✅ The East Brunswick High School seniors got their yearbooks Tuesday

✅ A Jewish student club's listing was replaced

✅ The school superintendent promises a "complete investigation"


UPDATE: Jewish and Muslim students react at meeting to yearbook controversy


EAST BRUNSWICK — School officials are investigating how the names of a Jewish student club were omitted and a picture of members replaced by a group of Muslim students.

The yearbooks handed out to East Brunswick High School seniors on Tuesday includes all student clubs and organizations with a photo of its members and their names. The listing for the Jewish Student Union was missing the names and the photo replaced by a group of Muslim students.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Mayor Brad Cohen called the incident a "blatant Anti-Semitic act." He said Superintendent Victor Valeski had started a "complete investigation."

"At a minimum, I have also been assured that new yearbooks will be ordered and distributed with the correct pictures and names," Cohen said. "Hate has no place in East Brunswick and Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated."

UPDATE: Superintendent blames email for Jewish yearbook erasure

Jewish Student Union listing in East Brunswick High School yearbook
Jewish Student Union listing in East Brunswick High School yearbook (@StopAntisemites via X),
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What's the process?

Principal Glen Pazinko in a separate statement obtained by TAP wrote that students are responsible for the production, organization and distribution of the yearbook.

The superintendent said the yearbook is printed by Jostens, which is based in Minneapolis.

Valeski and Jostens on Wednesday morning did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for more information.

Jewish group reacts

The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, which represents Middlesex and Monmouth counties, said it was "deeply concerned" but was waiting to get all the facts.

“We are seeking clarification from the school and Board of Education on how such an incident occurred, as well as the actions planned to address this unacceptable situation and to hold the people who are responsible accountable,” spokeswoman Lisa Karasic said in an email to New Jersey 101.5.

Karasic said her group believes that the yearbook issue is of a systemic problem at both the high school and middle school which she identifies as a lack of knowledge of what constitutes anti-Semitism and a lack of responsiveness.

"This systemic failing precedes this yearbook incident and even the events of October 7. Moreover, it reflects an increasing climate both in and beyond our schools of hate affecting people of all faiths, ethnicities, and identifications," Karasic said.

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