Shai Davidai

Shai Davidai
שי דוידאי
Born
Ramat Gan, Israel
TitleAssistant Professor of Business
Academic background
Alma mater
Doctoral advisorThomas Gilovich
Academic work
Institutions

Shai Davidai (שי דוידאי) is an Israeli assistant professor of business at Columbia Business School[1] known for his outspoken advocacy for Israel, against antisemitism, and for Jewish civil rights.[2] After the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel and subsequent Israel-Hamas war, his activism led him into conflict with Columbia University administrators and has generated controversy among faculty, staff and the surrounding community.[3]

Early life

Davidai is Jewish, and was born in Ramat Gan, Israel.[4][5] His father was born in Haifa and his mother in Givatayim.[5]

Education

Davidai earned a B.A. in psychology and cognitive science from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2009.[1][6] After moving to the United States, he earned a Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from Cornell University in 2015.[1][6][7] Thomas Gilovich was his graduate school advisor.[1]

Career

Davidai did a post-doctoral fellowship at the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs in 2015-16.[1] His first faculty position was at The New School for Social Research, where he was assistant professor of psychology from 2016 to 2019.[1][6]

In 2019, Davidai joined the Columbia Business School faculty as assistant professor of business.[1] His work has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and numerous social and experimental psychology journals. He studies how people's views on inequality, success and failure affect their well-being.[1] Davidai's findings on FOMO, nepo babies, and perception of income inequality have been featured in The New York Times,[8] Scientific American,[9] The Guardian,[10] and The New Yorker.[11] In 2020, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) listed Davidai as a "Rising Star".[1] In 2023, Poets & Quants named him one of the "Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors".[1]

Columbia University protests

After the October 7 attacks and subsequent Israel-Hamas war, protests erupted at numerous educational institutions, including Columbia University. After a Columbia SJP leader and a faculty member called the attacks "an unprecedented historic moment" and "a “stunning victory", Davidai spoke at a candlelight vigil on campus.[12] He approached the Columbia Business School dean, met with the university president,[7] and called on the school administration to condemn Hamas.[7]

Davidai wrote an open letter to every parent in America, warning them about antisemitism at universities and criticizing university leadership for supporting pro-terror campus organizations.[12] He argued that KKK or ISIS supporters would not be allowed to demonstrate on campus.[12][13] He described his alarm at students' "hatred" of "the existence of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people".[14] He continued making video content about activity on campus related to the conflict.

Davidai's ID card was temporarily deactivated in April 2024, preventing him from accessing the main campus.[15] In April 2024, a petition alleging that Davidai harassed pro-Palestinian students and calling for his termination obtained over 10,000 signatures.[15] Davidai testified about Columbia's handling of its protests in his June 2024 testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee.

In October 2024, Davidai was temporarily suspended from Columbia's campus following the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, when campus protesters held signs bearing Hamas symbols and celebrating the Al-Aqsa Flood.[3][16] Columbia said Davidai's behavior toward employees at the scene violated university policies.[3] Over 400 university professors, students, parents, alumni, and staff signed a letter to interim university president Katrina Armstrong calling Davidai's suspension "egregious".[17] In December 2024, when a Jewish student was punched in the face at a Barnard pro-Palestinian protest, Davidai argued that the university's tolerance of hateful demonstrations, demonization of Jewish students, and indoctrination by Students for Justice in Palestine had promoted the conditions leading to the violence.[18]

Beliefs

Davidai opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and supports the creation of a Palestinian state.[4][19] He considers himself pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, anti-terror, and a liberal leftist.[12][19] He is concerned about young generations being uninformed and therefore supporting Hamas, ignoring kidnapping of children, mass rape, and other atrocities by Hamas terrorists.[19] He has been critical of Columbia University’s response to pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism on its campus.[20][21] Davidai's videos include warnings against the dangers of hate speech. He interprets "from the river to the sea" and "globalize the intifada" as calls to violence against Israelis and Jews.[22] He notes that student organizations have condemned "Zionists" on campus.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kristy Bleizeffer (June 5, 2023). "2023 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Shai Davidai, Columbia Business School," Poets & Quants.
  2. ^ Birman, Eliana (2024-10-10). "Shai Davidai on the Fight Against Antisemitism". The Jewish Link. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  3. ^ a b c Patel, Vimal; Otterman, Sharon (2024-10-16). "Columbia Bars Vocal Pro-Israel Professor From Campus". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  4. ^ a b Harri Haworth (October 17, 2024). "40 Facts About Shai Davidai," Facts.net.
  5. ^ a b Shai Davidai (September 17, 2024). "I was born in Ramat Gan...," Twitter (X).
  6. ^ a b c "Shai Davidai," Columbia Business School.
  7. ^ a b c Judy Berger (May 30, 2024). "WJC ‘Israel Connection’ Series Features Columbia Professor Shai Davidai," Jewish Link.
  8. ^ Mullainathan, Sendhil (2017-04-28). "To Help Tackle Inequality, Remember the Advantages You've Had". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  9. ^ Fitz, Nicholas (2015-03-31). "Economic Inequality: It's Far Worse Than You Think". Scientific American. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  10. ^ Frank, Robert H (2017-10-08). "How much of a role does luck play in our success or failure?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  11. ^ Konnikova, Maria (2016-11-17). "America's Surprising Views on Income Inequality". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  12. ^ a b c d Otterman, Sharon (2023-10-24). "Columbia Postpones Giving Day Fund-Raiser as Conflict Over Israel War Deepens". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  13. ^ Shai Davidai (October 2023)/ "An Open Letter to Every Parent in America," YouTube.
  14. ^ Sutton, Mia (2024-06-30). "Professor Shai Davidai speaks out against antisemitism and hate on college campuses". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  15. ^ a b The New York Times; Closson, Troy (2024-04-22). "Scenes of Campus Protests at Columbia, Yale, MIT and NYU in Photos and Video". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  16. ^ Tress/Jta, Luke (2024-10-17). "Columbia bars Shai Davidai, outspoken Israeli and pro-Israel professor, from campus". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  17. ^ Gomez-Sotomayor-Roel, Aleka (2024-11-02). "Hundreds of Columbia affiliates sign letter condemning suspension of Shai Davidai, calling for reversal". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  18. ^ Starr, Michael (2024-12-12). "Jewish Columbia student punched in face by anti-Israel activist". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  19. ^ a b c "Ivy League Antisemitism". Tablet Magazine. 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  20. ^ Rosman, Katherine (2024-04-22). "On Columbia's Campus, a Protest Encampment Grows and Tensions Flare". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
  21. ^ Ewe, Koh (2024-04-23). "Who Is Shai Davidai? The Columbia Professor Protesting Protesters". TIME. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
  22. ^ a b Tress, Luke; Magid, Jacob; Berman, Lazar; Fabian, Emanuel; Magid, Jacob; Bachner, Michael; Fabian, Emanuel (2024-03-09). "Israeli professor who's slammed campus antisemitism says Columbia investigating him". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2025-01-10.