Mayor Adams, Rep. Torres host roundtable on antisemitism for college students

Members of Baruch College’s Leader Family Hillel told NY1 they were met by vocal protests outside of a recent event meant to welcome new Jewish students to campus.

“At first it was very like shocking, right, you get shocked, and then you get scared,” Baruch College student Ernest Rafailov said.

Students claim a video posted to social media by Rep. Ritchie Torres documented the scene they faced.

“As a leader in my Hillel, I think it’s important to stay calm in those situations and understand that I have to be a voice for the rest of our students,” Aidan Herzlinger, another Baruch student, told NY1.

Leader Family Hillel members shared their stories inside City Hall Monday with Torres and Mayor Eric Adams.

“Whatever the law allows me to do, I am going to do it to make sure New Yorkers are safe,” Adams told the group.

The roundtable conversation about antisemitism on college campuses included students from several local schools.

“It’s just been a very tough time having to deal with the discrimination and the harassment we experience as Jewish pro-Israel students on campus,” Michael Valdes, a graduate student at The New School, said.

Students from City College of New York recalled feeling intimidated or unsafe on campus last spring after encampments meant to show solidarity with civilian in Gaza ended with protesters clashing with police.

Several students asked why the NYPD didn’t step in sooner.

“Our lawyers made it clear you don’t have the authority to go on those college campuses without the permission of the individuals of the schools, the presidents and the faculties,” the mayor told the group.

“We had meetings this summer with all the different college campuses across the city to make sure they are ready if something like this happens again,” Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabian Levy added.