Israeli Federation of SP repudiates anti-Semitic act against student at school

The Israeli Federation of the State of São Paulo (Fisesp) issued a note condemning the anti-Semitic act committed by six students at Beacon School against a 15-year-old Jewish classmate, recently enrolled at the institution.

The Beacon School is a bilingual school located in the west of São Paulo and charges around R$8,000 in monthly fees per student. The case was reported this Monday (11) by the newspaper Metropolises.

Six students drew swastikas to highlight the presence of a Jew in the room and played the Hitler Youth anthem. The attackers also gave the Nazi salute.

Shaken, the young Jew communicated the situation to his parents, who demanded action from the school.

The attackers were suspended for two days. The school then sent a note to parents saying it had begun a “responsible and careful process of investigating the facts”.

In a note to Metropolisesthe school repudiated the acts and said it had adopted “a series of measures, including removing the aggressor students and welcoming the affected family”.

According to the president of Fisesp, Marcos Knobel, “you cannot close your eyes to events like what happened at the school”

“It is regrettable that young people keep alive a prejudice that has decimated millions of human beings. It is past time for the world to act so that anti-Semitism ceases to exist. We are keeping an eye on the case,” added Knobel.

Knobel also highlighted that reports of anti-Semitism registered with Fisesp’s Department of Community Security (DSC) have increased considerably.

“Anti-Semitic acts have been growing in Brazil on a greater scale since the Hamas attack on Gaza on October 7, 2023. Another spike also occurred after President Lula’s controversial and unfair speech about the Holocaust in February. The registered complaints cover offenses in social networks, work groups on Whatsapp and incidents at schools and universities”, he concluded.

A People’s Gazette has contacted Beacon School and is awaiting a response.

Check out Fisesp’s note in full.

The Israeli Federation of the State of São Paulo, as soon as it learned of the accusations of anti-Semitism made by students at Beacon School, contacted both the parents of the student who suffered the acts, as well as the school management, who promptly responded willingness to collaborate.

Beacon School, through its highest management, will investigate all the facts and has committed, together with Fisesp, to a rigorous investigation and to take appropriate measures against the offending students, in addition to socio-educational actions for its community of students and parents.

Anti-Semitic attitudes will not be tolerated in schools, as well as in society as a whole. We are and will always be vigilant in defending our Jewish community and acting for the well-being of all.