Emerson is a private college located in downtown Boston's Theater District. Emerson is complicit in Israeli ethnic cleansing, and the college contributes to the displacement of Black and Brown residents from Boston area communities ('gentrification').

Support for Israeli colonization

Emerson College Hillel hosts pro-Israel cultural events which normalize Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the homeland. Emerson College Hillel also encourages Emerson students to go on trips to Israel. The Hillel Council of New England (HCNE) also provides programming for students at Emerson College, directing Emerson students to take part in Zionist organizations and initiatives and encouraging Emerson students to attend Israel-based internship programs and spring break trips to Israel. In 2014, the The Consul General of Israel in New York, Ido Aharoni, visited Emerson college. Aharoni delivered a talk to Emerson students entitled “Branding Israel: Nation Branding in a Global Environment,” in which he shared his experiences working as a marketer for Israel.

Contribution to displacement ("gentrification")

Emerson College owns 19 parcels of land which, along with the structures built upon them, are collectively valued at $392,883,898 (Source: MassGIS statewide parcels dataset, 2021). By gobbling up local real estate and by attracting student and faculty populations into the area who are, on average, whiter and wealthier than pre-existing communities, Emerson bears considerable responsibility for driving up housing, rental, and living costs in Boston area communities (see image below), a process which is leaving working class residents, disproportionately Black and Brown, increasingly unable to afford to remain in the communities they have called home for years if not decades. Students and community members have highlighted in particular the role Emerson has played in driving residents and businesses out of Chinatown and East Boston.

(Image source: here)

5 links

1. Financial Support – Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)

From fiscal years 2007-2020, Combined Jewish Philanthropies funneled $20,500 from its donors to Emerson College.

2. Financial Support – Fidelity Charitable

In fiscal year 2019 alone, Fidelity Charitable funneled $279,973 from its donors into Emerson College.

3. Association/Collaboration – Hillel Council of New England

The Hillel Council of New England (HCNE) provides programming for students at Emerson College. Working under Hillel International, HCNE directs Emerson College students to participate in Zionist organizations and initiatives, while encouraging Emerson College students to attend Israel-based internship programs and spring break trips to Israel.

4. Association/Collaboration – Israel Summit at Harvard

Emerson College was one of the universities that participated in The Israel Summit in 2021.

5. Financial Support – Seth Klarman, and the Klarman Family Foundation

The Klarman Family Foundation donated $175,000 to Emerson College from FY12-15.

120 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116