Illustrative A swastika graffitied in the basement of the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design on Sept. 14, 2023. Photo taken by student, provided by Rabbi Levi Haskelevich.

Another antisemitic incident has touched the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), adding to concerns about rising anti-Jewish hatred on the prestigious school’s campus.

Members of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), a traditionally Jewish fraternity, on Friday night discovered graffiti saying “The Jews R Nazis” on the door of a property next to their house, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian, a student-run media organization at Penn. The paper added that the campus’ Division of Public Safety is investigating the vandalism as a potential hate crime.

“We take vandalism very seriously and do not condone any behaviors that stem from prejudice or hate,” said a spokesperson for Campus Apartments, the property that was vandalized. “We appreciate Penn Police Department’s attention to this matter and will provide any help possible to aid in the investigation of this incident.”

The Daily Pennsylvanian noted that Campus Apartments, which provides housing to members of the university, is owned by David Adelman, the chair of the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation. There is no apparent evidence able to be confirmed by The Algemeiner that the vandalism was specifically targeted at either AEPi or Campus Apartments.

“It’s very disturbing to myself, the chapter, and the Jewish community at Penn. We are hoping that this all ends peacefully and quickly as possible for all,” AEPi’s president told the student newspaper.

The University of Pennsylvania has been embroiled in controversy this academic year stemming from concerns over antisemitism.

Last month, the university came under fire for refusing to cancel or move a “Palestine Writes Literature Festival” held on campus. The event, which caused outrage and heightened tensions across campus, featured several activists who promoted conspiracies about Jewish power and called for violence against Israel.

One day before “Palestine Writes” took place, an unidentified male walked into the university’s Hillel building behind a staffer and shouted “F—k the Jews” and “Jesus Christ is king!” before overturning tables, podium stands, and chairs, according to students and school officials who spoke with The Algemeiner.

Days earlier, just before the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah, a swastika was graffitied in the basement of the university’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design.

Last Monday, billionaire Ronald Lauder, a major financial backer of the University of Pennsylvania, threatened to pull his funding from the school unless it does more to fight antisemitism. He explained in a letter to Penn President Elizabeth Magill that her refusing to cancel the anti-Zionist festival has forced him to reevaluate being a donor to the school.

The Lauder family’s philanthropic support for Penn goes back four decades. In 1983, Ronald and his brother Leonard founded the school’s Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies — named after their father — where graduate students can earn both a Wharton School master’s of business administration and a master’s in international studies.

Dick Wolf, creator of the Law & Order franchise, also asked Magill to cancel the event, according to a letter he sent last week, and is now calling on her to resign from her position. Wolf called it an “abomination” that the Wolf Humanities Center — which he and his wife, Noelle, established with a large gift to the university in 2017 — sponsored last month’s anti-Zionist festival.

“I implore you and [Penn Board of Trustees] Scott Bok to step down from your UPenn positions before anymore unnecessary damage to UPenn,” Wolf wrote.

Magill recently apologized and expressed regret for not promptly condemning the “Palestine Writes” event.

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.