A HUB window decoration meant to grab the attention of passersby instead sparked student protests Tuesday night, and prompted a meeting between Jewish students and Penn State Students for Life.

The ground-floor window, painted by Students for Life on Tuesday afternoon, used a quote from a Jewish holy text, the Talmud, in a pro-life statement. The quote read, in large, blue lettering, "He who saves one life saves the world entire."

But by Tuesday night the window had been papered with fliers reading, "Respect our holy books," "This offends Jews," and "Respect Jewish beliefs."

Andrew McMullin, treasurer of Students for Life, said while he was helping to paint the window Tuesday, two Jewish students approached him and told him they found the use of the quote offensive. The students said if the quote was not removed by morning, some sort of action would be taken, McMullin said.

"I did not see anything against their religion in the use of the quote," he said.

But the students who posted the fliers over the window apparently were offended by the message. Some students, who remain anonymous, filed a complaint with Campus Life yesterday, protesting the use of the quote.

"The complaint they got was that we didn't research the quote enough," McMullin said.

Jared Kaufman, co-president of Penn State Hillel, said the Talmud is similar to the Bible and that people often base their lives on its teachings, so it is understandable that some people were bothered by the use of the quote.

"To use it like this -- it can offend people," he said.

Rabbi David Mivasair, of the Congregation Brit Shalom, 620 E. Hamilton Ave., said use of the quote in this case was wrong. "I think it's really taken out of context," he said of the quote, adding, "Abortion is not equated with murder in Jewish thinking."

The members of Students for Life originally got the idea for using the quote from the movie, Schindler's List, McMullin said. He and other members did not know the quote was taken from the Talmud, but changed the window so that it credited the holy book, instead of the movie, with the words.

"We see abortion as another holocaust," said Katherine Watt, president of Students for Life.

Watt said her organization, which she described as "non-denominational," has a duty to make the comparison. She said the Nazi ethic that declared some people worthy of living and others unworthy "is the same thing that's happening right now with abortion."

McMullin said after the students had questioned the use of the quote, a member of Students for Life who was helping to paint the window, Julianna Ostrowski (junior-environmental resource management), asked her Jewish employer, whom she described as "very religious," whether she found the use of the quote inappropriate. Her employer said it would be fine to use it.

"I happen to be of the Christian faith and I wouldn't be offended if a Jewish person read my book -- the New Testament," Ostrowski said.

McMullin said Students for Life reached an understanding with the students who filed the complaint after discussing their differing views. The window will not be changed, although a policy change may take place, he said. In the future, student groups may need to submit a proposal containing a drawing of what they will paint on any reserved windows.

Rabbi David Sudaley, director of Penn State Hillel, said a formal complaint was filed yesterday by the two women who originally objected to the window.

Sudaley refused to identify the women, but said, "I know that they were quite upset by it."