It's 7 o'clock p.m. on Saturday, March 8th here in New York City, Shavuatov.

It's 2 o'clock a.m. on Sunday, March 9th, in Israel as Israelis transition to a new week.

Shavua to you too after what has been a tumultuous week in both places.

I want to spend a moment on the tumult in one of those places here in New York City, up in

Morningside Heights, and specifically, Columbia University.

On Monday, three federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, announced a

comprehensive review of the funding relationships that the federal government has with Columbia

regarding Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. That's the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which,

among other things, bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in any program

receiving federal funds. Like most universities, Columbia receives a lot of federal funds.

The federal task force to combat anti-Semitism that was created by the Trump

administration announced that it will be visiting 10 university campuses that have attracted a lot of

attention for the shocking rise in anti-Semitism since October 7, 2023. And according to Education

Secretary Linda McMahon just confirmed, and I quote here,

Americans have watched in horror for more than a year now as Jewish students have been assaulted

and harassed on elite university campuses. Secretary McMahon goes on to say institutions that

receive federal funds have a responsibility

to protect all students from discrimination.

Colombia's apparent failure to uphold their end of this basic agreement raises very serious

questions about the institution's fitness to continue doing business with the United States

government.

Close quote.

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