HONOLULU — Peter Hoffenberg told Spectrum News that throughout the 30 years that he has been a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he has never dealt with so much antisemitism on campus.
“I have never seen this consistent and deep hatred for Jews (and) hatred for Israel,” said Hoffenberg. “It is palpable.”
He said it is most apparent in social science courses, humanities courses or with student groups.
“The number of Jewish students or pro-Israeli students who feel uncomfortable has increased,” said Hoffenberg.
Hoffenberg is the faculty adviser for Hillel Hawaii, a Jewish campus organization with about 50 students. Hillel organizes community events and assists students and faculty when they experience antisemitism.
The Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism, said since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, they have recorded a 388% increase in antisemitic incidents across the U.S. over the same period last year. The ADL recorded 312 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7-23, 2023, with at least 54 of those occurring on college campuses. According to the ADL, one of those incidents happened at a pro-Palestine rally at UH Manoa on Oct. 9.
Hoffenberg said what is happening at UH Manoa is unlike at Harvard, Cornell and other universities on the continent. Harvard’s leadership was criticized for not condemning Hamas after a statement signed by 30 student groups said the Israeli government was responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks. At Cornell University, a junior was arrested last month for allegedly posting online violently threatening statements against Jewish students on campus. Hoffenberg emphasized that UH Manoa students have not been physically threatened.
While Hoffenberg said there are no concerning security threats at UH Manoa, Hillel never shares when and where their events will be on social media.
“That’s our security,” said Hoffenberg.
Currently, Hoffenberg is helping Hillel students who are concerned about antisemitism. He said this is the first time in his career at UH Manoa that there has been more than one student who has brought a concern to him.
One incident involves a political science professor’s PowerPoint presentation titled "Free Palestine," which called the Oct. 7 Hamas attack “a historic uprising” and justified the attacks. During the massacre, Hamas killed about 1,200 Israeli civilians and took 200 people hostage. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance includes, in its definition of antisemitism, justifying the killing of Jews in the name of a radical ideology.
Hoffenberg said the student did not want to be named for fear of retaliation. According to Hoffenberg, the Jewish student questioned whether he could remain in the class.
“They feel not only that their voice is not being heard, but that their voice is being erased and that Jews in Israel are (being) demonized. They worry by association, they will also be demonized,” said Hoffenberg.
Hoffenberg spoke with Dr. Denise Eby Konan, the dean of the College of Social Sciences, about the PowerPoint from the political science course, sharing that the student feels uncomfortable. He hopes this conversation will help prevent hateful speech on campus.
“My first and foremost concern is to take care of the students,” said Hoffenberg.
Konan forwarded Spectrum News' request for comment to Dan Meisenzahl, director of UH communications, who confirmed in an email that the dean is investigating allegations about the political science professor’s PowerPoint presentation.
Meisenzahl also said UH’s Department of Public Safety has not received any threats related to antisemitism since Oct. 7. However, he said they have received reports of posters on campus that are pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel, “but nothing that is clearly antisemitic.” When asked what the posters said, Meisenzahl said he would check but had not responded by the time of publication.
“So far, there is nothing concrete to provide you as far as official reports,” he wrote. “With that said, there are very passionate people on both sides of this incredibly complex issue that is decades old. Today on campus, there was a group in support of the Palestinians set up at the campus center handing out information. I am not sure supporters of Israel would agree with the way they frame things, but it did not appear to be antisemitic. Who am I to say how someone should or should not feel?”
As for ensuring the safety of students, Meisenzahl said there are multiple ways students can report harassment on campus, and the university sends messages regularly about resources.
“As is common at college campuses across the country, there are very passionate people on all sides of this divisive issue. And everyone has a right to express their opinion. Fortunately, UH Manoa has not seen the same level of discord seen on many campuses, but that does not mean it does not exist,” Meisenzahl wrote in a follow-up email.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden’s Education Department issued a letter telling U.S. schools and colleges to take immediate action to stop antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses. The letter noted a rise in reports of hate incidents on college campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War.
Spectrum News reached out to UH Manoa’s Muslim Student Association to ask about Islamophobia. Arifur Rahman, an affiliate graduate faculty member leading the student group, said none of MSA’s members have “come forward to share their experiences.” Still, he said the conflict has had a profound effect on the group’s members.
“We are organizing multiple mental health and stress relief events to help our students focus on their studies amidst these trying times,” said Rahman.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights nonprofit, received 1,283 requests for help and reports of bias from across the U.S. between Oct. 7 and Nov. 4, which they said is a 216% increase over the same period last year. CAIR told Spectrum News that none of those incidents occurred in Hawaii.
“That in no way indicates they do not exist, given the incoming flood it may take a few weeks to fully understand what has happened,” said Corey Saylor, CAIR’s Research Director.
Hoffenberg also said that students and faculty are discussing how rising antisemitism on campus is making them uncomfortable. These incidents may include antisemitic jokes, signs at rallies or social media posts.
“A significant number of counselors or academics, graduate students, who looked at what was happening on Oct. 7 and celebrated that as an act of resistance, we find that really repulsive,” said Hoffenberg.
Daphne Desser, an English professor at UH Manoa and board member on Hillel, said Jewish students sent her screenshots of an Instagram story from another professor in her department that celebrated the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre as Palestinian liberation.
On Oct. 12, UH President David Lassner sent a statement via email to the students and faculty at the university’s 10 campuses.
“Many of us are watching events of this past week in Israel and Gaza with horror and disbelief. I am proud that our community has not engaged in the hateful behaviors seen in other places and universities and that, sadly, we have previously seen here in our beloved Hawaii,” Lassner’s statement began.
It also mentioned keeping hate and intolerance away from campus and showing compassion. It listed resources, which included student clubs and counseling resources.
“This statement satisfied some people. It did not satisfy all of us,” said Hoffenberg.
He said some of his colleagues took issue with the fact that the statement did not recognize how horrific the Oct. 7 attack was. Robert Littman, a UH faculty member on the board of Hillel, wrote a letter to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, saying Lassner should have condemned Hamas in the letter.
Mason Russo, a graduate student at UH Manoa and the director of Hillel Hawaii, said the president’s statement was “too late.”
“There were already antisemitic incidents that occurred as the University fumbled to release a statement that didn’t even condemn the actions of Hamas,” said Russo.
He said it would be great for the university to put a statement out about antisemitism and to show support for their Jewish students.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.