Billionaire Ron Lauder threatens to cut off donations to UPenn over antisemitism: report
Major donors slam UPenn for pro-Palestinian event featuring speakers with history of antisemitic remarks
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Ron Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics empire and a major donor to the University of Pennsylvania, informed the school this week that he is now "reexamining" his financial support for the institution after it allowed people with histories of "outright antisemitism" to speak at an event on campus despite his pleas, according to the New York Post.
The outlet reported it obtained a letter that Lauder sent to UPenn President Liz Magill on Monday, when the billionaire – whose family funded the creation of the Lauder Institute at UPenn's famed Wharton School – lambasted the Ivy League institution for hosting the controversial "Palestine Writes Literature Festival" in September.
Ron Lauder, who is president of the World Jewish Congress, added that "the timing of the event could not possibly have been worse," referring to terrorist attacks launched on Israel by Hamas this month. (Michael Kappeler / picture alliance / File / Getty Images)
"I told you that those invited to the event had a history of not just strong anti-Israel bias, but outright antisemitism. You were already aware of much of this," Lauder wrote. "I now know that the conference has put a deep stain on Penn’s reputation that will take a long time to repair."
Lauder, who is president of the World Jewish Congress, added that "the timing of the event could not possibly have been worse," referring to terrorist attacks launched on Israel by Hamas earlier this month.
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"Let me be as clear as I can: I do not want any of the students at The Lauder Institute, the best and brightest at your university, to be taught by any of the instructors who were involved or supported this event," Lauder wrote. "In my mind, they put their bias against Israel ahead of any academic honesty. We know who they are and what they said."
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UPenn's decision to host the "Palestine Writes" festival was widely condemned last month by prominent Jewish groups, alumni, trustees and current Penn students, who urged the president and faculty to take steps to ban the event from taking place on campus due to the slate of speakers that included people who have repeatedly called for "death to Israel" and referred to the Jewish state as a "tumor."
Although Lauder has not yet ruled out future donations to the university, a slew of other donors have in the wake of the terrorist attack on Israel, including former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.
Although Lauder has not yet ruled out future donations to the university, a slew of other donors have in the wake of the terrorist attack on Israel, including former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, shown here. (David Becker / National Clean Energy Summit / File / Getty Images)
When contacted for comment in reaction to Lauder's letter, a UPenn spokesperson directed the Post to a statement Magill made Sunday.
"Alumni are important members of the Penn community. I hear their anger, pain, and frustration and am taking action to make clear that I stand, and Penn stands, emphatically against the terrorist attacks by Hamas in Israel and against antisemitism," the statement reads. "As a University, we support and encourage the free exchange of ideas, along with a commitment to the safety and security of our community and the values we share and work to advance."
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"Penn has a moral responsibility to combat antisemitism and to educate our community to recognize and reject hate in all its forms," the president's statement continues. "I’ve said we should have communicated faster and more broadly about where we stand, but let there be no doubt that we are steadfast in our beliefs."
FOX News Digital's Yael Halon contributed to this report.