June 17, 2021

Dear Mr. Davis,

I write to you to resign as a member from the PSC effective immediately. I also immediately rescind permission for CUNY to withdraw, and for the PSC to accept, union dues taken from my paycheck.

As you know, in February 2021, the EEOC issued a letter of determination substantiating all of my claims of religious discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment taken against Observant Jews and Zionist Jews, including me, in a matter in which the PSC, Barbara Bowen, and other prominent top PSC leaders were named respondents. It is stunning to me that, five months later, the union still has not taken any corrective action, whatsoever. It has not attempted to remedy the substantiated hostile environment and discrimination against Zionist and Observant Jews, it has not tried to make me whole or remedy my harms, and it has not disciplined those individuals at the PSC who were found liable of a number of heinous, overtly-anti-semitic acts.

To make matters worse, through an abhorrent resolution, the union now seeks to use my union dues for anti-semitic purposes. The resolution can self-proclaim itself as not anti-semitic all it wants, but that does not make it so. In fact, several of the items demanded in the resolution do not just seek “discussion” of BDS as it claims, but actually demand current BDS action. As you know, a number of countries (including Austria, Canada, Germany, Spain, and others) have declared BDS to be antisemitic and/or illegal and, in fact, it and the PSC’s resolution directly violate Governor Cuomo’s anti-BDS executive order in New York State. 

Outrageously, the PSC resolution utters not a word about Hamas missile attacks against Israeli civilians in the recent conflict. If that is not borne of antisemitism, I don’t know what is. 

Moreover, the resolution insists that it is not anti-Semitic to single out Israel for human rights violations while not holding other countries to the same standards because, as it states, Israel is a “diverse nation state.” In fact, the latter statement is true: Israel is demonstrably a diverse nation-state. Whereas there is not a Jew to be found in Gaza or the West Bank (not to mention the mere handfuls remaining in countless other middle-east countries), Arabs make up over 20% of the population in Israel, serve on the Supreme Court, serve in the Knesset, and lead political parties and movements. Yet despite all of this, and despite the PSC even admitting that Israel is a diverse nation that can (and should) be subject to legitimate criticism, it declares it to be an “Apartheid state.” The PSC cannot have it both ways. It cannot self-absolve itself of anti-semitism by admitting that Israel is a diverse nation-state and then also call Israel “Apartheid.” Doing so, again, reveals nothing more than an anti-Semitic tactic and trope, as defined by the state department and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-semitism.

After 16 years, I am truly saddened and devastated to see what has become of my union. That you would allow it to double and triple down on its antisemitism, even after it has been found liable for widespread anti-semitism against a number of its own Jewish members (including me) is demoralizing. 

With great disappointment, I can no longer be a part of it. Kindly process my resignation expeditiously. 

Jeffrey Lax

Professor and Chair, Department of Business

Kingsborough Community College