Once again, a Jewish holiday has been marked by a targeted antisemitic act of terror. Our thoughts are with those affected, with the injured, and with the families and friends of those who were murdered, as well as with Jewish people worldwide and especially at our university, for whom celebrating Hanukkah this year begins under such a heavy blow.
That a Jewish holiday-a moment of collective remembrance and celebration-becomes the site of such an act is deeply shocking. This act was not directed at politics or state actions. It was directed at people-at Jews, solely because they are Jews.
There are now voices seeking to use this horrific attack as an occasion to incite hatred against Muslim and Palestinian people. Such voices and such hatred must not be allowed space-neither at ASH Berlin nor anywhere else.
As a university, we see it as our responsibility to clearly name group-based hatred in all its forms-whether anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim racism, anti-Gadje racism, anti-Black racism, or any other form of racism and discrimination. It is our responsibility to decisively oppose hatred and discrimination and to actively protect and strengthen diversity.
Especially now, we want to explicitly signal to marginalized members of the ASH Berlin community:
You are not alone. Your concerns, fears, and perspectives have a place here. If you need someone to talk to, please contact:
Vered Berman, Contact Person for Antisemitism: ansprechperson-antisem@ ash-berlin.eu
Beatrice Cobbinah (Anti-Discrimination and Diversity Officer) or Peps Gutsche (Advisor for the Protection Concept): antidiskriminierung@ ash-berlin.eu
Bettina Völter, Gesine Bär, Anja Voss
Presidential Board of ASH Berlin
Nina Lawrenz, Beatrice Cobbinah
Head of the Intersectional Practice and Transformation (InPuT) department
Vered Berman
Contact person for Antisemitism at ASH Berlin
