Shabbos Kestenbaum is an American Jewish activist and graduate of Harvard Divinity School. He is known for leading a lawsuit against Harvard University, filed in January 2024, which alleges that the university failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from antisemitic harassment and discrimination.
While at Harvard, he became increasingly vocal about perceived antisemitism on campus.[14] This included harassment of Jewish students during protests, antisemitic messages on a university app, and vandalism of posters about Israeli hostages.[15][16]
Lawsuit Against Harvard University
In January 2024, Kestenbaum became the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against Harvard University.[17][18][12][19][20][21] The lawsuit, which includes six anonymous Jewish students under the name Students Against Antisemitism, alleges that the university failed to address antisemitic harassment and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. [5][22][23]
In April 2024, the university filed to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that they had worked to combat campus antisemitism.[24][25] However their motion was rejected in August by federal judge Richard G. Stearns, who pointed out that there were many instances when Harvard had failed to respond to antisemitism.[26]
In January 2025, Harvard settled the lawsuit with its other plaintiffs, agreeing to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, host an annual symposium on antisemitism, and partner with an Israeli university. However Kestenbaum declined to join the settlement and continued pursuing his claims separately.[27][28]
Political involvement
Initially a registered Democrat and supporter of progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders,[29][30][31] Kestenbaum gained attention for speaking at the Republican National Convention in July 2024.[6] During his speech, he highlighted issues of antisemitism and criticized Harvard University's handling of such incidents.[12] He expressed disillusionment with antisemitic elements within both far-left and far-right factions. His speech was reportedly well-received by the audience.[5] He endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, citing dissatisfaction with Democratic leadership and the party's handling of antisemitism and emphasizing the need for stronger measures against antisemitism.[32][33]
Kestenbaum's actions have generated various responses within both the Jewish community and the broader public. While some have praised his advocacy for Jewish rights, others have criticized his alignment with conservative platforms.[38][39] His efforts have led to increased scrutiny of how universities handle allegations of antisemitism and have influenced public discourse on the topic.[12][5] However some critics argue it exaggerates the experiences of Jewish students and serves political rather than educational aims.[38]
Personal life
Kestenbaum identifies as a liberal first-generation American and Orthodox Jew.[6][2] He remains politically active and continues to advocate for issues he believes in, regardless of party affiliation.[5][40]
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