Seton Hall Hillel, the university’s Jewish student organization, canceled their “Drag Queen Bingo” event in a statement posted to their Instagram on April 7 after facing “unacceptable, hateful messages in response.”
The event, originally scheduled for April 8, coincided with SHU Hillel’s celebration of Purim, which celebrates the saving of the Jews from genocide in ancient Persia. The “Drag Bingo” would have featured drag queen Hanukah Lewinsky.
“With deep disappointment, we must announce the cancellation of Tuesday's ‘Drag Queen Bingo’ event,” the statement said. “Hillel GMW [Hillel of Greater MetroWest NJ] and Hanukah Lewinsky made this decision out of an abundance of caution and care for the safety and well-being of our students, community, and performer.”
On April 8, the executive board and senate body of SHU’s Student Government Association (SGA) also released a statement on Instagram regarding the canceled event.
The statement, which was written and voted on by the senate, said that SGA was “disappointed in the online conduct of some members inside and outside of the campus community toward Seton Hall Hillel and the greater Jewish population on campus.”
“Seton Hall states as part of its Catholic mission that it is ‘a home for people of all faiths,’” the statement said. “Those that don’t identify as Catholic should never be made to feel alienated or that they don’t belong.”
Richard Picone, a junior SGA senator, gave background into SGA’s intentions behind its statement.
“We released that statement to show we’re here for all students,” Picone said. “No matter what your views are, there is no place for hate or antisemitic remarks because everyone is allowed to have their own views, but it’s about relaying that respectfully, and understanding the background of why [SHU Hillel] was having the event.”
Isabella Laor, the president of SHU Hillel, said she recognized some of the people who were commenting on SGA’s statement on Instagram.
“When I saw people that I knew personally commenting on the SGA statement, I have never felt true fear for my life until that moment,” Laor said. “I know people think they can hide behind a screen and type whatever they want, but I don’t think they truly know the impact of their words.”
Laor explained the impact people’s words have on the organization and the community, and what this means for SHU Hillel’s safety.
“The club and community were impacted not only by the hate we saw and experienced on our own social media but by the graphic and vile antisemitism, transphobia, and homophobia shared on the Internet,” Laor said. “We have had to reevaluate safety and security at events moving forward to ensure that we can practice our religion peacefully and gather together in joyous celebration.”
SHU Hillel’s most recent event on April 15 had campus security because of the online threats and the amount of attention the incident received.
A student who requested anonymity because of safety concerns discussed their own experience with antisemitism at SHU.
“Growing up Jewish, antisemitism was always a big thing, but even then, I never really experienced it myself,” they said. “Coming onto campus at the start of this year, I was already uneasy because of this environment, and antisemitism is crazy on the rise.”
The student added that they were concerned for their safety.
“Even though Catholics aren’t inherently antisemitic or anything, it’s just that you’re kind of in a minority automatically,” they said.
On April 4, outlets like LifeSiteNews.com started publishing articles opposing the Drag Bingo event.
“The article itself had an antisemitic and homophobic/transphobic tone throughout, but the comments under the article are where the intense hate started,” Laor said.
The article featured several quotes from anonymous SHU students, with one saying that the event exposes an “unfortunate reality.”
“Seton Hall and many other Catholic universities around the country are caving to the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) mob when, in reality, they should be spearheading the attack against this destructive, degenerate culture through forming countless young people into holy and virtuous men and women,” they said.
A rosary protest was held outside the university chapel on the day of the canceled Drag Bingo.
Kai Hansen, the president of SGA, said he spoke with Public Safety to ensure that no one outside of campus was allowed in for the protest. However, representatives of TFP Student Action, an organization “formed to resist, in the realm of ideas, the liberal, socialist and communist trends of the times and proudly affirm the positive values of tradition, family and private property,” did ultimately hold their protest at SHU.
A video of the protest was posted on the organization’s YouTube channel, where an unknown protester gave the reasons why TFP held the demonstration at SHU.
“We pray this rosary in reparation for the many sins that go on here, but also in thanksgiving for the cancellation of the drag bingo event—that Catholic morality may be defended at a place where this should never happen,” he said.
The protest called for “Seton Hall University to return to its Catholic mission.” Those attending the protest walked around campus carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary, praying the rosary, and playing bagpipes.
The video has over 22,000 views at the time of publication.
Publications like The Hayride said the event “subvert[ed] and redefine[d] moral and spiritual values within the church” and praised the rosary protest.
“The ‘Drag Bingo’ event represents more than a mere lapse in judgment; it is a manifestation of a deeper malaise—the encroachment of ideologies fundamentally opposed to the truth of the Gospel,” the article said.
The Hayride also included a quote from an anonymous student at SHU.
“I came to Seton Hall anticipating to receive an education with a constant undertone of the timeless truths of our Catholic faith,” they said. “I urge those at Seton Hall to reclaim the university’s Catholic identity and crush the head of this serpent.”
Another student, who is part of SHU Hillel, asked to remain anonymous due to the threats the club received. They said there was pushback for the event from the start from the Archdiocese of Newark. Although Campus Ministry approved the event, the organization had to fight the university to still host the event once the archdiocese resistance began, they said.
In terms of the university deciding not to put out a formal statement coinciding with the statements from SHU Hillel and from SGA, Jackson Vaughn, the SGA treasurer, said that SHU officials were concerned about adding fuel to the fire.
“The school decided not to put out a statement because they are worried putting out a statement would fuel more hate,” Vaughn said. “While this may be a valid reason, Seton Hall should do everything in its power to make sure everyone feels safe.”
Julia Brown, a sophomore SGA senator, said she was pushing for a statement from the school, saying that she thinks people are misunderstanding what SHU’s identity is.
“Everything started with the LGBTQ+ [aspect] once these news media sites found out about that,” Brown said. “It went from ‘LGBTQ [is] bad,’ to ‘Why is there a Jewish student organization on a Catholic campus? Why are they forcing this on the Catholic students?’”
Brown added that she was “really disappointed that no one was saying anything” about the situation.
Laor said that although SHU Hillel wished the university had put out a statement, the organization would like to highlight staff members within the university who provided assistance to Hillel students.
“We would like to shout out Dean [Winston] Roberts, Dr. [Monica] Burnette, and Jasmine Drew, who were truly our front lines when it came to helping with combating the safety concerns for our Jewish students on campus,” Laor said.
When asked for a comment on the hate that came from the Drag Bingo event, university spokesperson Mike Hyland told The Setonian that Student Services had been in “regular contact” throughout SHU Hillel’s planning and subsequent cancellation of its event.
“As a Catholic university that values and fosters tolerance, we are extremely disturbed and saddened to see the hateful messages sent by anonymous individuals through online forums,” Hyland said. “The safety and well-being of our students is paramount.”
Hyland emphasized that SHU is a university that is “dedicated to the common good.”
“Seton Hall is a community among communities, welcoming individuals from all faith traditions and from none, and attentive to the needs of its members and to the shared life made possible by its continued existence as a place of learning,” he said.
Hyland concluded by saying that the university will remain in contact with its Hillel students and all those affected for future events and activities that celebrate their heritage and religious traditions.
Additionally, on April 6, an account entitled AF Post took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote about the rosary protest planned at SHU. The tweet quickly spread, with nearly 500,000 views at the time of publication.
The comments under the post included direct threats to the student members of SHU Hillel.
One comment with nearly 2,000 likes included a picture of the Ku Klux Klan and stated: “They need to start using these to scare them.”
Another comment read: “Why are there Jews at a Catholic university in the first place? Remove them and nip the problem at the bud.”
The SGA statement also received a wide variety of comments on Instagram, including: “The world doesn’t need the ‘LGBT community’” and “Is this satire?” the latter of which was posted by Joe Donato, a SHU alum who served as SGA president from 2012 to 2014.
Donato expanded upon his comment in an interview with The Setonian.
“The tone and tenor of that statement was so overwrought that I almost thought it was satire,” Donato said. “SGA should focus its time and energy on core student life issues, not contrived controversies.”
Donato added that still, he does not condone the antisemitic remarks against SHU Hillel.
“Insofar as there were antisemitic comments, of course, I condemn them,” he said. “Seton Hall is an inclusive and welcoming community.”
Brown, who responded to several of the comments on Instagram, said she was disappointed in the lack of moderation on SGA’s post and how people are openly sharing intolerant comments.
“I don’t think people are trying to hide their antisemitism,” Brown said. “We have the Palestinian Student Association, Muslim Student Association, PRIDE Club—all these clubs are hosting events. All these clubs are getting funding, and no one’s having this reaction to them. If the issue isn’t the LGBTQ+ piece of the event, then it’s because they’re Jewish.”
Laor said that SHU Hillel is still receiving hate.
“Mostly from outside of the school,” she said. “But what worries us the most is when the comments come from Seton Hall students.”
However, Laor said that the university has “gone above and beyond” to ensure SHU Hillel feels “supported.”
She said that SHU met with their student leadership and their professional partners, providing security as well as mental health and wellness resources.
“Seton Hall continues to be a space for people of all walks of life,” Laor said. “While a small number of students decided to spread hate, the larger community welcomed us with open arms and continues to do so.”
Laor also shared SHU Hillel’s continuous commitment to the university community.
“Our commitment to fostering a vibrant and welcoming Jewish community remains steadfast,” she said. “We will continue to create future opportunities to celebrate together in a welcoming environment.”
Morgan Frye is the social media editor of The Setonian. She can be reached at morgan.frye@student.shu.edu.
