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‘A cult that abides no disagreement, and a cult certain of its purpose and mission beyond reflection.’ Bill Ackman slams Ivy League school.
By Ben Rappaport, United with Israel and Sophie Shulman, Calcalist
American Jewish billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who since the October 7 Hamas attacks has taken a strong stand against antisemitism at universities, on Tuesday said he had refused to write a letter of recommendation for the application of his friend’s daughter to Yale, not because she wasn’t qualified, but because Yale “is no different than Hamas.”
“You wouldn’t ask me to write a letter of recommendation for her admission to Hamas,” Ackman wrote to his friend in a letter published on X. “But Yale is no different than Hamas, a cult that abides no disagreement, and a cult certain of its purpose and mission beyond reflection.”
Indeed, he added, “Yale is potentially even more dangerous,” because “Hamas will be defeated shortly. Yale will continue to send its graduates into positions of power for years.”
Ackman noted, “A recent study at Harvard found that roughly 50% of the students and professors wouldn’t discuss ‘uncomfortable’ topics. An essential life skill is the ability to change your mind. She won’t learn that at any Ivy league school. Their reputations are still so strong that their faculty, staff and graduates all possess the arrogant certainty of religious fanatics.”
Since October 7, the billionaire has been a vocal activist against antisemitism, in particular at Ivy League universities. Ackman was the first to raise the red flag against Harvard’s conduct following October 7, after a statement was released immediately following the attack, signed by dozens of student organizations which stated that “the apartheid regime is the only one to blame.” His battle against the university ended with the dismissal of then-President of Harvard Claudine Gay.
Speaking to Calcalist in April, Ackman said Israel has “always been something I’ve thought about, but not front of mind – until October 7.”
“The response [to the attacks] was crazy, let alone at my own university [Ackman was a Harvard alumnus and large donor], which made me look deeper into what was going on. That raised a lot of concern I had about higher education in the United States, and then about concerns for Israel, antisemitism, and the world.” Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too! Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion. Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
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