Antisemitic vandalism on campus
By Grace Bertrand
An antisemitic vandalism incident occurred in a Rider classroom on Sept. 29, according to a Sept. 30 universitywide email from Rider President John Loyack and Vice President of Community Engagement and Belonging Darryl Mace.
Loyack said he received a report of antisemitic vandalism that was immediately notified to Public Safety. The email said Lawrence Police have opened an investigation.
In an email to The Rider News, President of Rider’s Hillel chapter Jenna Forgash, senior elementary education major, said “This serves as a painful reminder of how prevalent antisemitism is. Acts like this spread intolerance, make people feel unsafe, and ignore the lessons of history about where hate can lead.”
Loyack and Mace said in the email, “Let me be very clear, hate speech has no place at Rider University. I am committed to a campus free from hate, intimidation and fear, a campus where every Bronc knows they are cared for and that they belong.”
Members of the Leadership Team are working with affected students of the community, the email said, and it listed additional resources for members to use, including Rider’s Counseling Center, the Public Safety Emergency line and the Employee Assistance Program, a mental health counseling program for employees.
Title IX Coordinator Ryan McKinney did not immediately respond to a Sept. 30 email from The Rider News seeking comment on the antisemitic vandalism.
This is the third antisemitic occurrence on Rider’s campus in the last six months. In April 2025, two antisemitic incidents took place on campus: the carving of swastikas on a Jewish student’s door and an anonymous individual using the name “Hitler” when responding to attend an on-campus Passover Seder event.
Forgash continued in her email, “It is important that we stand against this kind of behavior and work towards creating a community built on respect and understanding of one another. Rider University’s Hillel is a place where all Jewish students feel welcome, included, and are supposed to feel safe. Our mission is to educate and foster understanding within the Jewish community and our allies.”
The Student Government Association sent out an email on Sept. 30 addressing the vandalism stating, “Hate, in any form, will not or ever be accepted, and we want to extend our support to anyone feeling the impact currently … These acts of hatred completely violate the respect and dignity we deserve as human beings. Especially as the climate of our university is tense, we encourage everyone to lift each other up and strengthen our campus community.”
The email encouraged students to voice their concerns to SGA through email, Instagram, Senate meetings and “pulse checks,” a new way for SGA to collect suggestions from students on all fronts of the university.
The antisemitic vandalism occurred ahead of Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish holiday, that takes place on Oct. 2. In their Sept. 30 email, Loyack and Mace said, “To our Jewish brothers and sisters, know that we stand in solidarity with you as you prepare to enter Yom Kippur, followed shortly after by Sukkot.”
