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Back to School is traditionally a happy time for most students, but increasingly challenging for those who feel pressured to choose between their social values and Jewish identity. A growing number of students return to a more unfriendly campus climate, a culture that also is daunting for faculty and staff who face increased harassment for their beliefs.
The American Anthropological Association’s members recently voted to boycott Israeli academic institutions. The AAA – claiming more than 10,000 members – is the largest academic association to endorse the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. The approved resolution falsely referred to “Israel’s system of apartheid and ethnic cleansing.” The anthropology association has never boycotted any other country in the group’s 121-year history.
The Academic Engagement Network reacted with “deep dismay” and noted the important academic partnerships created by the Abraham Accords. George Washington University recently joined several universities, including Columbia, Georgetown and Harvard in severing ties with the Middle East Studies Association following its members’ endorsement of the BDS movement.
The City University of New York’s law school has featured virulently anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish commencement speakers during the past two years. Both of them support the BDS movement and even Israel’s destruction. U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres referred to this year’s speaker as “anti-Israel derangement syndrome at work.”
Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY slammed CUNY as the “most systemically antisemitic U.S. school.” CUNY’s ongoing antisemitism problem extends beyond its commencement speakers, forcing Jewish employees to resign from their union. In 2021, a CUNY professor stated that Muslims will “erase this filth called Israel” and that Jews cause corruption around the world.
The latest example is an investigation of four Jewish professors. The professors spoke out about hatred against Jews on campus and now find themselves subjected to “discrimination” allegations by the very activists they criticized. One of those being investigated, Professor Jeff Lax, reported finding nails in his car tires multiple times and was once blocked from leaving a room by five faculty members. He described the confrontation: “I was shaking. I was scared for my safety. I didn’t want to meet up with any of them in the elevator. I didn’t leave till 8 p.m.”
Princeton University, The State University of New Jersey (Rutgers) and Duke University Press were involved in a recent anti-Jewish blood libel falsely accusing Israel of harvesting organs from Palestinians. This egregious charge is detailed in a book authored by a Rutgers professor, published by Duke and included on a reading list for a class being offered to Princeton students this Fall.
The sharp escalation of attacks against Jews on campus, as well as their allies, continues to sound alarms across the country. Members of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism sent a letter to the Secretary of Education urging strong action applying Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Task force members are “deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitic incidents at universities and college campuses.” The letter also calls for acceptance and implementation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in addressing discrimination cases against Jewish students and staff.
The National Strategy acknowledged the dramatic increase in attacks against Jews on university campuses. It stated that “all students, educators, and administrators should feel safe and free from violence, harassment and intimidation on their campuses.”
One of the White House recommendations for universities is to create task forces comprised of administrators, faculty and students from diverse ethnic and religious beliefs and backgrounds. CUNY was criticized for failing to include any Jews on its task force. Jewish student groups were also encouraged to consider creating informative materials for their campus communities to combat antisemitism and host events with non-Jewish organizations to promote learning about the Jewish community.
On the positive side, Athletes for Israel is welcoming the University of Arizona and Kansas State University men’s basketball teams to Israel. Both teams will also travel to the UAE. Kansas State’s coach Jerome Tang affirmed that “we want to build unity through sports. We’re part of the Abraham Accords now and part of building peace. That’s exciting.” Also, the Athletes Against Antisemitism and Discrimination consortium was launched to “embolden student-athletes to stand up and speak out when faced with intolerance and injustice.”
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