Dr. Ted Rosenberg <\/i>(photo from BC College of Family Physicians)<\/i><\/p>\n
Ted Rosenberg has stepped down from his post as a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia\u2019s faculty of medicine, citing an unsafe environment, following his repeated attempts to have the school do more to address antisemitism.<\/p>\n
In a Jan. 1 letter to UBC, the award-winning geriatrician, who has taught at the medical school for more than 20 years \u2013 prior to that, he had a position at the University of Manitoba \u2013 wrote that because the faculty has failed to address concerns, he had \u201cno choice but to resign.\u201d<\/p>\n
A tense atmosphere developed following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks when a petition titled \u201cA Call for Action on Gaza\u201d first appeared at the faculty of medicine and was signed by more than 225 of its students. The petition went beyond calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rather, it condemned Israel as \u201ca settler colonial state,\u201d accused it of \u201ccollective punishment through indiscriminate bombing of civilians\u201d and claimed that \u201cPalestinian people have been continually abused, traumatized and killed by the settler state of Israel and its Western allies for over 75 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a Nov. 29 letter to UBC president Benoit-0Antoine Bacon, medicine faculty dean Dermot Kelleher and other top officials at the university, Rosenberg wrote, \u201cThis petition and other similar statements on campus, as well as the inaction by UBC, makes me wonder if antisemitism has become systemic in this institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
While praising UBC\u2019s efforts to redress discrimination and promote diversity and inclusion, he asked, \u201cWhy do these efforts for diversity and inclusion come to an abrupt halt when it involves \u2018including and protecting\u2019 Jewish\/Zionist students and faculty?\u201d According to Rosenberg, the petition not only made him feel unsafe but also traumatized a medical student \u201cwho was left distressed, anxious and sleepless after reading it, and enduring the hostile reactions of colleagues and faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Dec. 21 letter, co-signed with 283 other physicians \u2013 both Jewish and non-Jewish \u2013 stressed the growing polarization at the medical school due to events in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is resulting in hate speech, student intimidation and the feelings of many students and teachers that they are working in a toxic environment. Several of us have expressed concerns to you in writing and are waiting for specific responses,\u201d the letter read.<\/p>\n
The letter also called into question the validity of the anti-Israel petition, emphasizing that it contained several inaccuracies, caused deep divisions within the medical student community, and was one-sided and unrelated to medical care.<\/p>\n
In requesting a response from university leadership to take action to protect the integrity of the medical school and the safety of medical students and staff, the letter urged that those who signed the petition \u201cbe made aware of the significance of their choice of contentious language.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, the letter called on the offices of equity, diversity and inclusion (at both the university and the medical school) to receive sensitivity training regarding Jewish issues and antisemitism, encouraged the university to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, and asked the university to form a clear policy on the boundaries of free speech, \u201chaving zero tolerance for any speech that crosses the boundary to antisemitic or hate speech or language used to incite violence, either openly or covertly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both letters received responses from Dean Kelleher of the medical school. Rosenberg, however deemed them inadequate. In the resignation letter, he said they \u201cdid not address any of our specific concerns re: the medical student\u2019s petition, antisemitism within the faculty, or concerns that politicization and polarization of the Middle East conflict are creating a toxic work environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI checked the recommended links to your and the president\u2019s statements on respect and compassion\u2026. Two words are conspicuously absent from all these documents: 1. Jew(ish) and 2. Antisemitism.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rosenberg added that he searched the websites for the offices of equity, diversity and inclusion at the university and the medical school for \u201cantisemitism\u201d and did not find the word included among the several anti\u2019s that were mentioned.<\/p>\n
In his most recent letter, Rosenberg said he lamented the deaths of innocent civilians on both sides, but denounced the \u201coversimplistic ahistorical demonizing narratives and rhetoric\u201d taking place.<\/p>\n
Rosenberg also expressed the hope \u201cthat the faculty of medicine and UBC will recognize this serious threat of antisemitism\/Jew-hatred and the dangers of politicization and polarization of the faculty and student body.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his concluding remarks, he advised the school to consult with the physicians who collectively wrote the school leadership in December. \u201cThey can work with you to constructively, collaboratively and proactively rectify this situation and ultimately help restore respect, compassion, empathy and trust among colleagues and students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rosenberg told the CJN <\/i>that he is aware of other faculty members who have considered resigning because of the present atmosphere at the medical school. Since his letter, he also has heard from people at the faculty who are prepared to do more to recognize antisemitism \u2013 and to do something about it when it appears at the school.<\/p>\n
In response to a request for comment about Rosenberg\u2019s resignation, a spokesperson for UBC wrote, \u201cThe faculty of medicine and the University of British Columbia have been very clear that antisemitism, or discrimination of any kind, is completely unacceptable. We are committed to creating a safe and respectful environment for all of our community members and will continue to take steps to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn response to concerns raised by faculty and learners, the faculty of medicine is also working expediently to develop educational opportunities for inclusive learning and respectful dialogue within the faculty in areas that directly reflect our stated values, including how we address issues such as discrimination, harassment and hate speech,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n
Rosenberg, a Victoria-based physician who makes house calls, is an advocate for keeping the elderly in their homes for as long as possible. His company, Home Team Medical Services, aims to improve quality of life and increase independence for older people and their families. The company provides home-based health care for people 75 to 105 with physiotherapists, rehabilitation aides and care coordinators, in addition to a team of nurses and physicians.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Rosenberg received the BC College of Family Physicians Award of Exceptional Contribution in Family Medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n