Statement regarding U.S. Travel Ban:
As scholars of Jewish Studies at The City University of New York, we condemn the executive order that bans entry to the US for 90 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, and suspends indefinitely the entry of Syrian refugees. This order is causing indescribable suffering to already vetted refugees and is preventing legal immigrants from returning to the United States, where they have jobs, homes and families.
Our knowledge of Jewish history renders us attuned to the plight of refugees and immigrants, and the ethical imperative to help them. We cannot stay silent when members of a religious and ethnic minority are discriminated against on the basis of their identities and nations of origin.
The City University of New York is an institution that has traditionally served and serves the needs of immigrants and children of immigrants and that benefits tremendously from the diversity of our student body. We proudly embrace CUNY’s mission and decry this narrow-minded and cruel action. We call on the President of the United States to rescind this executive order immediately.
Beverly Bailis, Visiting Research Scholar, Department of Judaic Studies, Brooklyn College
Elissa Bemporad, Associate Professor of History and Jerry and William Ungar Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust, Queens College and The Graduate Center
Randolph Braham, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Political Science, City College and The Graduate Center; Director, Rosenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies
Francesca Bregoli, Associate Professor of History and Joseph and Oro Halegua Chair in Greek and Sephardic Jewish Studies, Queens College and The Graduate Center; Acting Director, Center for Jewish Studies, Graduate Center
David Brodsky, Assistant Professor, Department of Judaic Studies, Brooklyn College
Debra Caplan, Assistant Professor of Theater, Baruch College
Mikhal Dekel, Professor of English, City College; Middle Eastern Studies, The Graduate Center
Abi Doukhan, Assistant Professor, Philosophy, Queens College
Arnold Franklin, Associate Professor of History and Director, Center for Jewish Studies, Queens College
Joshua B. Friedman, Visiting Research Scholar, The Graduate Center
Samuel Heilman, Distinguished Professor of Sociology Queens College and Harold Proshansky Chair in Jewish Studies, The Graduate Center
Jack Jacobs, Professor of Political Science, John Jay College and The Graduate Center
Jessica Lang, Associate Professor of English and Newman Director of the Wasserman Jewish Studies Center, Baruch College
Boris Liebrenz, Visiting Research Scholar, Center for Jewish Studies, The Graduate Center
Sara Reguer, Professor and Chair, Department of Judaic Studies, Brooklyn College
Kristina Richardson, Assistant Professor of History, Queens College and The Graduate Center
Miryam Segal, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Classical, Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures and Director of Religious Studies, Queens College; Middle Eastern Studies, The Graduate Center
Andrew Sloin, Assistant Professor of History, Baruch College
Evan Zimroth, Professor of English; Associate Director, Jewish Studies, Queens College
