The New School’s student leaders didn’t just vote to defund Hillel—they ignited a campus war over complicity in genocide. Now, the university is investigating them instead. Here’s what’s really at stake.
On May 1, 2026, The New School’s Student Senate approved a report detailing how Hillel International’s programs—including trips to Israeli military bases—directly supported the Israeli government’s operations in Gaza, where over 75,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, according to the UN Human Rights Council. The report, compiled by the Registered Student Organizations (RSO) Compliance Committee, found that students from The New School and other NYC schools volunteered at Hatzerim Air Force Base, a hub for airstrikes on civilian areas in Gaza. Instead of addressing the findings, the university’s administration pivoted: it launched an investigation into the student senators themselves, accusing them of potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act—a move critics say is a coordinated effort to silence dissent under the guise of anti-Semitism.
Why is The New School investigating its own students instead of Hillel?
The university’s response wasn’t spontaneous. Within days of the Student Senate vote, pro-Israel groups—including Canary Mission, a controversial organization known for doxing pro-Palestinian activists—flooded social media with attacks. Canary Mission labeled Ryder Glickman, the Student Senate chair, a “virulent anti-Israel activist” on X. Two New York congressmen, Rep. Dan Goldman and Rep. Ritchie Torres, both backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), condemned the vote as “antisemitic.” The timing was no coincidence: The New School’s administration had already faced pressure from Hillel International and its allies, including Hillel at Baruch College, which serves as the umbrella organization for The New School’s chapter.
“The administration’s response was coordinated with Zionist organizations accusing us of antisemitism,” Glickman told Prism. “This is extremely worrying when we made a very basic case about international law.” The university’s email, signed by President Joel Towers, Provost Richard Kessler, and Vice Provost Robert Mack, dismissed the report as “misguided” and insisted Hillel remained in “good standing.” But the investigation into the student senators—who are now facing potential Title VI violations—suggests a different priority: protecting Hillel’s funding and reputation over accountability.
This isn’t the first time Hillel has faced scrutiny over its ties to the Israeli military. In 2024, Haaretz reported that soldiers from the Golani Brigade, a unit linked to Hillel’s volunteer programs, were responsible for the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency responders in Rafah. Yet, despite this evidence, Hillel International continues to operate its Onward Israel program, which facilitates internships and military volunteer opportunities for American students.
How Hillel’s programs directly support Israel’s military operations
The RSO Compliance Committee’s 38-page report uncovered a network of Hillel-affiliated programs that blur the line between student life and military logistics. The Sar-El program, run by the Israeli Logistics Corps, organizes trips for American students to volunteer at IDF bases, where they pack rations, repair military equipment, and even prepare meals for soldiers. One Instagram post from Hillel at Baruch College in January 2024 showed students at Hatzerim Air Force Base, where F-15s have conducted hundreds of airstrikes on Gaza. “Our students are packaging a day’s worth of rations to our soldiers,” the caption read.
This isn’t just logistical support—it’s direct complicity. According to a 2024 BBC analysis, soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, another unit tied to Hillel’s programs, were documented abusing Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council has concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. Yet Hillel’s programs continue unchecked, with students unknowingly (or willingly) aiding a military operation that has killed over 35,000 children, per UNICEF estimates.
“I am nauseated by the fact that I have classmates who have provided direct material and logistical support to genocide,” Glickman said. But the university’s investigation into the Student Senate—rather than Hillel—suggests that accountability lies elsewhere.
Who benefits from this investigation, and who loses?
The winners here are clear: Hillel International, its pro-Israel allies, and the university administration, which has avoided addressing the core issue. The losers? The students who spoke out, the Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire, and the integrity of academic freedom at The New School.
This isn’t just about one university. Hillel operates on over 500 campuses nationwide, and its programs—like Onward Israel—are designed to recruit American students into military-adjacent roles. The Federation of Jewish Communities and organizations like AIPAC have long shielded Hillel from criticism, framing dissent as antisemitic. But as Human Rights Watch has noted, “The law of genocide applies regardless of political affiliation.”
Meanwhile, Middlebury College’s Hillel chapter—facing similar pressure—recently rebranded as the Jewish Association at Middlebury, cutting ties with Hillel International. The New School’s investigation could set a dangerous precedent: if student-led accountability is met with legal threats, what’s next for campus activism?
What happens next for The New School’s student leaders?
The investigation into the Student Senate is still ongoing, but the signs are ominous. Title VI complaints—often weaponized against pro-Palestinian students—can lead to disciplinary action, including expulsion. Yet the real risk isn’t just to the senators; it’s to the broader movement. As Jewish Voice for Peace co-director Rebecca Vilkomerson told Archyde, “This is a test case. If The New School silences its students, it sends a message to every university that dissent is not welcome.”
Glickman and his colleagues are undeterred. “We’re not backing down,” he said. “The question is: Will the university stand with its students, or will it bow to pressure from powerful lobby groups?”
The answer may determine whether The New School remains a sanctuary for free speech—or becomes another campus where the cost of truth-telling is too high.
A call to action: How can students and faculty push back?
If you’re a student, professor, or concerned community member, here’s what you can do:
- Demand transparency: Request records from your university’s administration about how they handle Title VI complaints—especially when they target student activists.
- Support divestment campaigns: Push your school to cut ties with organizations complicit in human rights abuses, like Hillel International.
- Amplify the voices of affected students: Share the stories of those targeted by investigations, and challenge the narrative that dissent is antisemitic.
- Hold elected officials accountable: Contact representatives like Goldman and Torres to demand they stop using their platforms to silence pro-Palestinian voices.
The New School’s investigation isn’t just about one vote—it’s about whether universities will protect free speech or bow to political pressure. The fight isn’t over. What will you do to ensure the truth prevails?
