Ronald Lauder, a billionaire and substantial contributor to the University of Pennsylvania, has put the university on notice. He has indicated his intent to stop funding it, unless the institution takes definitive actions against antisemitism. This follows a wave of concern among notable donors over a Palestinian literary festival which was staged on campus prior to the recent Hamas terror attacks on Israel.
Prior to the commencement of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, UPenn administrators had admitted that its participants included figures who were previously recognized for endorsing antisemitic views. Lauder expressed his concerns in a letter penned to UPenn President Liz Magill, noting that such a conference had besmirched the reputation of Penn and restoration would necessitate significant time.
His letter further outlined that reassessment of his financial support to the university was necessary unless satisfactory arrangements were pursued to eliminate antisemitism. Furthermore, the literary festival has incited significant backlash from vast donors such as Marc Rowan and former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, who pledged to terminate their financing, and Vahan Gureghian, a trustee who has since resigned.
Lauder reportedly commissioned individuals to document the festival and reported their findings of antisemitism and overtly anti-Israel sentiments among the speakers. However, the festival’s organizers contest these claims, asserting they do not endorse antisemitism according to the university’s student newspaper, The Daily Pennsylvanian.
President Magill emphasized in a statement that as a university they held dear the values of free exchange of ideas in balance with the safety and security of their community. Consequently, the university was committed to confronting antisemitism and fostering an environment that recognized and rejected all forms of hate.
With an estimated fortune of $4.6 billion, Lauder is a prominent figure within the Jewish community, serving as the president of the World Jewish Congress. He expressed his dismay at battling antisemitism at the institution he once called his own, an institution his family also attended.
In the 1980s, Lauder served as the US ambassador to Austria. Upon graduating from UPenn, he co-founded The Lauder Institute, a business program branded after his father. Before the festival, Lauder made concerted efforts to persuade President Magill to cancel it, even visiting Philadelphia specifically for a meeting with her and following up via phone calls.
In his correspondence, Lauder also singled out the Department of Arts and Sciences as the primary organizers of the event and demanded they face repercussions. He insisted that none of his institute’s students should be taught by any faculty member who endorsed the event.
Over the weekend, President Magill admitted that the university’s response to the festival was inadequate and that they should have communicated their position more swiftly and with clear intent. She sympathized with how distressing the event was for the Jewish community and declared her strong condemnation of the Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel and their crimes against civilians.
The festival identifies as North America’s sole literature celebration promoting and recognizing cultural productions by Palestinian writers and artists. Despite the controversy, the event organizers, like Susan Abulhawa, maintained that the festival was a celebratory occasion aimed at honoring Palestinian culture and literature. They expressed pride in their event, describing it as “glorious,” and stating that it even moved some attendees to tears.
