A prolific anti-Israel agitator and co-founder of Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, David Letwin has built a decades-long record of supporting the BDS movement, defending anti-Zionist campaigns, and spreading hostile rhetoric against Israel, Zionism, and American Jewish institutions. From faculty letters to street protests, Letwin’s activism stretches far beyond academia—turning classrooms, union halls, and protest stages into platforms for delegitimization, incitement, and hate.
Leading the Anti-Zionist Push on Campus
Letwin is a member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine and a longtime union affiliate with the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union (PTLFC AAUP-AFT). He has signed over two dozen radical statements, aligning himself with efforts to isolate Israel through boycotts, academic delegitimization, and political pressure—while simultaneously shielding anti-Israel faculty from accountability.
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Jan 2025: Signed “NEA Educators for Palestine” and an open letter titled “Zionist Hegemony Must End.”
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Jan 2022: Opposed Rutgers’ academic ties with Tel Aviv University.
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Oct 2023: Signed a letter accusing Rutgers leadership of bias for mourning only Israeli victims following Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
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May 2021: Signed a Rutgers faculty letter condemning Israel’s “military assault” while ignoring Hamas rocket fire on civilians.
Active Promoter of BDS and Delegitimization
Letwin has not only endorsed the BDS movement—he’s shaped its messaging. In articles, teach-ins, protests, and online forums, he frames Zionism as inherently oppressive and repeatedly accuses Israel of apartheid, genocide, and colonial violence.
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Publications & Events:
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“BDS is Anti-Zionist, Not Antisemitic” – January 2020
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Teach-in on BDS for Educators and Unions – February 2025
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Spoke at Princeton and NJ BDS events from 2018–2025
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Promoted the idea that BDS opponents are “smearing” free speech and distorting antisemitism for political gain
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Praised and defended Prof. Rabab Abdulhadi and other academics tied to extremist networks
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Supporting Radical Anti-Israel Figures and Protests
Letwin is a vocal supporter of figures like Ilhan Omar and Sahar Assaf and has taken part in protests both on and off campus to advance anti-Zionist objectives.
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April 2025: Delivered remarks for “Jews for Palestine”
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Feb 2025: Promoted “boycott education” during union teach-in
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Oct 2024: Participated in a pro-Palestinian protest in New Jersey—on October 7th, the same day Hamas slaughtered over 1,200 Israelis
Radical Quotes and Positions
“Linking BDS to antisemitism is a hoax…”
— David Letwin, 2020
“BDS lays the basis for a true peace process.”
— David Letwin, 2014
“Zionist hegemony must end.”
— Open Letter signed by Letwin, 2025
“There is nothing antisemitic about calling out AIPAC’s noxious role.”
— 2019 Letter signed by Letwin in defense of Ilhan Omar
A Dangerous Academic Influence
Through his teaching role, faculty organizing, and prolific writing, Letwin has established himself as a central figure in Rutgers’ academic radicalism. He consistently positions Israel as a racist, illegitimate state and encourages students and fellow educators to embrace boycott strategies and reject normalization with the Jewish state. His views do not represent academic rigor or objectivity—they represent the institutionalization of hate.
David Letwin is not an educator. He’s an ideologue. And Rutgers must decide whether its classrooms are spaces for learning—or launchpads for incitement.
