A Temple University student has been suspended following an antisemitic incident at Barstool Sansom Street, a Philadelphia sports bar owned by Dave Portnoy. The incident involved a sign ordered with bottle service that displayed an antisemitic message, prompting an investigation and the firing of two servers involved. Temple University President John Fry condemned the act and emphasized that antisemitism is not tolerated at the university. Portnoy, who is Jewish, decided to use the incident as a teaching moment by arranging for the responsible individuals to visit Auschwitz as part of their learning. This incident occurs amidst increasing scrutiny of universities’ handling of antisemitism, with Temple being among the institutions under investigation by the Department of Education.

The antisemitic incident occurred at Barstool Sansom Street when a customer requested a sign with an offensive message as part of bottle service, leading to outrage and immediate action from bar owner Dave Portnoy.

Portnoy, identifying as Jewish, expressed his anger over the incident and took swift measures by conducting an investigation, resulting in the firing of two employees who complied with the offensive request.

Temple University, addressing the involvement of one of its students, placed the individual on interim suspension and highlighted its zero-tolerance policy towards antisemitism, as expressed by President John Fry in a letter to the community.

In response to the incident, Portnoy arranged an educational trip to Auschwitz for those involved, choosing to use the situation as a teaching opportunity rather than seeking severe punitive measures.

The event has drawn attention to broader issues of antisemitism within universities in the US, with Temple University being one of several institutions under scrutiny by the Department of Education for their handling of such matters.

The Anti-Defamation League has been involved, expressing its condemnation of the hateful message and working with law enforcement and the bar’s management to address the situation.

This incident has highlighted the importance of proactive measures against discrimination and the need for educational initiatives to combat antisemitism and promote understanding and tolerance.