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The terrorist attacks by Hamas on civilians in Israel over the holiday weekend were both sudden and devastating. Atrocities against civilians run counter to everything we believe in as public health professionals. CUNY SPH strongly condemns the violent aggression targeting Jewish families and communities.
Violence and vitriol of all kinds cannot be allowed or endorsed and has no place in the connected nature of the world we live in. The impact of these attacks stretch far beyond this weekend and will surely linger in the days and months ahead, leading to more violence, sadness and loss on many sides. We as public health professionals will always hope for, and act towards, peace and avoidance of human suffering. We stand with those on the ground who have been affected, and with our colleagues, students, and friends in the CUNY SPH community who may also be dealing with the direct and indirect effects of this tragedy.
CUNY has woven a beautiful tapestry with a student body reflective of all people, faiths and creeds. The diversity of this educational system is a remarkable gift to the New York community and to humanity as an example of how an inclusive academic environment can be, regardless of how different we are. We encourage all our CUNY SPH community to remain safe, kind and respectful to one-another, free of hateful speech and actions.
For those in our community who are coping with the aftermath of this devastating event, we encourage you to utilize the support and resources available.
For CUNY SPH students: Our Office of Counseling and Wellness Services can provide counseling. Students seeking support are encouraged to reach out to the office by emailing sherry.adams@sph.cuny.edu or calling (646) 364-9526.
For faculty and employees: The CCA@YourService benefit for CUNY employees is a program that provides access to a range of support services, including free short-term counseling sessions (up to 3), and unlimited counseling by phone. You can find more info here.
Sincerely,
Ayman El-Mohandes
Dean, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
Please see the statement by CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, released on Saturday afternoon, addressing the tragic and hateful attack on Israel by Hamas. Additionally, you will find a subsequent message released by the Chancellor on Monday, discussing the extent of the attack and affirming CUNY’s stance against Hamas.
