The Baltimore Zionist District on Jan. 15 condemned the decision by the University of Maryland School of Medicine to rescind an invitation to a representative of the Israel Defense Forces.
Brig. Gen. Elon Glassberg M.D. of the IDF Medical Corps, was scheduled to speak on Jan. 16 during surgery rounds at the medical school on the topic of “Advancing Care, Saving Lives and Improving Outcomes.”
The cancellation came in the wake of a letter-writing campaign led by the Council of American-Islamic Relations and the Islamic Maryland Action Network. More than 6,000 emails were reportedly sent to the university’s surgery department chair and dean protesting the speaker’s invitation.
In a statement, the University of Maryland School of Medicine wrote, “As part of its Grand Rounds academic sessions, the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, together with the Department of Surgery, invited the distinguished scholar Dr. Elon Glassberg to speak to faculty, fellows, residents, and students. The lecture was intended to focus exclusively on medical advances in trauma care. Two days before the planned event, we became aware of potential safety concerns, and it became clear that they could not be sufficiently addressed in such a short time frame to allow us to proceed. Given the primary concern of the safety and security of faculty and students and the protection of the educational environment, the surgical leadership decided to postpone this Grand Rounds session.
“The School of Medicine has invited Dr. Glassberg to speak at a future date while working to ensure a safe learning atmosphere for our surgical teams. The focus will remain on sharing knowledge that advances life-saving care for our patients in the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. We are committed to hearing all voices when it comes to saving lives.”
In a statement, Baltimore Zionist District Executive Director Caren Leven said, “I’m deeply disappointed by the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s decision to rescind an invitation to an IDF representative. This move feels like a surrender to political pressure rather than a commitment to academic freedom and open dialogue. The IDF Medical Corps is world-renowned for its innovations in emergency medicine and humanitarian aid, saving lives across borders. Excluding their voice deprives students and faculty of invaluable insights and expertise.
“This decision doesn’t just undermine academic integrity,” she wrote, “it alienates those of us who believe in fostering understanding and learning from diverse perspectives. I urge the University to reflect on the values it wants to uphold and consider how this choice aligns with them.”
In a statement, Zainab Chaudry, director of CAIR’s office in Maryland, praised the university’s decision regarding the cancellation of the Jan. 16 invitation.
“Providing a platform to a representative of the Israeli Defense Forces — an entity directly responsible for the ongoing genocide and targeting of healthcare workers in Gaza — to speak on the topic of saving lives is egregious and fundamentally at odds with the principles of medical ethics and human rights,” she wrote. “This swift community response demonstrates the power of collective action to uphold justice and accountability.”
Meanwhile, the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus praised the university for reissuing an invitation to Dr. Glassberg.
“We appreciate that officials from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center have been accessible, forthcoming and responsive to our concerns,” the caucus wrote in a statement. “We look forward to the day when Dr. Glassberg will be able to share his expertise in medical trauma care with students and faculty in our state, all of whom are dedicated professionals interested in providing expert care to the highest-need trauma patients in Maryland.”
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