Tinder’s former CEO announced this week that he was withdrawing from a speaking gig at the University of Pennsylvania because of his response to the Israel-Hamas war, calling his alma mater “blatantly anti-Semitic.”
Elie Seidman, who led Tinder from November 2017 to April 2020, write on X Wednesday morning that he ended his visit to the Ivy League school next month.
“I was supposed to speak at Penn at the end of November. I cancel [sic],” Seidman said.
“Penn needs to insure [sic] that it’s a safe and welcoming place for Jewish students – not anti-semitic scum,” said the former Tinder chief.
“A change in leadership is necessary at this point.”
Last week, Seidman also told X to agree with Apollo CEO Marc Rowan’s call for UPenn leaders — including president Liz Magill — to resign following their apparent refusal to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel.
I’m supposed to be speaking at Penn at the end of November. I cancel. Penn needs to ensure that it is a safe and welcoming place for Jewish students – not an anti-semitic cesspool. A change in leadership is necessary at this point.
— Elie Seidman (@elieseid) October 18, 2023
“I am a proud Penn alum to thank for the education I received. And I agree with Scott [sic] Rowan of Apollo that President Magill should resign,” Seidman, who graduated from UPenn in 1997, wrote at the time.
UPenn and Magill have come under fire in recent weeks after the Philadelphia campus hosted the Palestine Writes Literary Festival last month, which featured speakers who allegedly made “Death to Israel” comments and wore Nazi uniforms.
Elie Seidman was CEO of Tinder from 2017 to 2020. Getty Images UPenn drew criticism for hosting the Palestine Writes Literature Festival in September – just weeks before the Hamas attack.Palestine Writes
Just two weeks after the controversial event, Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel and slaughtered civilians — but UPenn leadership remained tight-lipped.
“It took less than two weeks to go from the Palestinian Literary Writing Festival on the UPenn campus to the barbaric slaughter and kidnapping of Israelis,” Rowan, who chairs the Wharton School of Business’ Advisory Board, wrote in a letter that was printed in the campus newspaper.
“President Magill allowed UPenn’s actions to be linked to this conference, and its failure to denounce this hateful call for ethnic cleansing, normalized and justified violence ranging from the targeting of Jewish students and spaces at UPenn to horrific attacks in Israel.”
A University of Pennsylvania student was caught on video taking down a poster of kidnapped Israelis.X / @StopAntisemites
During an interview with CNBC, Rowan also called Magill’s behavior tantamount to an “embrace of antisemitism.”
Days after Rowan spoke out, fellow UPenn alumnus and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman announced that his family would no longer donate to the university over its response to the international tragedy.
“Moral relativism has fueled the university’s race to the bottom and unfortunately has now reached the point where remaining impartial is no longer an option,” Huntsman, son of the late petrochemical billionaire Jon Huntsman Sr., wrote to Magill late last week.
How celebrities, schools and businesses responded to Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel
“Silence is antisemitism, and antisemitism is hate, the higher things are built to avoid,” he added.
Estee Lauder cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder also announced this week that he will “reexamine” his own financial contributions to schools.
Seidman also supported calls for UPenn president Liz Magill to resign.University of Pennsylvania
Hedge fund billionaire and UPenn graduate Clifford Asness wrote his own scathing letter to Magill, which was later posted on X.
“Imagine Penn’s actions if the event was anti-people other than Jews!? Hiding behind ‘freedom of speech’ when it’s a right embraced only for antisemites and other fellow travelers is bad,” Asness wrote.
The University of Pennsylvania did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
UPenn is mired in controversy when deep-pocketed donors withdraw their support.Shutterstock
Amidst the upheaval of controversy, a UPenn library staff member was caught on camera tearing down a poster of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas — which did little to quell the perception that the Philadelphia school was unsafe for Jewish and Israeli students.
Penn Carey Library spokeswoman Meredith Rovine told The Post that the incident is under investigation.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
