Roberto Kraft graduated from Columbia in ’63 and has been a huge supporter of the school in every way, including financially… but all that changed on Monday, when the billionaire owner of the Patriots made it clear he wasn’t going to stand by and watch his university. be dominated by hatred and vitriol.
“The school I love so much – the one that welcomed me and gave me so many opportunities – is no longer an institution I recognize,” Kraft, 82, said in a statement released by Confront Jewish Hatredadding, “I am deeply saddened by the virulent hatred that continues to rage on campus and across our country.”
Of course, since the middle of last week, students and others have descended on Columbia’s New York campus to demand that the University sever all ties with Israel. Some protesters were seen demonstrating support for Hamas and its actions on October 7, even calling for repeated attacks.
The situation became so tense on campus that classes were transferred from in-person to virtual.
Kraft believes the school has lost control of the situation and is unable to adequately protect its students.
“I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff, and I do not feel comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken. I hope that Columbia and its leadership will stand up to this hatred by ending these protests immediately and work to regain the respect and trust of many of us who have lost faith in the institution.”
While Robert is far from the only alumnus speaking out, he is certainly one of the most influential. In fact, the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, an on-campus center for Jewish students, is named after him.
Over the weekend, the White House issued a statement warning those in Columbia that they are not protesting peacefully but rather threatening to harm Jewish students.
“While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation against Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly anti-Semitic, unfair and dangerous.”