technology
Cornell student rejects internship over founders' Jewish identity
A Cornell University student declined a summer internship after learning the company's co-founders are Jewish. The student sent an eight-word response and later posted additional comments on social media.
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A Cornell University student rejected a summer internship after discovering the company's co-founders are Jewish. The student wrote, "Not interested in working for a Jew," in response to an interview request sent through the job platform Handshake. The company, which verifies renter identities to prevent fraud, had reviewed the student's application and was considering him for its growth team.
The co-founder posted a screenshot of the message on X and stated he felt obligated to share it to raise awareness of antisemitism.
Student response and university statement The student later posted on X that his experiences with Jews had not been pleasant overall. Cornell is investigating the incident, and a university spokeswoman said the school condemns antisemitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination.
The student, who studies industrial and labor relations, sent the message about a month after the spring semester ended. The company was founded in summer 2025 by two brothers, one a 24-year-old who often discusses his faith on social media.
Company background The startup charges renters a $20 verification fee and then matches them with apartments they qualify for. The co-founder said the brothers had not previously experienced antisemitism this directly and had received death threats on other platforms in the past. The student's father declined to comment. The student did not respond to requests for comment.
