Pierce College to Ask Court to Stop Leaflet Campaign by Jews for Jesus

Pierce College officials said Wednesday they will seek a court order to prevent members of Jews for Jesus from handing out religious tracts to students on campus.

Officials decided to take the action after college police arrested three more members of the religious group Wednesday--bringing to 15 the number of arrests at the Woodland Hills campus since the organization began passing out leaflets last week.

Jews for Jesus, meanwhile, pledged to sue college administrators over alleged civil rights violations that have stemmed from the series of campus confrontations leading to the arrests.

“We’re requesting a restraining order to prevent them from returning,” said Art Hernandez, Pierce’s dean of students. “They’re interfering with people at this school.”

Added Judy Ponsor, an aide to Hernandez, who unsuccessfully tried to persuade Jews for Jesus members to move off a campus sidewalk, “We don’t want students stopped so they’re late to class.”

Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews for Jesus, said he plans to file a civil rights suit against Pierce. “Our people have been falsely arrested and detained,” he said.

‘Life-and-Death Issue’

Added Avi Snyder, an aide to Rosen: “To us, letting people know about Jesus is a life-and-death issue. We are prepared to go to court to see that our First Amendment rights are upheld.”

Snyder has been arrested twice by Pierce campus police since Jews for Jesus began handing out pamphlets Nov. 15 outside the school library. He complained that college officials have put themselves “above the law” by requiring his group to obtain a permit and stand behind a table when distributing its religious tracts.

Jews for Jesus members routinely circulate among students at other schools to promote the group’s belief that Jews should recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, Snyder said. Officials at those campuses allow them to distribute materials without restriction, Snyder said.

But Hernandez said state law allows school officials to decide how, when and where outsiders can distribute literature. Although Pierce College had wanted the Jews For Jesus group to obtain a permit to pass out literature, it now wants the group banned from the campus by court order, Hernandez said.

James Aquirre, a lawyer for the Los Angeles Community College District, said Pierce’s policy “is based on law” and does not violate constitutional rights.

Daily Ritual of Arrests

Students who have watched the daily ritual of arrests over the past week were divided Wednesday over which side was correct. Joel Kleinbaum, 31; Alan Lee Bond, 35, and Lynn Wein, 27, all of Van Nuys and arrested Wednesday on misdemeanor trespassing charges, were released after each posted $250 bail at the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley station.

Freshman Karim Haddad, 18, of Encino said he was so outraged by the trio’s arrest that he picked up Jews for Jesus pamphlets left behind and handed them out--until police returned and took him into custody.

Because he is a student, he was not charged with trespassing, although school officials said he may be suspended from classes. “I believe it is important to stand up for your rights,” said Haddad, who added that he belongs to a recognized campus group called the Bible Study Club.

But sophomore Andrew Glass, 19, of Canoga Park sided with college officials. “They shouldn’t infringe on my right as a student to go to class and learn. Let them go outside the gate to hand out their stuff,” Glass said.

Others disputed the contention that Jews for Jesus has interfered with students.

“They aren’t bothering anyone. They should have the right to be here,” said freshman Brian Chavez, 19, of Reseda. Sophomore Bari Fleishman, 18, of Woodland Hills added: “I’m Jewish and I’m not offended. I don’t think they should be arrested.”

Two representatives of Shepherd of Israel, a Canoga Park church, who were distributing religious literature from a college-approved folding table, also sided with Jews for Jesus.

Stan Bernstein said that only 5 to 10 students approach their table each day to pick up pamphlets--contrasted with the about 1,200 flyers that Jews for Jesus members claim to distribute daily by walking up to students.

Sheryl Cohen, a 20-year-old sophomore from Reseda, said she obtained permission from college officials to tape a small, self-painted religious poster on the same sidewalk where Jews for Jesus members were arrested Wednesday.

“The gospel still has to be preached,” Cohen said.