As University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill faces mounting pressure to resign amidst a growing anti-Semitism scandal, one of her staunchest allies on the university board is also a prominent leader in the Jewish Federations of North America—a group that claims to be at the forefront of combating campus anti-Semitism.
Julie Platt, serving as both vice chair of UPenn’s board of trustees and chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees, has emerged as one of Magill’s most vocal defenders, even as other Jewish leaders call for the UPenn president’s resignation.
Platt has publicly supported Magill’s decision to turn a blind eye to the presence of notorious anti-Semites at a campus conference in September, including Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, who has donned Nazi attire during his concerts. Furthermore, Platt has remained tight-lipped following Magill’s disastrous testimony on Capitol Hill.
Now, critics argue that Platt is leveraging her position as a Jewish community leader to shield Magill’s role at the university, despite the surge of anti-Semitism on campus.
The Jewish Federations claim to be leading the charge against anti-Semitism, including on college campuses. However, as one Jewish community leader revealed to the Washington Free Beacon, “what most Federation leaders don’t know, and certainly their activist grassroots donors and volunteers don’t know, is that she’s also the vice chair at the University of Pennsylvania and in that role, has been the public face of defending Magill for months.”
Platt’s defense of Magill predates the recent Hamas attacks on October 7. She stood by the UPenn president when the university hosted the “Palestine Writes” conference in September, which featured speakers with anti-Semitic views, including Roger Waters. The Jewish Federation’s Philadelphia chapter sent a letter to the school, accusing Waters of “dressing in a Nazi-like uniform” and “desecrating the memory of Holocaust victim Anne Frank,” as reported by CNN.
In October, when Apollo CEO Marc Rowan called for Magill’s resignation from the UPenn board after she refused to condemn Hamas terrorism, Platt publicly supported the UPenn president, expressing “full confidence in the leadership of President Liz Magill and Chair Scott Bok,” as stated in a statement to the New York Post.
However, Platt has remained conspicuously silent following Magill’s shocking congressional testimony, where she and other Ivy League presidents suggested that calls for Jewish genocide were permissible on campuses. Platt, a former banker, also serves as co-chair of UPenn Hillel’s National Board of Governors and sits on the board of overseers for the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, according to her biography on the Penn Alumni website.
When asked to comment on Magill’s testimony, Platt did not respond to the Free Beacon. Similarly, Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, did not provide a comment regarding Platt’s defense of Magill.
Sources have informed the Free Beacon that Magill’s ousting is imminent, with her resignation potentially being demanded as early as today.
During a congressional hearing this week, Magill refused to acknowledge that calls for the genocide of Jews violated the university’s anti-harassment policies. She argued that only when “speech becomes conduct” can it be considered harassment.
Her statements prompted the Wharton School’s board to call for her resignation, stating in a letter to Magill that they have been deeply concerned about the toxic culture on campus, which has been perpetuated by a select group of students and faculty and tolerated by university leadership.
“As a result of the university leadership’s stated beliefs and collective failure to act, our board respectfully suggests to you and the Board of Trustees that the university requires new leadership with immediate effect,” the letter concluded.
How has Magill’s decision to not take action against the “Palestine Writes” conference affected the controversy surrounding her?
Er, Platt’s support of Magill has sparked outrage among other Jewish leaders and organizations who believe that her position as the chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees should hold her accountable for combating anti-Semitism, not defending someone who has been accused of turning a blind eye to it.
The controversy surrounding Magill began to escalate in September when the university hosted the “Palestine Writes” conference, which featured speakers with anti-Semitic views, including Roger Waters. The Jewish Federation’s Philadelphia chapter sent a letter to the school, expressing their concern about Waters’ controversial behavior. Despite this, Magill chose not to take any action against the conference or the speakers.
Platt, as the chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees, should have been at the forefront of condemning such behavior. Instead, she has defended Magill’s decision and has remained silent on the issue, causing many to question her commitment to combating anti-Semitism.
The situation worsened in October when Apollo CEO Marc Rowan called for Magill’s resignation from the UPenn board after she refused to condemn Hamas terrorism. Once again, Platt showed her support for Magill, publicly expressing her ”full confidence” in the UPenn president and chair. This further deepened the divide between Platt and other Jewish leaders who believe that her loyalty should lie with combating anti-Semitism, not defending individuals who are accused of perpetuating it.
Platt’s support of Magill does not align with the mission of the Jewish Federations of North America, which claims to be at the forefront of combating campus anti-Semitism. Many are questioning whether her position as vice chair of the UPenn board and chair of the Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees is a conflict of interest.
If the Jewish Federations of North America truly wants to combat anti-Semitism, it is crucial that they hold their leaders accountable for their actions. Defending someone who has been accused of turning a blind eye to anti-Semitism undermines their mission and sends a message that it is acceptable to tolerate such behavior. It is time for Julie Platt to reassess her priorities and decide whether she will stand for combating anti-Semitism or defending individuals implicated in it.
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