In light of the tragic deaths of 11 Jewish worshipers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

In light of the tragic deaths of 11 Jewish worshipers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania over the weekend, the faculty of the Department of Jewish Studies wants to make sure all students have the information and support they need.

Students are welcome to come to the office of the Chair, Professor Kitty Millet, in HUM 518, to learn of resources on campus for coping with this tragedy. Be assured that the Department has partners both on and off campus who are prepared to assist students dealing with tragedy, and with whom faculty work, to advance a safe environment for Jewish and non-Jewish students. Students are also encouraged to reach out to campus counselors at either The SAFE Place or Counseling and Psychological Services Center, both of which are always available to students in need of support and can be reached through the same hotline: (415) 338-2208. Jewish Family and Children's Services also offers access to counseling among its resources for families in crisis. Likewise, Professor Dollinger, the instructor of JS 540, Anti-Semitism, welcomes any students to visit him during his office hours, Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in HUM 517, to share their concerns.

Anti-Semitism, racism, as well as other systematized forms of oppression, thrive on fear and stereotype. Department faculty repudiate the anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, racist, hateful, marginalizing, and indecent language — widely proliferating today and increasingly becoming more acceptable — that motivates and inspires those who would harm others. Hence, we reaffirm the Department's values of inclusion rather than the rhetoric of exclusion. Sadly, on our own campus, we have seen attempts to intimidate Jewish students, faculty, as well as other marginalized groups. These sorts of actions have no place on campus, especially at SF State. Thus the Department has taken up a social obligation to continue to work against fear, stereotype, antisemitism and racism, by offering courses and events that freight discussions of Jewish culture, history, politics, and Judaism with the knowledge that we have choices and we choose life in all of its multivalent possibilities.

Kitty Millet
Professor and Chair of the Department of Jewish Studies