The Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies has been notably quiet on the topic of Israel-Palestine and the conflict in Gaza, and we take issue with this at The Equinox.
There has been only one panel discussion hosted shortly after the initial news of the attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Cohen Center is one of the oldest in the U.S., being founded in 1983. As such, we feel it is vital the center speaks up and holds discussions about such a hot-button issue. Making the information available to people and opening the topic up for dialogue can make for a good learning experience and could shift people’s thinking regarding genocide.
We have not heard any announcements or information from the Cohen Center about the conflict in Gaza, and older students have noticed a tendency to focus on the Holocaust aspect of genocide. While understanding and studying the effects of the Holocaust is important work, we feel this knowledge should be applied to current issues as well.
The Cohen Center should be stepping up to talk about these difficult topics. Fear of retaliation, retribution or any other backlash should not be of concern to them. What should be paramount is the fair and accurate dissemination of information regarding the topic of genocide.
The lack of coverage of the Gaza conflict is common, though. There has been an unfortunate marriage of criticism of the state of Israel with the concepts of anti-semitism and anti-Zionism, and any criticism of Israel at all can land you in hot water.
As a program of higher education, the Cohen Center needs to face these issues head-on whether it is comfortable or not, and it appears very hypocritical of higher education to tout a willingness to face difficult topics and have radio silence regarding the conflict in Gaza; an institution like the Cohen Center has a moral obligation to talk about these things. The Cohen Center could take some pointers from other departments, as well as themselves.
Some courses in the Political Science Department start class with a discussion of current events, allowing students and professors to have meaningful conversations about the broader world, giving students insight into the nuance of the situation.
Previously, the Cohen Center held “Cohen Conversations” over lunch, giving attendees a chance to discuss important topics.
In both of these instances, the Cohen Center can definitely step up. Starting all classes with current event questions would greatly improve student understanding of the situation and give professors an understanding of what their students are thinking.
Reintroducing Cohen Conversations would have a similar effect, helping people understand difficult and complicated issues such as the conflict in Gaza. Until then, we hope the Cohen Center will have more open conversations regarding this important topic, further educating our campus.
