(JNS) The outside of the Hillel building at the University of Wisconsin in Madison was vandalized on July 7, according to the organization. The words “Free Palestine” appeared on the concrete structure that welcomes people to the building, also known as the Barbara Hochberg Center for Jewish Student Life. “We view this act of vandalism as targeting the Jewish community and as an incident of bias,” said UW Hillel president and CEO Greg Steinberger in a Facebook post on the UW Hillel Foundation page. Steinberger said Hillel has contacted the Madison Metropolitan Police Department and the University of Wisconsin Police Department, in addition to notifying UW Hillel’s student leaders and board of directors. Around 12 percent of the U of Wisconsin student body is Jewish.

Main Photo: By Jamie Stark