Dear Editor,

Penelope Dick’s recent op-ed misrepresents Jewish students at Brandeis. She is correct to point out that we are not a monolith—something reflected in the 20 affiliate groups under Brandeis Hillel that span a broad spectrum of perspectives on Israel and Judaism, and the presence of an active Brandeis Chabad Club. 

However, her characterization of the university’s decision to invite Professor Jonathan Sarna as commencement speaker as a “virtue signal” to Zionist donors is troubling and antisemitic. Such a framing diminishes the significance of Professor Sarna’s distinguished academic career and deep contributions to the Brandeis community. To draw a parallel: if the decision to honor Shirley Ann Jackson and Jim Obergefell were labeled a “virtue signal” to Black and LGBTQ+ students and donors, we would rightly recognize such claims as racist or homophobic. This, too, should be unacceptable.

Further, Hillel’s Shabbat dinners are funded through private donations, not university resources. If students who identify as non-Zionist want to host their own Shabbat dinners, they are equally free to raise support.

While Jewish students hold a wide range of views on Israeli policy, the majority at Brandeis support Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation, home to nearly half of the world’s Jewish population. Suggesting the university’s speaker choice is purely a political gesture overlooks an opportunity to recognize the achievements of a distinguished professor and engage in meaningful dialogue. 

Best,

Matthew Pfeffer  

Class of ‘27