Survey finds 83% of Jewish students experienced antisemitism since October 7

Anti-Defamation League data presents worrying trend among Jewish students on campuses who feel threatened due to their identity

Sy9tn2FXY_0_0_200_200_0_medium
Itamar Eichner|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Some 83% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, according to a new survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Hillel International and College Pulse.
Moreover, more than a quarter (27%) of Jewish students surveyed said they had observed antisemitic activity by faculty, compared to only 6% of non-Jewish students. The survey also found that two-thirds (66%) of Jewish students (and 60% of non-Jewish students) were not confident in their university’s ability to prevent antisemitic incidents.
3 View gallery
NYU
NYU
NYU
(Photo: Shutterstock)
“Since the October 7 attack in Israel, Jewish students have felt increasingly threatened, unwelcome and unsupported on campus, both by students and faculty,” said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt.
“It is unacceptable that Jewish students cannot be confident in their university’s ability to address and prevent antisemitic incidents, and that they now live in a world in which they feel compelled to conceal their identity and beliefs. These findings underscore the urgent need for university leaders to step up and protect Jewish students," he added.
“These findings paint a deeply concerning picture of what Jewish students are facing on campuses today,” said Adam Lehman, President and CEO of Hillel International. “As we work to ensure that campuses are free from antisemitism, we are committed to creating spaces where Jewish students can build vibrant communities and express their identities with pride. No student should ever feel the need to hide who they are or take extra precautions to protect themselves while they’re living and learning at school.”
Other key findings include: 22.9% of Jewish students have felt compelled to take additional security precautions. Only about half (49.6%) of Jewish students reported feeling “very” or “extremely” comfortable with others on campus knowing their Jewish identity; 41% actively felt the need to hide their Jewish identity and only 27% felt comfortable with others on campus knowing their views of Israel.
3 View gallery
ג'ונתן גרינבלט, מנכ"ל ה־ADL
ג'ונתן גרינבלט, מנכ"ל ה־ADL
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt
(צילום: AFP)
More than one-in-ten Jewish students (13%) have withdrawn from campus or social activities, compared to only 2% of non-Jewish students. An overwhelming majority of students (92.5%) who had reported witnessing or experiencing an incident of antisemitism on campus did not report the incident to campus authorities.
Low awareness about what to do and a lack of confidence that they would get the help they needed drove many students to not report incidents of campus antisemitism. A clear reporting policy was among the most frequently cited policies of importance to Jewish students (51%).
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Extreme anti-Israel attitudes were strongly related to the minimization of the issue of anti-Jewish prejudice on campus among non-Jewish students.
Along with other leading Jewish communal and anti-hate organizations, ADL and Hillel International have been at the forefront in countering antisemitism on campus through ADL’s Ronald Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education (CCAE) and Not On My Campus campaign, and Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), Campus4All.org website and on-the-ground presence on hundreds of college and university campuses nationwide.
3 View gallery
אלפים בהפגנה פרו-פלסטינית בניו יורק
אלפים בהפגנה פרו-פלסטינית בניו יורק
Pro-Palestinain rally in New York
(צילום: AP)
In November 2023, ADL and Hillel International also launched the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), a free legal protection helpline for students who have experienced antisemitism, along with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.
By heeding ADL’s Six Asks and joint ADL-Hillel guidance – developed in collaboration with leading Jewish communal partners – and adopting tailored data-driven solutions, educational institutions can work to ensure that all students, including Jewish students, can thrive in a safe and welcoming campus environment.
<< Follow Ynetnews on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Telegram >>
Comments
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
""