December 16, 2014
VIA EMAIL
Mr. Richard M. Joel, President
Yeshiva University
Office of the President
500 West 185th Street, Belfer Hall 1200
New York, NY 10033
Dear President Joel:
We write to alert you to a troubling scheme specifically targeting Yeshiva University, which was brought to our attention yesterday. The scheme, which is self-titled “Operation Jewbook Infiltration,” encourages people to create a “Jewish profile” that falsely identifies them as Yeshiva University students. The goal is to deceptively create a network of “friends” based on these false profiles, and “subtly infiltrate pro Zionist, pro equality, pro feminist and other groups.” The perpetrators of this scheme say that “we will use the Jews [sic] own false flag techniques against them by co-opting, sewing [sic] discord, encouraging infighting, and pretending to represent their agendas.” Here is the link to the scheme. https://8chan.co/is/res/22.html
Just as frightening as the scheme itself are the hateful anti-Semitic postings that the scheme is inciting. You will see grotesque stereotypical images of leering Jews with hook noses that have been posted – one, for example, wearing a yarmulke and another wearing a tallit. There are numerous suggestions for names to use to create “fake-Jew accounts.” You will also read comments like the following: “Remember, there are subtle things that jews do and don’t do”; “It seems like the kikes had enough of their own kikery”; and “It’s the only way to beat them. F–k the jewness out of them.”
Even more concerning is the fact that once people create these false profiles, they will be able to misrepresent themselves and “infiltrate” Yeshiva University as part of the University’s Facebook network, even though they have absolutely no connection to the University. They will also have access to information about others in the Yeshiva community, which they plainly plan to use for nefarious purposes.
We urge you to alert the Yeshiva University community to the existence of this appalling anti-Semitic scheme, and to urge that everyone act with the utmost caution. Please let students and others at Yeshiva University know that they should not accept any “friend request” without knowing exactly whom they are “friending.” Please ask students and others to report any suspicious profiles to the University and even to law enforcement if criminal actions are suspected. And please alert Facebook to this scheme and take whatever steps you can to determine the identity of the scheme’s perpetrators.
If the ZOA can be of assistance, please contact us. We would be willing to let our supporters know about the existence of this scheme, and to urge them to exercise caution on Facebook and other social media sites, if that would be helpful.
Very truly yours,
Morton A. Klein, National President
Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., Director, Center for Law and Justice