University Hall at Ohio State University. Photo: OZinOH/Flickr

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which happens on January 27 every year, is a time when the world commemorates the victims of the Holocaust and reflects on how pure hatred and antisemitism led to this atrocity. It is a time for moments of silence, thoughtful discussions, and a meaningful look at history.

But over at Ohio State University, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) — a group whose nationwide members have glorified Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel — decided that it was once again time to protest outside of a Jewish institution. At the off-campus Chabad House, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, about 60 SJP members and their collaborators chanted for “liberation from the Zionist occupation.” They yelled that, “There are war criminals in this building,” referring to the fact that Chabad was hosting two IDF soldiers who were nearly murdered on October 7.

On OSU SJP’s Instagram was a flyer with the names and photos of the IDF soldiers from the Givati Brigade, as well as a blood-splattered IDF logo. Of course, the flyer was filled with egregious lies like, “The Givati Brigade has been a key component of the Zionist occupation since the Nakba of 1948 … Over the years, the Givati Brigade has been involved in repeated invasions of Gaza and the Lebanese border, and since 2000, they have relentlessly targeted and killed Palestinians in Gaza … Tomorrow, these war criminals, directly complicit in the ethnic cleansing and occupation of Palestine, will be on campus.”

In reality, the Chabad event was held on International Holocaust Remembrance Day because the two IDF soldiers were the ones who were targeted on October 7 — and narrowly survived the attack. The soldiers fittingly told their heartbreaking stories of October 7, which was the worst massacre of the Jews since the Holocaust.

Hamas wanted them dead simply because they are Jewish — just like the Nazis did.

One of the soldiers at the event, Maya Desiatnik, was a lookout at the Nahal Oz military base, which oversaw the Israel-Gaza border. When the attack started, she hid in the war room for six hours, while her entire unit suffered a worse fate: Fifteen of her colleagues were murdered and seven were kidnapped. Maya told Ynet News about her terrifying experience: “We could hear terrorists talking, going up to the war room roof, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’ They shot at the war room from outside and threw grenades in. When they realized they couldn’t get in, they set it on fire, with all of us inside.”

The other soldier, Saar Arie, was treating a family that had suffered a Hamas ambush. The terrorists burned their home while they were inside.

Maya and Saar are not only survivors — they are heroes. In a disgusting twist of facts, SJP called them war criminals, further victimizing the victims… on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, nonetheless. Showing up to a Jewish family’s home off campus wearing keffiyehs and shouting hateful chants into megaphones on what is supposed to be a solemn day in honor of victims of antisemitism is a new low.

This is not about free speech or peaceful protesting. If it was, then why did SJP at OSU post tips on covering your face and not getting arrested, along with what to do if the police did show up? Their flyer stated, “Do not speak to the cops. That’s what our police liaisons are for,” and “If you are placed under arrest, do not panic! Resisting and running from police can add charges.”

If they were there to peacefully protest, why would they need to publicize these tips?

Sadly, OSU has been a hotbed of antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7. In November of 2023, two Jewish students were verbally and physically assaulted, and in December of that year, people hurled objects at a Jewish fraternity and yelled antisemitic phrases. The genocidal phrase to eradicate Israel, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” has appeared on campus, and the university’s Hillel was vandalized.

None of this has been done to help Palestinians. It is about targeting Jews on campus, and delegitimizing the fact that Israel is, indeed, a Jewish state. Antisemitic individuals and groups may use the word “Zionist,” but it’s interchangeable with the word “Jew.” Otherwise, why would they go after the Hillel and Chabad?

While the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into OSU last year following all the reports of antisemitism, it’s time to take it a step further: OSU should ban SJP on campus altogether after their stunt last week.

Being hateful towards Jews at OSU is egregious anytime. But doing so after a horrendous massacre of the Jewish people — and then targeting them on International Holocaust Remembrance Day — is even more shocking.

It’s time for OSU to grow a backbone and stamp out Jew hatred on its campus once and for all. When we say, “never again,” it means never again anywhere — not in Israel, not in the US, and certainly not on the OSU campus.  

Lizzy Savetsky works with numerous non-profit and philanthropic movements as an outspoken advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. You can find her on Instagram @lizzysavetsky.