Yuni Kim
Assistant News Editor
Two weeks after York history prof. David Noble mailed a letter to the university’s president, Mamdouh Shoukri, about York’s policies on student club activities, he received an official response from the administration, as well as several unsolicited press releases from on and off campus Jewish groups.
Noble, whose original letter to Shoukri alleged the Hillel@York Jewish student group serves as, “in effect, an agent of a foreign government,” said he was “dismayed” after having gone over the content of the response letter.
“It is the right of any community member to express his or her view within the law and without fear of intimidation or harassment,” wrote Rob Tiffin, vice-president students at York, in a letter to Noble dated Oct. 21. “This extends to the members of a student organization such as Hillel.”
Noble, who is on sabbatical this academic year, is not satisfied with the response. “They’re not answering the question,” he said.
“It’s much more than disappointment. I’m dismayed.”
“[York] is continuing to endorse Hillel’s acting as a de facto agent of a foreign government,” Noble added.
“The significance of Tiffin’s letter is that the university has now moved from a tacit endorsement […] that any state that wants to establish themselves using a student organi- zation as a lobbying agency is now officially sanctioned. That’s what that letter means.”
Tiffin’s letter noted that, according to Presidential Regulation 4, a “student organization” is defined as a group of students who voluntarily congregate with common interest, and may include “organizations formed for purposes of carrying forward a particular activity, cause or project” and not necessarily associated with an academic discipline.
Brandon Crandall, president of Hillel@ York, insisted his club does not work for any governmental organization and is in full compliance with university rules and regulations.
“We’ve been on campus as the primary voice for Jewish life and for non-Jewish students who are interested in Judaism and Jewish culture,” he said. “We hold no political alliances with any parties […] we firmly deny being agents of a foreign government.”
Noble’s take on Hillel@York’s activities was apparently inspired by a Facebook group called “Israel Affairs – Hillel @ York,” moderated by Jennifer Cogan Diamond, who, according to the Hillel of Greater Toronto website, is the Israel Affairs Program Associate for the Toronto organization.
Noble attached a screen capture of the group’s front page to his initial letter. The group’s description begins, “We are the advocates for Israel on York campus.”
When asked about the “Israel Affairs” Facebook group, Crandall explained that the group is indeed involved with Hillel@York, but that their support for Israel is historically rooted in the Jewish faith.
Meanwhile, several Jewish and Israeli groups both on and off campus expressed disdain for Noble’s interpretation of Hillel@York’s activities. Sammy Katz, managing director of the Canadian Network for Israel Affairs and former president of Hasbara at York, felt that Noble was unjustified in condemning Hillel as serving as an agent of a foreign government. “Supporting Israel on campus does not mean that you are acting on behalf of a foreign government,” Katz said in an Oct. 20 press release.
“Rather, students and organizations that support Israel on campus are supporting democracy, human rights, equality and peace.” Aaron Rosenberg, president of B’nai Brith OnCampus York, felt that Noble’s claims were isolating Jewish student groups on campus.
“Numerous groups and a large number of students at York University […] stand behind the democratic Jewish State of Israel,” said Rosenberg in a statement made to Excalibur.
“[Noble] continues to make a mockery of this university’s claimed policies of inclusion. Should this be tolerated at our proudly multicultural university?”
Noble is still pursuing a defamation lawsuit he filed in 2006 against Hillel of Great- er Toronto, as well as several other Jewish groups and the York University Foundation, for $19 million in relation to press releases they’d issued about a pamphlet he’d distributed in 2004.