Columbia University Apologizes for 'October 7th Sauce' Sign Incident
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Columbia University apologized for signs reading "October 7th Bolognese Sauce" displayed on the anniversary of the Hamas attack. University officials stated it was an unfortunate mistake, explaining the date was mistakenly carried over to the menu for a sauce scheduled that day. The incident caused outrage on campus and online, with documentation spreading rapidly and sparking discussion among students.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Columbia University apologized for "October 7th Bolognese Sauce" signs displayed on the attack anniversary.
- University officials called the signs an unfortunate mistake, not a reference to the Hamas attack.
- The signs appeared on the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attack.
- The incident caused outrage on campus and widespread discussion on social media.
- The signs were quickly removed by dining services management.
Columbia University has issued a formal apology after two signs reading "October 7th Bolognese Sauce" were displayed at the pasta station in the John Jay dining hall. The signs appeared on the anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, sparking outrage on campus and social media. The signs were quickly removed by a manager from the dining services department.
Vicki Dunn, a vice president in the university's dining services, told the student newspaper "Spectator" that the incident was an unfortunate mistake and not intended as a reference to the attack. She explained that the bolognese sauce was scheduled to be served on October 7th, and the date was mistakenly carried over to the daily menu template. The bolognese sauce was the only pasta sauce that had a date listed.
The incident occurred in the university's second-largest dining hall, which serves an average of 192 students per hour. Documentation of the signs spread rapidly online, with a post by Haaretz reporter Siman Saidmar in New York featuring the menu garnering over a million views. The news account Breaking911, with 2.3 million followers, shared the information, describing the event as "outrageous."
The discussion also extended to Columbia Sidechat, the university's anonymous student forum. Many users questioned the meaning of the sign, with one post asking, "Can someone please explain what this is?" receiving over 700 upvotes. Another post pondered, "Do we think someone got fired over the October 7th sauce?"
Mentioned
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
