Against the backdrop of Arab anti-Semitism -- the most virulent Jew-hatred since the Hitler years -- the closing of a single anti-Semitic institute in the Middle East barely registers as a blip on the screen. But it's a blip worth pausing to note, for it shows what can be achieved when one gutsy individual decides to push back against bigotry. And it illuminates the complicity of intellectuals whose passion for social justice evaporates when dollars are at stake.
The story begins in July 2000, when Harvard's Divinity School accepted $2.5 million from the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan. The money was to endow an academic chair, the Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan Professorship in Islamic Religious Studies. It was a welcome shot in the arm for the divinity school, one of Harvard's smallest and least affluent. The university expressed its gratitude, praising Zayed for his liberality in an article in the Harvard Gazette.
"Islamic social justice asks every Muslim to respect others," the Gazette piece quoted him as saying. "Islam is the religion of tolerance and forgiveness… of dialogue and understanding."
But Harvard wasn't the only recipient of Zayed's largesse. And tolerance wasn't all he paid for.
The sheikh, it turns out, was also the founder and namesake of the Zayed Center for Coordination and Follow-up, a think tank established in 1999 in his capital, Abu Dhabi. Chaired by his son and describing itself as "the fulfillment of the vision of Sheik Zayed," the center quickly became one of the Arab world's leading intellectual arenas for anti-Jewish and anti-American poison.
In 2002, the Zayed Center published a report on the Holocaust that said Zionists -- not Nazis -- "were the people who killed the Jews in Europe."
Examples mushroomed. In 2002, the Zayed Center published a report on the Holocaust that said Zionists -- not Nazis -- "were the people who killed the Jews in Europe." It hosted a lecture by Saudi professor Umayma Jalahma, famous for her claim that Jews celebrate the holiday of Purim by killing innocent victims and eating pastries baked with their blood. The US war in Iraq, Jalahma asserted in her lecture, was timed to coincide with the same Jewish holiday.
The Zayed Center honored French author Thierry Meyssan, whose book "The Appalling Fraud" says that US military officers staged the 9/11 attacks. The center published an Arabic translation of the book, and hosted a lecture in which he said the "legend" of Osama bin Laden and the 19 hijackers "was not true" and that no plane had crashed into the Pentagon.
Yet another guest was Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, the mufti of the Palestinian Authority known for such vile sermons as the one in which he pleaded: "Oh, Allah, destroy America, for she is ruled by Zionist Jews." In the opening speech of a conference last August, the director of the Zayed Center declared: "Jews claim to be God's most preferred people, but the truth is they are the enemies of all nations." And in one of many anti-semitic tracts offered on its web site, the center extolled "those who challenged Israel," including David Irving and Roger Garaudy, two infamous Holocaust deniers, and Jorg Haider, head of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party.
Harvard officials probably knew none of this when Zayed made his gift three years ago. But that changed in December, when the founder of the David Project, an organization created to combat global anti-Semitism, spoke at Harvard and called attention to the link between the $2.5 million windfall and the hatred peddled by the Zayed Center.
In the audience that day was Rachel Fish, an Islamic Studies student at the divinity school. What she heard distressed her and she set about researching the issue. The more she learned about the Zayed Center, the more convinced she became that Harvard should have nothing to do with the man for whom it was named.
In March, Fish took her evidence to the divinity school's dean, William Graham, and asked that Zayed's money be returned. Her argument was simple: Harvard would never accept money from a Ku Klux Klan financier. The hate funded by the sheikh is no less abhorrent.
Graham, who had first heard about the Zayed Center's anti-Semitic and anti-American output in January, told Fish he would have an independent researcher look into the issue. He promised to get back to her within six weeks.
But six weeks passed and Graham said nothing. Nor did most of the divinity school faculty -- a faculty that normally prides itself on its social conscience and its commitment to human rights. An online petition urging the university to decline Zayed's money (www.moralitynotmoney.com) drew thousands of signatures. But the administration seemed in no hurry to move.
Months went by. Harvard did nothing.
Fish refused to give up. With the help of the David Project, she contacted the media. By the end of May, Harvard's tainted money was drawing attention, and not just in Boston: It was covered on CBS and NPR, in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, on scores of web sites and on talk shows. Meanwhile, the Harvard Crimson called for returning Zayed's gift, to show "that there is no room for bigotry and corruption at Harvard, not even in our pocket books."
Months went by. Harvard did nothing. "It's a complicated matter," a spokeswoman said, "and we have to look at everything."
Last month, Fish's persistence finally paid off -- sort of. The United Arab Emirates, stung by the bad publicity, announced that the Zayed Center would be shut down. In time it may resurface under a different name, but for now it is out of business, its web sites are closed, and its anti-Semitic output has been turned off. Because one young person refused to back away from a fight, because she cared more about morality than money, the plug has been pulled on a leading purveyor of hatred.
Oh, and Harvard? It announced on Friday that it would need another year to decide what to do about Sheik Zayed's money. Rachel Fish's work isn't finished.
(11) Tammy, January 23, 2013 3:20 AM
Money Talks
By keeping the money even for a short while longer the University is assured of at least one thing "interest". On higher amounts the interest is always higher. You can always say "you're giving back the money" but each day there is a little bit of cash "tinkling" into the coffers.
(10) Beverly Kurtin, September 12, 2003 12:00 AM
Big Contributions = Big Lies
I’m both saddened and sickened by this article. The mayor of New York had the courage to refuse hate money; Harvard apparently shares the scruples of the very people from whom they greedily accepted the $2.5 million.
Most non-Muslims do not understand that Radical Islam is to Islam as the KKK and others of their ilk is to Christianity. Yes, Islam means submission; Mohammad wanted the entire world to submit to the Koran. That is nothing new, is it? What were the Christian Crusades about? And they did it exactly as did Islam with murdering and plundering anything that wasn't them.
The thing that we must constantly be on guard against today is the presence of the Big Lie. Big lies are being told about us as Jews and Israelis. How anyone can swallow some of the Big Lies that they are swallowing is beyond all reason. Not only are lies about the Holocaust being shoved down people’s throats, but events that happened just two years ago are being so distorted as to be unrecognizable from what really happened.
Another Big Lie that is being told is that Islam means “peace.” It is a lie of the first order. Keep in mind that no one single democracy exists in Islam…and non ever will until they willingly change their ideas of “submission.”
(9) Zamira, September 10, 2003 12:00 AM
money is still the root of all evil
I guess it must be hard to "do the right thing" even in this day. Thanks Jeff, for bringing this to our attention. To the whistle blower - thanks for getting involved and doing the right thing. Hang in there we're with you!
(8) Erik, September 10, 2003 12:00 AM
"LOVE" of money is root of all evil...
Zamira...keep in mind the biblical quote you were referencing says "the LOVE of money is the root of all evil". Didn't mean to get anal. And yes, thanks Jeff for the eye-opening article...glad to see the good guys (gal) win for once!
(7) Michael, September 9, 2003 12:00 AM
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MS. HART
The money should go to the victims and their families of terror that the so called religion, islam preaches. Harvard University actions in this sheikh totally anti-Jew/Christian is totally appalling.
(6) Anonymous, September 8, 2003 12:00 AM
Is it wise to give back 2.5 million to possible . . . .
Although Fish makes a virtuous argument, it may be a bit idealistic. Let's consider the ramifications of returning 2.5 million dollars to the Sheikh. Will he use the money altruistically to build global relations? Is there a guarantee that the money will stay out of terrorist centers?
--Harvard student
john, May 29, 2012 10:00 AM
No rational thinking
Can a Harvard student be so much irrational in thinking ?The point is to have nothing to do with people who are having evil intentions.Even a little poison is dangerous.
(5) Neil Walker, September 8, 2003 12:00 AM
Fighting filthy money must not dirty us
Rachel Fish is a fine role model. Her example and tactics should be part of evey secondary school course on social studies.
At the same time, we should also teach the meaning of Islam: Salema, its Arabic root means peace, submission, purity, obedience, much like our word, shalom.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan is by no means representative of the Muslims who are my friends and neighbours. Let us not allow his vicious behaviour to inform our attitudes to an entire religion and all of its adherents.
(4) Maria Sliwa, September 7, 2003 12:00 AM
We Need More Rachels
I applaud Aish.com for publishing Jacoby’s article, along with the suggestion to contact Harvard. Unfortunately, prior to Jacoby’s piece, much of the press covering this latest development did not mentioned Rachel Fish. This is especially true of the wire services: AP, Dow Jones, and AFP, from which many articles were generated. But Rachel is the heroine here who should be recognized, so others are encouraged to follow in her footsteps.
For more information, please visit: MoralityNotMoney.com.
Maria Sliwa
editor
Freedom Now News
(3) Teresia R. Ostrach, September 7, 2003 12:00 AM
Letter sent against Zayed
I sent a letter to Julie Bisbee asking that the Zayed money be returned as a result of your plea. We all need to speak up and act out against such bigotry.
(2) Ms. Ayer, September 7, 2003 12:00 AM
Speak Up without Proselytizing
It is an enormous mistake for Jews to sit back an allow other people who claim that their religion is loving and good to define us. When we allow them to define us, our humanity is negated! When others impose superficial, false and ugly definitions on Jews, limitations are placed on our humanity through our contrite silence. Judaism is not a religion which can defined as racist without our tacit consent and silence is all that hate mongers need to prey on us. Our history is replete with our inability to rise up to the challenge and define ourselves!
(1) Marianne Hart, September 7, 2003 12:00 AM
If someone knows the history of Islam and the intent of Islam, you cannot help knowing their money is blood money. They intend to have the world submit to them - especially Jews and Christians. The very name "Islam" means "submission" and the intent of Mohammad was to rule the world with this truly evil religion. I've studied it and have friends who are Muslim; I know what I am talking about.