Jewish center denies account

The Helene G. Simon Hillel Center, a Jewish campus organization, denies the account of a pig's head being left on its doorsteps which appeared in a column in the Oct. 14 issue of U.S. News and World Report.\nColumnist John Leo cited as his first example of anti-Semitism on campuses as "a pig's head left at the door of the Hillel building at Indiana University," which the Hillel Center claims is inaccurate.\n"I have been here for the past 13 years," Rabbi Sue Shifron, executive director at the Hillel Foundation said. "During this time, a pig's head has never been left on the door."\nAs a result of the column, the Hillel Center has been flooded with calls of support.\n"A lot of people expressed concern and wondered why we didn't spread the word," assistant director Joshua Stein said. "If any such incident ever occurred, we would be sure to alert the community."\nFor his column, which focuses on growing anti-Semitism at America's colleges, Leo received his information from an article published in August by The Jerusalem Post.\n"All I know is it was in The Jerusalem Post," Leo told The Indianapolis Star in an article published Oct. 11. "We'll certainly try to check it ourselves."\nThe article in The Jerusalem Post quoted Laura Lash, an IU graduate who said she remembered hearing of the incident but never witnessed it.\nShifron said Lash might have confused an incident in which a bust of Hitler was left on their doorsteps on "Holocaust Remembrance Day" with a threatening note. Suspected in the case was Benjamin Smith, who killed doctoral student Won Joon Yoon during a two-state shooting spree in July 1999.\nDespite this incident, Shifron said the IU campus is not one filled with anti-Semitism.\n"While Smith's campaign of hate was absolutely deplorable, it was the work of an individual, not an example of hatred on the IU campus," Shifron said. "On the contrary, the Bloomington community showed their absolute contempt of Smith's message."\nAs a result of the 1999 incident, a grassroots community coalition called Bloomington United was formed to promote diversity and awareness on campus.\nAlthough the Hillel Center says this was an isolated situation, concerns for Jewish students have grown in recent years.\n"We are certainly worried about the potential of anti-semitism on campus," Stein said. "Especially in light of what has happened at other universities."\nSome students feel that there still is some ignorance even in what they feel is an "open-minded community."\n"I've heard people make comments which they think are funny but they don't realize are offensive," junior Amalia Shifriss said. "It is mostly from people who came from smaller communities and after a while people get used to the diversity here in Bloomington and realize what is considered offensive."\nRegardless of the mistake in Leo's story, Shifron says she is very concerned about the issues of anti-Semitism addressed in his column.\n"I believe that we must be vigilant in our efforts to fight all forms of hate, including anti-Semitism," Shifron said. "I believe there is a dangerous anti-Semitic undertone to some anti-Israel rhetoric, particularly on some college campuses. We need to work to educate the campus community about Israel and anti-Semitism. I feel supported by the Indiana University administration in this endeavor"