November 17, 2023
Dear John:
This week, the Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on the nexus between terror financing, tax-exempt charities, and anti-Semitism. We heard from:
- Talia Dror, a Cornell student and Vice President of Finance for Cornellians for Israel
- Adam Lehman, President and CEO of Hillel International
- Jonathan Schanzer, Senior Vice President of Research for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
- Noa Tishby, an actress, best selling author, and Israel's Former Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism
- Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League
In the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel and the war of self-defense that followed, we have seen a shocking and horrifying rise in anti-Semitism around the world. I'm sure you have seen the footage coming out of major cities and "top tier" universities. There are student groups on these campuses, like Students for Justice in Palestine, that have been built up over the years and have been a source of harassment and even violence against Jewish students. Ms. Dror, one of our witnesses in this hearing, spent her whole life working towards attending Cornell, putting every bit of energy and financing she and her family had to go to a prestigious school, only to be intimidated on campus and terrified that her apartment would be a target of a hate crime, receiving no support from the university itself.
Unfortunately, this hatred extends even further than dangerously misguided college students. There are tax-exempt charities operating in this country that provide support and potentially financing for Hamas and Hamas-affiliated groups. These organizations that support terrorism must have their tax-exempt status removed.
You can watch the full Committee hearing here.
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