman of the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University.