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from https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/fetterman-harvard-hood-protest-yeshiva-20240530.html

Fetterman removes Harvard hood in protest during Yeshiva University commencement speech
Fetterman, who got his master's at Harvard, protested its handling of antisemitism at Yeshiva commencement.

Senator John Fetterman removes his Harvard Kennedy School masters
graduation hood at the Yeshiva University commencement on May 29, 2024.
Senator John Fetterman removes his Harvard Kennedy School masters
graduation hood at the Yeshiva University commencement on May 29, 2024. Courtesy Yeshiva University
by Aliya Schneider
Published May 30, 2024, 4:54 p.m. ET
Sen John Fetterman removed his Harvard University hood while making a
speech at Yeshiva University’s commencement on Thursday in protest of
the school’s handling of antisemitism.

Fetterman was honored with the Presidential Medallion for his unwavering support of Israel at the ceremony on Wednesday. The medallion, a high
honor from the New York City-based Orthodox Jewish University, was last
year awarded to Daniel Gold, the inventor of Israel’s Iron Dome air
defense system.

» READ MORE: John Fetterman, ‘hero of Israel,’ will receive high honor
at Yeshiva commencement

“I don’t belong in that company, I truly don’t, I really don’t,” Fetterman said of Gold during a speech at the commencement. “I’m just a senator with a big mouth that happens to be committed to standing with Israel.”

Fetterman, who graduated with his master’s in public policy from the
Harvard Kennedy School in 1999, wore his Harvard graduation hood on
stage at the beginning of his speech. But he said he has been
“profoundly disappointed” in “Harvard’s inability to stand up for the Jewish community after Oct. 7,” and said it’s not right for him to wear
the hood on Wednesday. He removed it, and the crowd stood up and cheered.

Harvard, like the University of Pennsylvania and other schools that have
seen heated protest over Israel’s war with Hamas, has been scrutinized
over the past year for its handling of antisemitism on campus.


The conversation over what constitutes antisemitism and what is
criticism of Israel and its government has become a point of tension on campuses and in Washington, where lawmakers are pushing to expand the definition of antisemitism to include certain criticisms of Israel.

In March 2023, The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law
filed a complaint with the university over what they called antisemitic
and anti-Israel behavior toward Israeli students. Now, the center is
suing Harvard for leaving antisemitism unaddressed on campus.

Additionally, the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the
Workforce determined that the university ignored recommendations from an advisory committee created to address antisemitism after Oct. 7.

» READ MORE: John Fetterman’s fight with the left is no longer just
about Israel

Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned in January after a congressional hearing where she failed to say that calls on campus for
the genocide of Jews would unequivocally violate university policy, as
well as plagiarism accusations. Former University of Pennsylvania
President Liz Magill had just resigned in December after using similar
language to Gay when she was similarly pressed by members of Congress,
saying it would depend on the context.

At Wednesday’s commencement, Fetterman said that he was wearing a
wristband from the Nova music festival that Hamas rampaged on Oct. 7,
which he said was given to him by a family of a hostage that was taken
that day.

Senator John Fetterman at the Yeshiva University commencement on May 29,
2024
Senator John Fetterman at the Yeshiva University commencement on May 29,
2024
Courtesy Yeshiva University
“It’s a constant reminder of the horrors of that day,” Fetterman said. “The Jewish community everywhere deserves our support.”

He said he won’t stop speaking out until every hostage is returned home,
and was met with another standing ovation. Fetterman is not Jewish and
his staff has said he has never been to Israel, according to Vanity Fair.

Fetterman also said in his speech that voting for billions of aid to
Israel without any conditions was one of his proudest moments as a
senator, “to allow Israel to push back that kind of singular evil
force.” While Congress didn’t attach conditions to the April aid
package, Biden signed an order in February that attached human rights conditions to U.S. military aid.

After saying his heart is with hostages and Israeli soldiers, Fetterman
also said that he grieves for innocent Palestinian children and women
“that Hamas is responsible for taking.”

Aliya Schneider
Aliya Schneider
I cover Pennsylvania politics and help readers learn what they need to
know about the 2024 election.
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