The University of California, Irvine campus has been subjected continually to anti-Jewish speakers and news articles threatening Jewish students with violence for several years, with the university administration at best turning a blind eye to the unadulterated hatred, and at worst criticizing Jewish students when they protested against the hatred.

The problem got so bad that in October 2004 a civil rights complaint was filed with the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights; the investigation still continues to this day.

The outcry from the local Jewish community has been growing steadily as more and more evidence of the unchecked anti-Jewish activities is revealed. This is the first time a UCI Chancellor has held an open town hall meeting with the local Jewish community.

This recording is the introductory speeches by Rabbi Richard Steinberg of Congregation Shir HaMa'alot (where the event was held), Jeff Margolis ("moderator"), and Chancellor Michael Drake, MD himself.

It should be noted that the general view of the students and activists in the community that Chancellor Drake, who took over the job in April 2005, is viewed as being a bit nicer and more receptive than his predecessor, Ralph Cicerone who now leads the US National Academy of Sciences.

Never the less, the anti-Jewish hatred continues, and some say has only gotten worse in the past few years.

For more information, please see two student blogs who have monitored the situation over the past few years:

The Concerned UCI Student

Reut R. Cohen's blog

I will be uploading the rest of the event shortly. The sound is not great, so you may want to use headphones or turn up your speakers.