2.16

1. THE UNIVERSITY PARK UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION
The Pennsylvania State University
16th Assembly
2021 – 2022 Session Resolution #02-16
April 28th
, 2021
Be it decided by the Assembly of Student Representatives,
having been brought to the floor by the Committee on Justice and Equity,
a
RESOLUTION
Resolution Against Antisemitism and in Support of the Adoption of the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Definition
Nature of the Situation:
1
2
Hate crimes against Jewish individuals have been on the rise throughout the United States
3
recently and have reached record levels. These incidents include, but are not limited to: Jewish
4
Community Center Shooting in Kansas City, MO (2014), Demonstration of White Supremacists
5
that included chants of “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville, VA (2017), the Tree of Life
6
Synagogue Shooting in Pittsburgh, PA (2018), Chabad Synagogue Shooting in Poway, CA
7
(2018), Shooting at Kosher Supermarket in Jersey City, NJ (2019), a man wielding a knife
8
stormed into a Rabbi’s home and stabbed five people as they celebrated Hanukkah in Monsey,
9
NY (2019), over the span of just 11 months there were 39 attacks against Jews in Brooklyn, NY
10
(2019-2020), Antisemitic imagery was rampant at the insurrection at the United States Capitol in
11
Washington, DC (2021), a Chasidic couple walking with their one year old baby was attacked by
12
a man with a knife in New York (2021).
13
14
In 2020 and 2021 there was a large spike in attacks against Jewish institutions on or serving
15
college campuses. These incidents include, but are not limited to: Student Government Vice
16
President resigned due to antisemitic bullying at University of Southern California (2020),
17
Chabad at University of Delaware set on fire (2020), Chabad in Wilmington Delaware set on fire
18
(2020), Swastikas drawn on University of Connecticut building which was across from the
19
campus Hillel building (2021), the University of Pennsylvania holds graduation on Shavuot and
20

2. refuses to accommodate Jewish students (2021), eggs being thrown at Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity
21
house during Holocaust Remembrance Event at Rutgers University (2021).
22
23
There is a history of antisemitic incidents at Penn State and within the Penn State community.
24
These incidents include, but are not limited to: a menorah outside of the ZBT Jewish Fraternity
25
was stolen and vandalized (2018), the menorah outside the Chabad house was vandalized (2019),
26
the menorah outside the Chabad house was stolen (2019), 17 recognized incidents of
27
antisemitism between 2001 and 2018.
28
29
These public incidents of antisemitism are confounded by personal experiences of Penn State’s
30
Jewish students. These incidents include but are not limited to: being told to just not worry about
31
antisemitism, being told Israel does not have a right to exist or that another student wishes for
32
violence against Israel, being held accountable for perceived wrongdoing by the Israeli
33
government simply because they are Jewish, being stereotyped or demonized for being Jewish,
34
witnessing Holocaust denial, seeing antisemitic symbols on campus, and Jewish students having
35
their experiences with antisemitism and as Jewish people minimized.
36
37
Antisemitism is an age-old hatred which comes from many different sources and has many
38
manifestations which makes it very difficult to identify. Combating antisemitism starts with
39
learning about antisemitism and being able to identify it. Proper education around antisemitism
40
and how it manifests can only be done with the use of a widely accepted definition and
41
educational tool.
42
43
With the continued perpetuation of antisemitism, the International Holocaust Remembrance
44
Alliance (IHRA) has established a working definition of antisemitism. [APPENDIX A] The
45
IHRA spent many years developing consensus around this definition by working with Jewish
46
leaders and experts in the field to conduct extensive research and consultation before it was even
47
adopted by the original 34 member countries that made up the IHRA plenary in 2016. Since then,
48
this definition has been widely and globally accepted by countries, institutions and universities.
49
For example, the US departments of State, Justice, and Education under Title VI; the Biden
50
administration; the European Union; the Global Imams Council, Arizona State, Florida State,
51
Pace University, University of Iowa, and many others. Moreover, this definition has been
52
adopted and supported by leading Jewish organizations around the world and it best reflects the
53
lived experience of Jews around the world. The definition serves to acknowledge the plight of
54
Jewish students, while serving as a resource and educational tool to prevent escalation of
55
antisemitism. This definition also reflects modern antisemitism rather than outdated ideas of
56
what antisemitism entails.
57
58
59
60
61

3. Recommended Course of Action:
62
63
The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), on behalf of the University Park
64
undergraduate student body, shall recognize and use the International Holocaust Remembrance
65
Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. [APPENDIX A]
66
67
The UPUA shall call on the Penn State University Administration to recognize the IHRA
68
definition of antisemitism as Penn State’s official definition of antisemitism.
69
70
The UPUA hereby charges the Department of Outreach to send a copy of this resolution to
71
President Eric J. Barron and Vice President of Student Affairs Damon Sims.
72
73
Special Acknowledgments:
74
● Special acknowledgments are given to the following individuals for their contributions to
75
this action for the betterment of student life at University Park:
76
i. Marissa Scott, Hillel Leader and Legislation Writer
77
ii. Jonathan Kane, Hillel Leader and Legislation Writer
78
iii. Nathan Szydlow, Hillel Leader and Legislation Writer
79
iv. Jackie Stochel, President of Penn State Hillel
80
v. Evie Wolpo, Vice President of Penn State Hillel
81
vi. Lexi Barilotti, Leader in Lions for Israel
82
Respectfully Submitted,
Aarathi Kallur
APIDA Caucus Representative
Chair of Justice and Equity
Annmarie Rounds-Sorensen
At-Large Representative
Jeanelle Loiseau
Black Caucus Representative
Jorge Durango Espin
At-Large Representative
Ryan Loscalzo
Lion PRIDE Representative
Joshua Reynolds
At-Large Representative
Sydney Gibbard
College of Engineering Representative
Speaker of the Assembly
Rayna Alexander
At-Large Representative
Vice Chair of Justice and Equity
Carter Gangl
At-Large Representative
Sam Ajah
At-Large Representative
Megan Neely
College of Arts and Architecture
J Refugio Lara Jr
Latino Caucus Representative

4. Committee Vote: 11/0/0
Assembly Vote: Unanimous Consent
Speaker of the Assembly ________________________________________________
President of the Student Body ________________________________________________
The University Park Undergraduate Association
Erin E Boase

5. APPENDIX A – Retrieved from: https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-
definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitism
The Working Definition of Antisemitism
In the spirit of the Stockholm Declaration that states: “With humanity still scarred by
…antisemitism and xenophobia the international community shares a solemn responsibility
to fight those evils” the committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial called the IHRA
Plenary in Budapest 2015 to adopt the following working definition of antisemitism.
On 26 May 2016, the Plenary in Bucharest decided to:
Adopt the following non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism:
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred
toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed
toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish
community institutions and religious facilities.”
To guide IHRA in its work, the following examples may serve as illustrations:
Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish
collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country
cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to
harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong.” It is
expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and
negative character traits.
Contemporary examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace,
and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are
not limited to:

6. ■ Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a
radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
■ Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations
about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially
but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews
controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
■ Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined
wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts
committed by non-Jews.
■ Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of
the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany
and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
■ Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or
exaggerating the Holocaust.
■ Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged
priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
■ Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming
that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
■ Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or
demanded of any other democratic nation.
■ Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g.,
claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
■ Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
■ Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
Antisemitic acts are criminal when they are so defined by law (for example, denial of the
Holocaust or distribution of antisemitic materials in some countries).
Criminal acts are antisemitic when the targets of attacks, whether they are people or
property – such as buildings, schools, places of worship and cemeteries – are selected
because they are, or are perceived to be, Jewish or linked to Jews.
Antisemitic discrimination is the denial to Jews of opportunities or services available to
others and is illegal in many countries.