Harvard president Claudine Gay lights a MENORAH on campus a day after surviving demands she be removed for failing to call anti-Semitism harassment during her disastrous Congressional testimony

Harvard's embattled president Claudine Gay attended a university menorah lighting ceremony on Wednesday, as she continues to resist calls to resign over campus antisemitism. 

Gay was one of around 100 people who attended the daily lighting ceremony at Harvard Park, organized by the Harvard Chabad. 

Her appearance came the day after Harvard Corporation, which governs the university, announced they wanted her to stay on as president - despite her December 5 testimony before Congress.

Gay was one of three university presidents called before the House Education Committee to discuss antisemitism on campuses. All three equivocated when asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews counted as hate speech: one of the three, the University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill, has since been forced to resign.

But Gay has been told that the university leadership still supports her, in the face of calls for her to resign. 

On Tuesday, a university-wide email was sent out by the 11-member board announcing that they 'unanimously stand in support of President Gay.' 

They said their decision was reached after 'extensive deliberations.' 

Over the weekend, hundreds of faculty members rallied to Gay's support, insisting she retained their full confidence and condemning outside pressure for her to step down. 

Elise Stefanik, the New York Republican who led the questioning of Gay and the two others, had tweeted after Magill's resignation: 'One down, two to go' - remarks that for many created the sense that the presidents were becoming political pawns.

Gay on Tuesday issued a statement to The Harvard Crimson newspaper, saying she felt there was work to be done on antisemitism, and pledging to review all policies. 

'The work ahead is formidable but clear — to rid our community of hate, to make sure our students are and feel safe, and to preserve free expression on our campus,' Gay wrote. 'I'm confident we can succeed.'

Gay said that she wanted to work with her critics to try and stamp out antisemitism on campus.

'I know there are people of good will and deep love for Harvard who are ambivalent or even disappointed about where we are right now,' Gay wrote.  

'I will need their help and their ideas to build the community we all deserve. And I ask for it.

'I hope through my actions and through our community's steady progress in the weeks, months and years ahead, Harvard will remain a source of pride and inspiration in all of our lives,' she added.