Michigan
I discovered anti-Zionism at the University of Michigan. I’m glad it lives on there
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather for a mock trial against the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents on the university’s campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on April 21, 2025. Photo by Jeff Kowalsky / AFP / Getty Images
At the University of Michigan’s recent commencement ceremony, history professor Derek Peterson delivered a five-minute speech in which he celebrated all those who have fought for justice at the university, my alma mater. Invoking our legendary sports-focused fight song, he asked the crowd to “sing” for suffragist Sarah Burger, who battled to get women admitted as students; for Moritz Levi, Michigan’s first Jewish professor; for all the students who fought for racial justice at Michigan as part of the Black Action Movement; and for the “pro-Palestinian student activists, who have over these past two years opened our hearts to the injustice and inhumanity of Israel’s war in Gaza.”
Peterson’s address was a historian’s invitation to every student and parent in the Ann Arbor stadium to recognize that the fight for Palestinian rights shares roots with our greatest movements for justice, including the struggle against antisemitism.
The backlash, predictably, was swift. The university’s president apologized; the speech was condemned by pro-Israel Jewish organizations and outlets; and I know it upset many college parents, my Gen X peers — we who were raised to believe with all our hearts that Jewish identity and Zionist identity are inextricable.
But to me, Peterson’s speech was a reminder of one of the most important lessons I took away from my time at the University of Michigan: that questioning Zionism is a necessary part of any Jewish life that aims to center justice.
I graduated from Michigan in 1989, and spent much of my last year in Ann Arbor ensconced at Hillel, where I edited a magazine for Jewish students. I’d grown up going to Young Judaea summer camps and had spent a college semester in Israel, where I’d witnessed the beginning of the first Intifada. I returned to find a shanty in the middle of campus that had been erected, a student organizer told our magazine, “to bring the uprising to the community. It is to show the conditions of the Palestinians and the brutal oppression of the Israeli army.”
The shanty evoked those then prevalent on campuses everywhere to symbolize the struggle of Black South Africans against settler colonialism and apartheid. The new shanty on our campus asserted that these words also applied to Israel.
While I was strongly against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza — where Israel would not remove any settlements until 2005 — I was distressed and confused by the shanty’s silent, everpresent message about Israel’s past and present. Is Israel an apartheid state, I wondered?
So I put that question on the cover of our magazine.
The Hillel director called me into his office and somberly expressed his concern. But Hillel International had not yet officially clamped down on student activities that question Israel and Zionism.
So our cover story ran and we dropped our magazine in bundles across campus. At the time, I thought of myself as a liberal Zionist, and I secretly rooted for the student who tried to disprove the devastating charge. But as young journalists, my fellow magazine staffers and I were committed to exploring the views of those who erected the shanty, no matter their hostility to Zionism. We didn’t code the hostility as danger. No one thought we should report our ideological opponents — the kids who fell asleep on their books in the library just like we did — to the dean or to the government for arrest or deportation.
Over my time as an undergraduate, I’d come to recognize in these kaffiyeh-clad Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students the same history-minded, righteous hope that animated me.
Decades later, in the spring of 2024, we all watched as pro-Palestinian student activists — including many Jewish students — set up campus encampments around the country to protest Israel’s assault on Gaza. At Michigan, the encampment was set up on the Diag, the university’s public square, where on the day of my own graduation I’d protested the university’s military research. As the mother of a recent college grad, I was humbled by the determination of these kids, who put up tents, organized teach-ins, and then suffered as police turned off their bodycams and used pepper spray against them. They were lawfully protesting for the university to divest from Israel as it bombed the people of Gaza, the children of Gaza — which is now home to the largest number of child amputees in modern history.
What I understand, and Professor Peterson understands, is that the student activists that he lauded at the commencement are fighting not against Jewish life but for Palestinians’ right to survive daily, as people, and as a people. These activists have asked us to understand, finally, that Zionism is what it does.
“It has been hard work to examine my own mind,” Tzvia Thier, a Jewish Israeli mother, wrote in an essay in the 2021 collection A Land With A People: Palestinians and Jews Confront Zionism. As a child, Thier immigrated to Israel from Romania in the wake of the Holocaust. In 2009, Thier accompanied her daughter to “protect” her while she joined an action to fight the evictions of Palestinians from their homes in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Thier was 65, and realized that it was the first time in her life that she had had conversations with Palestinians. She understood then that “it was not my daughter who needed to be protected, but the Palestinians.”
“Many questions leave me wondering how I could have not thought about them before,” she wrote. “My solid identity was shaken and then broken. I have been an eyewitness to the systematic oppression, humiliation, racism, cruelty, and hatred by ‘my’ people toward the ‘others.’ And what you finally see, you can no longer unsee.”
When that shanty went up on Michigan’s campus in the late ’80s, I began to question all that I’d learned about Israel’s founding. I began to question the very idea of an ethnostate — in the name of any people, anywhere — that enshrines the supremacy of one group of people over another.
By the time I became a mother, I’d become anti-Zionist. I understood — with a grief that does not abate — that, as Jews, our history of oppression has become an alibi for Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people.
We must reject the bad faith accusations of antisemitism that have emptied the word of meaning and enabled authoritarian repression. When students on campuses today charge Israel with apartheid and genocide, they are echoing reports from B’Tselem, Israel’s leading human rights organization. I ask the parents of my generation to read these reports and do as Thier did — to allow themselves to see what we have not wanted to see.
I stand with the more than 2,000 University of Michigan faculty, staff, students and alumni who have condemned the university’s response to the commencement address heard round the world.
For the sake of all of our children, I ask that we each do all we can to open our community’s heart to Palestinian history and humanity. That we each join the urgent struggle for the liberation of the Palestinian people.
This is the way that our Jewish college kids will find the deep and true safety of community: by leaving hatred, fear, and isolation behind; by honoring Jewish history by standing in solidarity with all who are oppressed; and by roaring in a stadium for freedom and justice, along with their entire generation.
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Dusty May is leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks. What now?
Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia breaks down the “shocking” news of Michigan basketball coach Dusty May leaving for the NBA.
Barely three months since students flooded downtown Ann Arbor and chanted “Tt’s great … to be … a Michigan Wolverine” as they celebrated Michigan basketball’s first NCAA championship in 37 years, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone on the school’s campus who feels great about anything in the athletics department.
Instead, the university found itself in a much different and darker place Monday, July 13, when it faced new legal accusations that replaced all that happy singing with the deafening silence emitted through a barrage of “no comment” statements.
An amended lawsuit from former Wolverines linebackers coach Chris Partridge alleges former school president Santa Ono worked to hide details of the football team’s sign-stealing scandal and that athletic department leaders knew about ex-coach Sherrone Moore’s affair with staff member Paige Shriver years before it led to his firing.
And Warde Manuel – the athletic director who orchestrated that jubilation three months ago and even more jubilation three years earlier, when Michigan football won its first title in a quarter-century – finds himself in the eye of the storm as he faces the end of his highly successful but troubled tenure.
Manuel is named in Partridge’s lawsuit, which claims he knew about Moore’s relationship with Shriver “for years without taking action to protect the employee.”
He’s also a focal point of an investigation that began in December, run by Chicago law firm Jenner & Block and costing the school nearly $12 million. The Free Press has learned that higher-ups have been briefed on the findings. The U-M Board of Regents is expected to discuss that investigation at a Thursday meeting in Traverse City.
On Sunday, Yahoo Sports reported that Manuel’s future is “in doubt” based on the findings of that investigation. On Monday, Manuel told the website: “The president [Domenico Grasso] and I have had several great conversations over the past couple of days. There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”
The near future. As in the ax may swing at any moment in the near future.
It’s impossible to say what exactly will happen to Manuel once the investigation findings are released and discussed by regents. But it’s also impossible to imagine Manuel emerges unscathed from years of scandal within the school’s prized football program.
Can anyone imagine Jenner & Block lawyers facing regents after nearly $12 million has been shelled out and saying: “Yeah, you know the guy who’s been in charge of all this? Yeah, we got nothin’ on him.”
So it’s not hard to see Manuel getting blamed in the investigation. The question is how much blame does he get – and what kind of punishment does the university want to dole out? Also, how much can the investigation truly divulge about Manuel’s role while the school contends with lawsuits from Partridge and Shriver?
Cleaning house always sounds good. But anyone who’s ever actually cleaned a house, inside out and from top to bottom, can tell you it’s no easy chore. It’s actually messy, difficult work that often reveals other structural problems, whether you’re talking about an actual house or an entire athletic department.
The closest example Michigan might follow with Manuel could come courtesy of its most hated rival. Ohio State basically gave then-AD Gene Smith a slap on the wrist in 2018 by suspending him without pay for two weeks after he and then-football coach Urban Meyer mishandled domestic-assault allegations against former assistant coach Zach Smith.
The big difference between than Manuel’s situation is twofold: First, U-M’s investigation is examining the entire department; second, he’s coming off a huge high that vaulted him into rarefied air – an AD with national titles in football and basketball on his résumé.
Does Michigan really want to get rid of the guy who proved he can hire a championship hoops coach, won the school an NCAA Tournament title and helped refill those NIL and donor coffers, just as new football and basketball coaches are about to start their first seasons in Ann Arbor?
As for Manuel deciding to step aside on his own? He’s 58 and under contract through 2030. He has too much road in front of him to imagine a quiet resignation – to decide he’s done as much as he can – after 10 years on the job.
Nah. It’d be a lot easier to imagine the man who played defensive lineman under U-M legend Bo Schembechler saying to Grasso, the regents, and the rest of an ungrateful administration: You’re gonna have to fire me.
If that’s the case, you can also imagine a new contingent on Manuel’s behalf joining the growing briefcase-carrying group that’s flooding downtown Ann Arbor these days and chanting to itself: “It’s great … to sue … the Michigan Wolverines.”
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez.
Michigan health officials are investigating a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has sickened 2,640 people, with early evidence pointing to lettuce or salad greens as a possible source.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Monday (July 13) that while the investigation is ongoing, no specific type of lettuce, grower, or supplier has been identified.
Other food items also have not been ruled out.
“Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the department’s chief medical executive. “Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation.”
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a parasite that infects the intestines and can cause watery diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.
The illness is typically spread by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.
Michigan usually reports only 40 to 50 cases of cyclosporiasis each year, making the current outbreak unusually large.
What investigators know
State health officials said they have completed more than 1,000 interviews with infected individuals while working with local, state, and federal partners to trace the source of the outbreak.
“We really need that kind of coordination to happen at the national level,” Bagdasarian said. “As soon as other states get their numbers to the CDC, we hope they can take a broader look to see whether these outbreaks are related.”
Because symptoms can take up to two weeks to develop after exposure and food distribution networks are complex, officials said the investigation could take time.
Officials emphasized there is no evidence linking the outbreak to swimming or other recreational water activities. Instead, investigators continue to focus on contaminated produce as the likely source.
Previous cyclospora outbreaks in the United States and Canada have been linked to bagged salad mixes, fresh cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas, and green onions.
Health officials said the investigation has been complicated by cyclospora’s long incubation period, with symptoms often taking up to two weeks to develop after exposure.
“That means investigators have to ask people about foods they ate, restaurants they visited, and grocery purchases from two to six weeks earlier,” Bagdasarian said.
How to protect yourself
As a precaution, the department is urging residents, restaurants and commercial kitchens in affected counties to take extra care when handling lettuce and salad greens.
Health officials recommend purchasing whole heads of lettuce instead of bagged, pre-washed lettuce or salad kits, discarding the outer two to three leaves before preparation and thoroughly washing the remaining leaves under clean running water.
When possible, greens should be cooked to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), which kills the parasite.
The department also recommends washing all fresh produce under running water and peeling fruits and vegetables when possible.
People at higher risk of severe illness or dehydration, including older adults, young children, organ transplant recipients and people undergoing chemotherapy, are encouraged to take extra precautions.
“Produce may have been grown on the other side of the country, possibly even in other countries, then processed somewhere else before coming into Michigan,” Bagdasarian said. “Many suppliers also distribute produce to multiple grocery stores and restaurant chains, making it harder to pinpoint the source.”
When to seek medical care
Anyone experiencing frequent watery diarrhea should contact a health care provider and specifically request testing for cyclospora, as routine stool tests may not detect the parasite.
The illness is typically treated with antibiotics, along with rest and fluids to prevent dehydration.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it will continue providing updates as the investigation progresses.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Michigan
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters backs Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens in contentious race to succeed him
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Outgoing Michigan Sen. Gary Peters is endorsing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens as his successor, adding to a growing effort by the Democratic establishment to help her defeat progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed in next month’s primary.
Peters, who is retiring after 12 years in the Senate, said Stevens “will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.” The endorsement, which was announced Monday, marks a reversal for Peters, who told The Associated Press in late May that he intended to stay neutral in the race.
But since then, Democratic leaders have increasingly rallied behind Stevens as the Aug. 4 primary approaches and concerns grow that El-Sayed is too far left to succeed in November. Holding the Michigan seat is viewed as critical to Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.
Stevens, a four-term House member, has campaigned as a more moderate Democrat focused on manufacturing issues in the critical battleground state. El-Sayed, who has never held elected office, is running on a more progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He’s also been outspoken about the war in Gaza, which has been a fault line within the party.
Concerns about Michigan have only intensified after Democrats’ attempt to flip a Senate seat in Maine was thrown into turmoil when nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race following a sexual assault allegation last week. Democrats there must now choose a new nominee to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Peters’ endorsement also comes after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow dropped out of Michigan’s Democratic primary earlier this month, transforming the race into a head-to-head contest between Stevens and El-Sayed.
“Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense,” Stevens said in a statement. “I am honored to have his support.”
Michigan U.S. Senate candidates, Abdul El-Sayed, left, and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., are displayed on a television during a debate inside the spin room at WoodTV studios on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Credit: AP/Kristen Norman
Peters won two Senate races in Michigan and led Senate Democrats’ campaign arm during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
His endorsement adds to Stevens’ growing support from the Democratic establishment, with the race being viewed nationally as a broader fight over the party’s direction.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has also backed Stevens, along with Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. El-Sayed has support from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and, more recently, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
The campaign has grown increasingly contentious in recent weeks.
El-Sayed has attacked Stevens over tens of millions of dollars in outside spending supporting her campaign, including by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has criticized El-Sayed for not disclosing his personal financial records.
During a July 7 debate, each accused the other of running a negative campaign.
“Abdul has spent this entire campaign attacking me,” Stevens said.
The Democratic winner will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former member of the U.S. House running uncontested for his party’s nomination, in what is expected to be one of the country’s most expensive and closely watched Senate races.
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