George Washington. On the eve of the new semester, anti-Israel protesters at George Washington University defaced a statue of the University’s namesake with the message “Disclose Divest Now.” A group called Student Coalition for Palestine at GW amplified this vandalism on social media, saying, “Let this be a message to Bracey and every administrator at this University. [...] You will be confronted in your events, in your offices, at your homes. Every step you take we will be there to hold you accountable.” The next day, about 100 demonstrators gathered near the GW campus in what the student newspaper described as “the first pro-Palestinian protest of the semester promoted to the public via social media.” The protest was co-organized by the DMV Students for Justice in Palestine Coalition, a coalition of the same organizations that directed the anti-Israel encampment at GW last spring.

(Credit: Sage Russell | Senior Photo Editor, The GW Hatchet)

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SUNY Purchase. A division of StandWithUs has joined with current and former students of SUNY Purchase to file a Title VI complaint with the Department of Education that claims the University’s inaction created a “blatantly hostile antisemitic environment.” The complaint outlines several alleged actions committed by the Purchase Student Government Association including public expressions of solidarity with Hamas, damage to private property and a campaign to ostracize, excommunicate and retaliate against the University’s Hillel. “To our knowledge, no SUNY Purchase student government leader has been disciplined for the conduct alleged in the complaint,” said a StandWithUs representative, conveying her hope that the federal government “will intervene to remedy this deeply troubling violation of the rights of Jewish, Israeli and Zionist students.”

DEEPER: Read the full complaint here.

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NYU. New York University last week rolled out an updated anti-harassment policy that made it crystal clear that applying "no Zionist" litmus tests, invoking tropes and conspiracies about Zionists, and demanding that Jews state a position on Israel or Zionism to be accepted, is unacceptable. “This is a breakthrough and should help Jewish students and others. Ultimately success predicates on effective enforcement but this is a huge step forward that other institutions should follow,” tweeted ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

DEEPER: Read the full policy.

👉 TAKE ACTION: Thank NYU for the update to this policy, and urge the school to enforce it in the coming year.

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MIT. Four Jewish MIT graduate students, who alleged that their union dues to the MIT Graduate Students Union (GSU) were unfairly being used to support anti-Israel activities that went against their religious beliefs, prevailed before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions (EEOC) that they cannot be compelled to pay dues to the MIT GSU. As doctoral student William Sussman described it: “In November, my union representative joined anti-Israel protesters who were occupying a building, and when threatened with suspensions, the GSU backed the protesters.”

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Alarming Study. In a sobering study released last week, researchers at Brandeis found that one in three non-Jewish college students harbor ideas hostile to Jews, either because of anti-Israel sentiments or outright anti-Jewish prejudice. “This unprecedented time for institutions of higher education across the US demands a unified response to ensure the safety and full inclusion of Jewish students – as well as all students, faculty and staff. ADL will continue to provide support to Jewish students and advocate to ensure safety for all members of the campus community,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt in response to the findings.

Operation SecureOurCampuses. Our friends at the Secure Community Network and Hillel International are launching "Operation SecureOurCampuses" to expand safety resources for Jewish students on over 50 campuses nationwide, including “full-time intelligence analysts dedicated to monitoring campus developments, [...] direct consultations on physical security and emergency plans and procedures, [...] and enhanced coordination with law enforcement and public safety officials.” SecureOurCampuses will also launch a new training initiative designed to equip Jewish students, teachers and staff with practical knowledge like “what to do if confronted by protesters and demonstrators, how to report incidents, to include with law enforcement, and how to respond in potentially life-threatening situations.”

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Second Gentleman and First Mensch. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff reaffirmed his commitment to combating antisemitism at a Jewish Democratic Council of America event at the Democratic National Convention last week saying, “We are still working to make sure that when the students come back, they’re going to be safe, they’re going to be able to go to class, they’re not going to be harassed.” Harkening to any future role he may have in the White House, Emhoff continued, “I’m going to continue to talk about my lived experience as a Jewish person.”

Shaq Got Their Back. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal shared a message of love and support for child survivors of the 10/7 massacre, many of whom were gathered for a special basketball camp at Camp Timberlane in Canada, saying “Hello. Shalom! This is Shaquille O’Neal. I just wanted to give you guys a shout out and let you know I love you.” He concluded by saying “Shalom, Baruch Hashem, Le Shana Tova, Shabbat Shalom.” Watch Shaq’s full message here.

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Matzah Baller. Renowned as the “Jewish Jordan,” former professional basketball player Tamir Goodman has hosted several free basketball camps for displaced children and the children of deployed IDF members since 10/7, bringing together hundreds of children across Israel. In his words, “After Oct. 7, we were all frozen, we were all shook, and I felt like, as a former basketball player and a coach, I can’t [allow] myself to be frozen and stuck, too.” “Tamir is a mensch,” added Robert Siemens, founder of Play Hard Pray Hard. “When a seven-foot guy walks into the gym, these kids go crazy.”

(Credit: Tamir Goodman/Facebook)

• Students — how to take action, deal with antisemitism, and organize your community.
• Alumni — how to organize a sign-on letter, answer a fundraising request, or write a letter to a university president.
• Parents — write a letter about commencement, organize a dial day, or get help selecting a college for your student.
• Glossary of Commonly Used Antisemitic Phrases Heard at Protests.
• Campus Antisemitism Report Card — see the grade a college earned in this first-ever report card.
• Report an Antisemitic Incident.
• Are you a student or know one who needs legal help? Contact our Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), run by ADL, Hillel, the Brandeis Center, and Gibson Dunn. Hundreds of incidents have been reported. You are not alone!

Do you have something to share with us? We are building this as we go — so please email us at [email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos, and videos.