Last October, we witnessed a disturbing shift in schools and universities across the country. Following the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, antisemitic rhetoric surged to alarming levels. Students claiming to advocate for a “free Palestine” signed antisemitic proclamations, engaged in violent protests, and harassed Jewish students on campus. Their actions were so vile and virulent that they made headlines worldwide.
Last fall, telehealth company Hims & Hers made waves when their CEO praised anti-Israel protesters and declared that he was “eager” to hire them.
High-profile donors halted their financial contributions to these universities, while prominent alumni publicly criticized their alma maters for failing to address antisemitism and hold the worst offenders on campus accountable. In response to the escalating crisis, more than two dozen high-profile law firms signed a letter pledging that they would not hire graduates who participated in antisemitic activities. Several other businesses followed their lead. (READ MORE: Antisemitism Is Not a Major)
Because so few of these students were actually held accountable by university leadership, these efforts ensured they would face some form of consequence for their actions. These efforts also sent a clear message that hatred, harassment, and violence have no place in our society. They also served as a deterrent, discouraging other students from engaging in similarly hateful behavior.
For businesses, taking a stand against antisemitism in this manner offered an opportunity to set themselves apart. It signaled that these companies and their leaders were committed to confronting hate and supporting the Jewish community. At a time when businesses were facing widespread criticism for embracing DEI ideologies, these efforts gave business leaders an opportunity to highlight the poisonous results of dividing people into “oppressor” and “oppressed” categories.
Unfortunately, for some, these actions appear to have been little more than performative gestures. Antisemitic students and leaders must be held accountable — but so too must those who pledge to stand against antisemitism and then fail to follow through.
One such example is Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, an international law firm headquartered in New York City. Debevoise & Plimpton was one of the more than two dozen firms to sign the letter indicating that they would not hire antisemitic graduates. However, a recent investigation by Accuracy in Media revealed that Debevoise & Plimpton failed to follow through and hired two Columbia Law School graduates — Avery Bashe and Tess Kim — who held leadership positions at student organizations that participated in antisemitic activities.
Bashe and Kim served as leaders of pro-Hamas student organizations that signed a proclamation blaming Israel for the rape and murder of their citizens and suggesting that violence against Israel was necessary.
Despite their central roles in fueling antisemitism on Columbia’s campus, Bashe and Kim were never disciplined by the university. The statement signed by Debevoise & Plimpton should have served to hold Bashe and Kim accountable, but instead, the firm quietly reneged on its pledge. Ironically, Columbia employed Debevoise & Plimpton in Fall 2023 to “investigate student misconduct complaints stemming from recent pro-Palestine protests on campus.” Unfortunately, when they believed the media attention had subsided and the public had moved on, Debevoise & Plimpton moved forward with hiring two avowed antisemites.
This is not an isolated incident. Many other companies are continuing to hire avowed antisemites. Whether they signed a pledge against this or not, their actions should be exposed so consumers can make decisions about where to take their business. Last fall, telehealth company Hims & Hers made waves when their CEO praised anti-Israel protesters and declared that he was “eager” to hire them. Not long after, the company’s stock plunged, losing nearly $210 million in value in one day.
Unfortunately, not every company is as transparent. Recently, AIM revealed that Bassett Medical Center, a health care facility in upstate New York, had two antisemitic student leaders in their employ. Claire Howlett and Georgia Payne, both members of the Columbia-Bassett Class of 2026, currently serve as leaders of Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), an antisemitic coalition that explicitly endorses violence. CUAD has posted images of pro-Hamas graffiti, including the message “Long live the intifada.”
Recent investigations by Accuracy in Media also revealed that Virginia Military Institute recently hired Philip Crane, a Columbia graduate who held a leadership role in a pro-Hamas student organization at the university. Crane is currently employed as a visiting professor at VMI and previously served as the secretary of the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs Palestine Working Group. In October 2023, this organization signed an antisemitic proclamation blaming Israel for the Hamas terror attack. Although many leaders apologized and withdrew their signatures from the proclamation, Crane did not. (READ MORE: Being Vaccinated Against Anti-Semitism)
These stories are indicative of a much larger problem. Students engaging in antisemitic activities are facing few to no consequences — whether at school or beyond. If businesses continue to hire these graduates, they will come to believe that their actions are not only tolerated but condoned.
University leaders across the country have proven that they are unable or unwilling to confront the growing threat of radical antisemitism. As a result, it falls to other actors in our society to take a stand. Refusing to hire individuals who spew hatred and promote violence is an essential first step, but our responsibility doesn’t end there. We must continue to expose these individuals to ensure their peers, employers, and communities are made aware of their views. It is not too late — we can stem the growing tide of antisemitism in this country, but we must act now.
Adam Guillette is the president of Accuracy in Media. Accuracy in Media uses investigative journalism and cultural activism to expose corruption and hold bad public policy actors accountable. Previously, Guillette launched the Florida chapter of Americans for Prosperity and served as vice president of Project Veritas. Since 2004, Adam has served as Distinguished Faculty member for the Leadership Institute.
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