Hebrew University Reaches Remote-Study Deal With Convicted Sex Offender After Campus Protests

Following student protests and public criticism, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem quietly reached an agreement with student Tal Rosenblit, who was convicted of sexual harassment and distributing intimate images of his former partner. Under the deal, Rosenblit will stop coming to campus, while the university will allow him to complete his academic obligations remotely.

The protests intensified after N12 published an interview with his ex-partner, Naomi. Students said Rosenblit had continued attending classes in musicology and history because he had not yet begun serving his sentence. They hung signs around campus with quotes from the interview, demonstrated at the university, and confronted him when he arrived to class, saying they wanted to shame him the way he had shamed his former partner and force him to stay away.

The students also told N12 they were afraid of sitting next to a convicted sex offender and criticized the university for not doing enough. University administrators then spoke with both the protesting students and Rosenblit, saying the institution could not legally strip him of his studies. The university later said it does not comment on individual arrangements, but stressed that it will continue working to preserve students’ sense of safety.

One of the protest leaders, student Ozar Nasia, told N12, “We do not feel safe because he can come back if he wants. We are relying on the good will of a convicted criminal.” She added that academically “the dean of students did what he could,” but she expected the university to do more institutionally and also pursue legal action. Rosenblit was sentenced two months ago to 20 months in prison, six months suspended for three years, and NIS 10,000 in compensation to Naomi after pleading guilty in a plea bargain to an amended indictment. He is due to begin serving the sentence in early July, and last month he filed an appeal with the Jerusalem District Court and requested a stay of execution, but no decision has been issued yet.