We write on behalf of the J Street U chapter at the University of Michigan.

These students have spent years building a partnership with their campus Hillel to create a space for students with different perspectives on what it means to be pro-Israel. Last week, when Hillel gave them an ultimatum – disaffiliate from J Street or cease to exist under the Hillel umbrella – students chose the latter.

Judaism emphasizes the importance of disagreement, wrestling with hard questions, reckoning with the state of the world and our role in making it a better place.

Refusing to address Israel’s complex history is just as political as grappling with it.

By welcoming Jewish students with different perspectives on what means to be pro-Israel, Hillel could foster community, ease campus tensions and make themselves a welcoming space for everyone, not just those who share their specific worldview.

Excluding J Street U is a misguided, short-sighted move that will gravely harm Jewish campus life.

We urge Michigan Hillel to welcome J Street U back into its ranks – in order to better reflect its commitment to pluralism and be a truly inclusive space for Jewish life on campus.

Sincerely,

The undersigned