State: New York
City: New York City
Campus: New York University (NYU)
Barbara Weinstein is a Silver Professor of History at New York University (NYU) and a past president of the American Historical Association (AHA). She has a long record of aligning herself with anti-Israel activism, including defending disruptive student protests, signing petitions that demonize Israel, and even encouraging faculty to inject political messages on Israel into unrelated courses. Her actions reflect a troubling disregard for Jewish students’ concerns and have helped normalize antisemitic rhetoric on campus.
Defense of Student Protesters
On May 10, 2024, when NYU suspended nine students, including leaders of Faculty and Students for Justice in Palestine (FSJP), Weinstein sent a letter condemning what she called “retaliatory punitive measures.” By defending the activists, Weinstein positioned herself in solidarity with groups known for targeting Jewish students through hostile encampments and protest activity. In April 2024, she also signed a faculty letter denouncing NYU leadership for its “repression of pro-Palestine activism” and claiming concern for academic freedom.
Promoting Anti-Israel Agendas in the Classroom
In January 2015, Weinstein appeared in a video published by the AHA where she instructed colleagues on how to insert political messaging about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict into courses unrelated to the subject. Acknowledging that “students really don’t like you taking time out of a course about Brazil to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” she advised faculty to find ways to weave the topic into class content without warning. Her remarks reveal a deliberate effort to politicize the classroom environment, leaving Jewish students especially vulnerable to bias in settings meant to be academically neutral.
Endorsements of Anti-Israel Petitions
Weinstein has signed multiple petitions that align with anti-Israel activism. In January 2025, she and others in the AHA voted to condemn Israel, adopting language accusing it of “obliterating institutions” in Gaza. In December 2014, she signed a petition submitted to the AHA that sought to demonize Israel. Earlier, in July 2014, she signed an open letter in support of the boycott movement, and in August 2014, she endorsed a petition organized by the BDS movement backing Steven Salaita, whose antisemitic remarks led to his job offer being rescinded at the University of Illinois.
Weaponizing Sensitive Issues
In February 2025, Weinstein signed an open letter directed at the Israeli and U.S. governments and others, accusing them of “weaponizing the issue of rape” in the context of the Israel–Hamas war. Such statements dismiss credible reports of atrocities committed by Hamas during the October 7 attacks, minimizing Jewish suffering while amplifying anti-Israel narratives.
Conclusion
Barbara Weinstein’s track record shows repeated interventions that normalize anti-Israel activism on campus, from defending disruptive student encampments to encouraging faculty to slip politicized messaging into classrooms. By aligning herself with groups like FSJP and amplifying petitions that demonize Israel, Weinstein has contributed to a hostile environment for Jewish students at NYU.
