Bill 61-92, introduced by Jewish Student Union Rep. Zach Nessel, calls upon ASMSU to release a statement condemning antisemitism on campus while also promoting education on the topic. 

This came after the Jewish Student Union and other Jewish student organizations released a statement last month condemning ASMSU for passing a bill in favor of divestment, in addition to recent hate crimes on campus going unchecked.  

The bill states that antisemitism is a persistent and growing issue on college campuses across the U.S., including MSU, and has led to harassment and discrimination toward Jewish students. 

It calls upon ASMSU to, "issue a statement in support of all Jewish students at Michigan State University and unequivocally condemn all acts of antisemitism on campus, reaffirming its commitment to fostering an inclusive and safe environment for all students," while also working with JSU and university administrators and other campus partners to promote education, awareness and proactive measures against antisemitism at MSU.

The bill also calls upon MSU and the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion to include stronger education on antisemitism as part of its mandatory first-year DEI training.

During public comment, several students shared their thoughts on the bill.

Many Jewish community members like Skylar Ebinger, the vice president of educational affairs for JSU, spoke in favor of this bill. She said it would help ensure that students are held accountable for antisemitic actions and receive education on these issues.

One student, and other representatives of the GA, took issue with a clause that included the term "Zionism" and its definition, as defined by The Serling Institute at MSU.

Political science senior Zadok Milner, who spoke during public comment, said he fully supports a bill condemning antisemitism, but in its current state could not support it due to the inclusion of the term Zionism.

"The inclusion of the definition of Zionism that describes it as simply a belief in self-determination, rather than an explicit political ideology with real political implications, feels misleading and creates the impression that political dissent in the form of anti-Zionism constitutes a form of antisemitism," Milner said.

He said there is a distinction between the two, citing demonstrations against Israel's current expansion and occupation of the West Bank as distinct from unjustifiable attacks on Jewish identity.

"I urge the assembly to not conflate the Jewish identity or beliefs around self-determination with Zionists, and to either remove the definition of Zionism included or revise the definition," he said.

Nessel, when introducing the bill, said the bill is not a geopolitical one and does not mention Israel nor take a stance on Israeli policy. The bill does not aim to marginalize any community or change students’ political persuasions, he said.

"Throughout the academic year, there has been persistent rhetoric on campus that is antisemitic in nature," Nessel said. "There's also been rhetoric and actions in ASMSU that have had a marginalizing effect on the Jewish community. This has called the question among Jewish students whether or not ASMSU is upholding its values present in the preamble of the ASMSU constitution."

The bill provides an opportunity for the GA to affirm its support for Jewish students and their right to self-determination, he said. 

Seconder of the bill, College of Arts and Letters Rep. Vladimir Shpunt, echoed many of Nessel’s points, adding that both he and Nessel engaged with MSU’s Jewish community and discussed how many felt misrepresented or attacked due to geopolitical rhetoric against the Jewish faith.

"While political expressions and opinionated engagements are encouraged, we stand with any student who has been who has experienced oppression or hate from other students and institutions for their freedom to express their own faith," he said.

However, when discussion opened, several delegates shared concerns similar to Milner’s about the bill's usage of the term Zionism.

The original clause read, "the institute also highlights the definition of Zionism as: 'Zionism,' in its essence is the belief, held by many Jews, that Jews as a people have the right to self determination."

North American Indigenous Student Organization Rep. Kaylin Casper said she was concerned with the inclusion of the term and thought it decentered the core message of the bill.

"I know you mentioned it's not a geopolitical bill," she said. "It's not a stance on Israel's actions or policies. However, the definition provided for Zionism is overly simplistic about the way that Zionism as a political belief has been used in practice by states and people, and that's important as it relates to student protest and the dignity and self-determination of people and Palestinians."

To her, the definition is contentious and lacks modern-day context.

Other representatives shared similar concerns, explaining that they supported the core message of the bill but not its current inclusion of Zionism.

Nessel, when responding to these concerns, said the definition of Zionism included in the bill reflects the belief of ordinary Jews, and added that there is a causal relationship between anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

"We like their definition of Zionism because it's quite broad, as many Jews have different beliefs as to what Jewish self-determination looks like from a policy standpoint," he said.

Discussion then opened on how to amend the bill’s inclusion of Zionism. After an extended recess, the GA eventually reached a consensus.

The amendment, which was passed, identified Zionism as a political belief and included the clause, "The Serling Institute also describes how 'It is legitimate to criticize particular Israeli policies, even vehemently, just as it is legitimate to criticize the policies of any government. Israelis criticize particular policies such as Jewish settlements in the West Bank, as do many Jews outside of Israel.' Therefore, a distinction can be made between opposing Zionism and anti-semitic rhetoric."

Casper said that the inclusion of the word political draws a distinction between political dissent and antisemitism.

"It helps protect student protesters, which is what many of us were concerned about at the beginning," she said.

The amendment also advocates to include a definition of antisemitism in the Office of Civil Rights guidelines and Anti-Discrimination Policy User Manual. 

Nessel said this amendment represents a compromise and added that some members of the Jewish community would not be happy with the changes, but encouraged the GA to support it.

The bill passed with a voice majority.