How Jewish Money and Ideology Rewrite Academic Standards

If one assumes that admission of many Jewish students to elite institutions was primarily the result of academic merit or exceptional intellectual ability alone, it may be instructive to consult Nicholas Lemann’s The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy. In this work, Lemann demonstrates that the SAT—originally designed to establish an intellectual aristocracy grounded in merit at elite universities—ultimately contributed to the formation of a different elite, one that remained largely structured by wealth, social capital, and access rather than pure merit.

Rather than leveling the playing field, the SAT functioned as a mechanism that disproportionately benefited individuals with access to private schooling, test preparation resources, personalized tutoring, and, in some cases, illicit means of advantage. Jerome Karabel’s The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton advances a comparable historical analysis, drawing on extensive evidence to demonstrate how these institutions were intentionally organized to reproduce a particular elite class—an arrangement that both institutionalized exclusion and cultivated the perception among admitted students that their status reflected inherent exceptionalism rather than structural advantage.

Such individuals often achieved strong test performance not necessarily as a direct reflection of academic or intellectual merit, but as a consequence of the structural advantages to which they already had access. Paradoxically, this dynamic facilitated the advancement of a class of people who later demonstrated considerable aptitude for cheating and exploiting institutional systems within economic and political domains—figures whose activities, in numerous cases, have been associated with significant social disruption and transformative, and at times destabilizing, change across much of the Western world.

In fact, during the 1920s and 1930s, many Jews were not accepted into major universities due to their perceived tendency to incite revolutionary activities and subversive movements—an important factor that is missing in The Chosen by Karabel, who argues that academic institutions were geared toward keeping Jews out of academia but never explains why. Karabel’s explanation is that Jews were flooding academic centers in the 1920s and ’30s due to their academic excellence.

But not once does he acknowledge that this same period was politically volatile in large part because many Jews were drawn to radical ideologies such as Stalinism, Leninism, and Trotskyism. And when disillusioned with those movements, some transitioned to neoconservatism—a largely Jewish ideological project that would later play a significant role in shaping U.S. foreign policy and fueling conflicts and bloodshed across the Middle East.[1] A classic example is Irving Kristol, who openly bragged about being a Trotskyite during his college years. Kristol proudly admitted that the “honor I most prized was the fact that I was a member in good standing of the [Trotskyist] Young People’s Socialist League (Fourth International).”[2] Kristol was not just a former Trotskyist, but a former neo-Marxist, neo-socialist, and neo-liberal.[3]

The historical scholarship on this period is vast and revealing. Another example is Ronald Radosh, who recounts in his memoir that many Jews like himself were sent from New York to Wisconsin to take over the universities and turn them into revolutionary cells.[4] Radosh’s entire family were members of the Communist Party USA. Like the neoconservatives who transitioned from Trotskyism to “neoconservatism,” Radosh eventually aligned himself with the New Left—but his revolutionary spirit remained unchanged.

Radosh soon shifted again—this time to neoconservatism—after growing disillusioned with the New Left, particularly when he published the view that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were rightly executed for espionage on behalf of the Soviet KGB. But what has neoconservatism produced? Essentially, it is Trotskyism in a new garb. Just look at what happened in Iraq in 2003 and the chaos that subsequently unfolded across the Middle East.

So Radosh left Marxism and Communism—ideologies responsible for over 60 million deaths worldwide—only to embrace neoconservatism, which in turn led to millions more deaths across the Middle East. In other words, the names may have changed, but the underlying diabolical ideology remains the same.

The central claim is that the Jewish elites have long had a vested interest in exerting influence over academic institutions, as universities play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and legitimizing dominant ideologies. In many cases, access to elite academic institutions has allegedly been facilitated not solely through merit, but through mechanisms such as financial influence or preferential treatment. A classic example is Jared Kushner’s admission to Harvard University. In Kushner, Inc., journalist Vicky Ward documents that Kushner’s high-school grades and standardized test scores were not exceptional by Harvard’s typical admissions standards and, on academic grounds alone, would have made admission unlikely. Ward further reports that shortly before Kushner’s acceptance, his father, Charles Kushner, made a donation of approximately $2.5 million to Harvard. Ward writes:

“Around the time Jared was applying to colleges, Charlie pledged $2.5 million to Harvard and made additional promises to Princeton and Cornell. He also got New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg, who was an investor in at least one of his projects and to whom Kushner Companies had donated more than two hundred thousand dollars, to make a call to Senator Ted Kennedy, who, in turn, phoned Harvard’s dean of admissions. When Jared was accepted at Harvard, his high school teachers were aghast, alternating, according to a student, between disbelief and disgust. A classmate of Jared’s, who had been in the class’s first track and who had been rejected by Harvard, cried when she heard he got in. It was unheard of for anyone in the third track at Frisch Academy to be admitted to any Ivy League school, let alone Harvard. ‘His GPA did not warrant it, his SAT scores did not warrant it,’ one school official told the author Daniel Golden.”[5]

Readers who find these findings troubling may wish to consult further empirical research on the subject, particularly Daniel Golden’s The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class Buys Its Way into Elite Colleges—and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates. Golden’s work provides a systematic investigation into the ways wealth, influence, and elite networks shape admissions practices at prestigious American universities, offering broader context for the concerns raised above.

Across many countries, members of political and economic elites have, for decades, been implicated in academic misconduct and preferential treatment within higher education institutions. A notable example is the case of Chung Yoo-ra, which became part of a broader political and academic scandal in South Korea. Chung reportedly received academic credits and institutional privileges at Ewha Womans University without fulfilling standard academic requirements. These irregularities were widely attributed to the influence of her mother, Choi Soon-sil, a close confidante of then–President Park Geun-hye. The case exposed systemic vulnerabilities within academic governance and highlighted how political proximity and elite status can undermine merit-based educational standards.

While faculty members at Ewha Womans University were reportedly recording grades for coursework Chung Yoo-ra had not done, she was, in fact, engaged in professional training and competition in equestrian events. This raised a broader question regarding the basis of her admission to a prestigious institution such as Ewha: namely, whether it rested on demonstrated academic merit or intellectual promise. Available evidence suggests that it did not. Chung was admitted under special admissions considerations related to athletic achievement, having won a gold medal in equestrian events at the 2014 Asian Games. Notably, this achievement occurred after the university’s official application deadline, yet it was nevertheless taken into account during the admissions process, highlighting the extent of preferential treatment involved.[6]

The central issue, therefore, is the apparent erosion of ethical standards and institutional boundaries among certain elite actors, who, in pursuit of access to prestigious academic institutions, have demonstrated a willingness to engage in deception, manipulation, cheating, and other forms of misconduct. Such practices undermine the principles of meritocracy and academic integrity that universities are ostensibly meant to uphold.

A further question concerns the role of the Talmud or essentially Talmudic imperatives in shaping political and ideological movements. Specifically, some polemical imperatives of the Talmud have declared that certain passages encourage deception or differential obligations toward non-Jews.[7] Such interpretations, if taken at face value, challenge universal moral or metaphysical law.[8]

Moreover, it can easily be argued that Jewish elite networks function not only to manipulate institutional systems but also to facilitate privileged access to educational opportunities for family members and associates. In this context, the case of Jeffrey Epstein is another example, given his well-documented connections to political, financial, and academic elites, as well as his involvement in serious criminal activity.

One illustrative example is Epstein’s reported assistance in supporting the college admission of Bechet Previn, the adopted daughter of Soon-Yi Previn and Woody Allen, to Bard College. Soon-Yi Previn later referenced this assistance in a private email. Previn said to Epstein:

“I can’t thank you enough for getting Bechet into Bard. Thank you for coming through for us. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. Woody said when Bechet sets fire to the school, they’ll have you to thank.”[9]

Leon Botstein, speaking on behalf of Bard College’s administration, publicly distanced the institution from Epstein, characterizing him as “a serial liar who apparently took credit for the sun rising each day.” Botstein further stated that the applicant referenced in the emails was admitted solely on the basis of her academic qualifications and merit, and not as a result of any external influence.[10]

In other words, Botstein means to tell us all that Previn lied or was misinformed. However, the act of Previn thanking Epstein for performing what was described as the work of an admissions agent raises questions about Botstein’s subsequent denials or minimizations. Institutional responses of this kind—such as Botstein’s dismissal of Epstein’s claims—can be understood as efforts to protect the integrity of the institution amid public controversy. However, such statements do not fully resolve the apparent discrepancies between private communications and public explanations. Moreover, additional evidence against Botstein has been very clear. He lied. Consider this:

“Allen and Previn felt strongly that Epstein was the reason their daughter was admitted. According to the Times’ review of the relevant email exchanges, Epstein emailed Botstein himself to arrange a tour for Bechet. Shortly after that, Previn wrote Botstein, ‘Thank you so much for your offer to help our daughter, Bechet Allen, get into Bard College. I will take you up on the offer.’

“Botstein previously defended shmoozing with Epstein for donor money, telling the Times in 2023, ‘People don’t understand what this job is… You cannot pick and choose, because among the very rich is a higher percentage of unpleasant and not very attractive people. Capitalism is a rough system.”

“Over the course of the couple’s long relationship with Epstein, they frequently visited Epstein’s home and exchanged favors. Epstein would even try to help Allen cast young women in his films. One note from Epstein to a photographer reads, ‘woody allen is looking for a beautiful =0-24 girl to play a college girl in a comedy. thoughts?’”[11]

These developments add further clarification to the case. More broadly, however, the central concern remains the capacity of Jewish actors to engage in subversive or deceptive practices over extended periods with minimal accountability. Elite academic institutions have protected Jewish influential individuals despite serious questions about merit or conduct.

One classic example is Alan Dershowitz’s long-standing tenure at Harvard Law School. While Dershowitz has been hailed as a legal scholar and public intellectual, the scholarly depth and rigor of his academic output is arguably non-existent. This issue is illustrated by the widely-viewed debate between Dershowitz and Norman Finkelstein, aired several years ago on The Amy Goodman Show.

More broadly, the central concern remains the apparent ability of Jewish elite actors to engage in subversive or immoral practices over extended periods with virtually no accountability. If this claim still appears novel, one might consider how a person such as Alan Dershowitz, the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, attained tenure at Harvard despite producing zero original scholarly work. For those who maintain that Dershowitz’s appointment was fully merited, it would be instructive to examine the public debate between Dershowitz himself and Norman Finkelstein, held several years ago, which raises substantive questions about scholarly rigor, methodological standards, academic merit, and even plagiarism by Dershowitz himself.

These patterns continue to manifest among the Jewish elite. Lawrence Summers (born Lawrence Samuelson) publicly confronted Cornel West over concerns related to grade inflation at Harvard. However, Summers did not similarly challenge Dershowitz, his Jewish brother from another mother, despite persistent allegations of plagiarism, pathetic claims regarding antisemitism, and widely ridiculous public statements on the Israel–Palestine conflict.

Moreover, Summers failed to disclose his association with Jeffrey Epstein, which goes all the way back to 2003.[12] Epstein was even granted office space at Harvard for his personal use![13] Summers traveled on Epstein’s private jet on at least four occasions, beginning well before his appointment as president of Harvard.[14]

So, which issue is treated as more consequential—plagiarism and close association with a convicted sex offender, or practices such as grade inflation? I do not endorse any of these behaviors. Rather, the broader point is that the influence of the Jewish elite within powerful institutions such as Harvard is difficult to dispute. So, where is Jared Taylor when you need him?

Notes

[1] See for example Murray Friedman, The Neoconservative Revolution: Jewish Intellectuals and the Shaping of Public Policy (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007).

[2] Stephen Halper and Jonathan Clarke, America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 43.

[3] Meir Soloveichik, “Irving Kristol, Edmund Burke, and the Rabbis,” Jewish Review of Books, Number 6, Summer 2011.

[4] Ronald Radosh, Commies: A Journey Through the Old Left, the New Left and the Leftover Left (New York: Encounter Books, 2001).

[5] Vicky Ward, Kushner, Inc.: Greed. Ambition. Corruption. The Extraordinary Story of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2019), Kindle edition.

[6] Chung Hyun-chae, “Chung Yoo-ra’s admission to Ewha to be canceled,” Korea Times, November 18, 2016; see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chung_Yoo-ra.

[7] A fair study on this is Michael Hoffman’s Judaism Discovered.

[8]  For studies on this, see for example Peter Schaefer, Jesus in the Talmud (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007).

[9] Eboni Boykin-Patterson, “Epstein’s Big Favor to Woody Allen’s Daughter Revealed,” Daily Beast, February 5, 2026.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Jaquelyn M. McClintick, “Mogul Donor Gives Harvard More Than Money,” Harvard Crimson, May 1, 2003.

[13] Vicky Ward, “The Talented Mr. Epstein,” Vanity Fair, May 2003.

[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Summers#cite_note-66.

Source: https://www.unz.com/article/how-jewish-money-and-ideology-rewrite-academic-standards/