HBS Faculty Add Mezuzahs to Office Doors in Support of Jewish College Freshman

More than a dozen Jewish Harvard Business School faculty added mezuzahs provided by Harvard Hillel to their office doorposts in support of Sarah F. Silverman ’28, a Jewish freshman at the College whose mezuzah briefly disappeared earlier this month.

HBS professor Jeffery J. Bussgang ’91, who is leading the initiative, said he wanted to use the mezuzahs — scrolls of parchment containing Torah verses and traditionally placed outside Jewish homes — to make a statement about Jewish belonging on campus.

“When I read the news about what happened to Sarah Silverman, I wanted to take action. I felt it was important for Jewish students, faculty, and staff on campus to feel a strong sense of belonging and inclusion,” Bussgang wrote in an emailed statement to The Crimson.

Silverman expressed her appreciation for the initiative and praised the “strong Jewish and Jewish-allied network” that offers support in times of difficulty.

“Although I had a rather traumatic start to my experience at Harvard, I am happy that good has come out of it with initiatives starting to increase Jewish pride by putting up mezuzahs,” Silverman wrote in a text message.

HBS professor Richard S. Ruback, another faculty member participating in the initiative, said the mezuzahs would bring visibility toward Jewish affiliates.

“I just thought it was worthwhile for other faculty and students to just know that there are Jews on campus,” Ruback said. “Generally, Jews are different from other minorities — you can’t really tell by looking at somebody, or seeing their last name whether they’re Jewish or not.”

“I just wanted to be clear that I am,” he added.

After getting Ruback on board, Bussgang joined forces with his wife Lynda Bussgang ’91 – who serves on the board of directors at Harvard Hillel — to procure the mezuzahs and deliver them to HBS faculty, staff, and students.

“I’ve been like Hanukkah Harry running around campus delivering mezuzahs to my colleagues and students this last week” Jeffrey Bussgang said, referring to a Saturday Night Live character modeled off of Santa Claus.

Harvard Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Jason Rubenstein wrote in an email that Hillel staff have received “so much appreciation” for the effort.

“Every year our staff provide mezuzot to students and professors, along with guidance and support in placing them,” he wrote, using the plural form of mezuzah in Hebrew. “This year, after a mezuzah was desecrated in a first-year dormitory, this work took on a new urgency, to show ourselves and the world that we are proud and unafraid, and won’t be deterred.”

Ruback acknowledged that placing a mezuzah in a professional setting such as an academic office is an uncommon practice.

“It is unusual to put a mezuzah on an office door that you don’t own.” Ruback said.

Still, for both Ruback and Bussgang, the office feels like an extension of their personal space.

“I’ve been at Harvard for over 37 years, so my office is a lot like my home,” Ruback noted.

“I am proud of my Jewish identity and have a mezuzah in my doorways at home,” Bussgang wrote. “It felt comfortable and appropriate to continue that tradition in my HBS office.”

—Staff writer Kyle Baek can be reached at kyle.baek@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @KBaek53453.

—Staff writer Ava H. Rem can be reached at ava.rem@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @avar3m.