Harvard. Police at Harvard University “essentially refused to investigate” the assault of a Jewish student in October 2023, according to Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight, who leads the office prosecuting the two Harvard students who were allegedly caught on camera assaulting their classmate. Their trial was once again delayed on Wednesday, with reports citing Harvard’s refusal to cooperate. A Suffolk County spokesperson said "Harvard was asked to do a follow up investigation and has not," and lawyers for the victim say “Harvard has ignored our requests for nearly a year to investigate the incident at the administrative level [...] but we never thought it would go so far as to impede the D.A.'s Office's investigation." ADA Knight added that the University’s behavior “has been a shock to the Commonwealth."

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Rutgers. Residential advisors at New Jersey's Rutgers University were required to participate in a “bystander intervention” training late last month to help them identify antisemitism, xenophobia and Islamophobia. So far, so good. But several RAs reportedly abruptly walked out of the session once a Jewish speaker began to explain the broad and ongoing impact of the October 7th massacre on Jewish communities. According to reports, the protesters criticized the use of ADL’s definition of antisemitism, and they took issue with one speaker’s Israeli nationality. After the training, protesters linked up with Students for Justice in Palestine for a series of hateful social media posts. One claimed “this specific session worked to perpetuate Zionism, racism, and white supremacy.”

👉TAKE ACTION: Tell the US Department of Education to fulfill its obligation to protect the civil rights of Jewish students.

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Wesleyan. The Board of Trustees at Connecticut’s Wesleyan University is ready to vote on divestment as early as September 20, according to local reports. The University reached an agreement with protesters back in May after a nearly month-long encampment on the Wesleyan campus. At the time, the University committed to giving protesters a seat at the table to discuss the University’s investments and established a Committee for Investor Responsibility, composed of students, faculty, alumni and staff, to advise on the Board’s endowment. That committee reportedly submitted a divestment proposal to the Board last week.

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NYC. On Tuesday evening, Hillels from nine New York City universities (Baruch, City College, John Jay, SVA, FIT, Fordham, New School and NYIT), all under the direction of Ilya Bratman, were gathering for a new student/ welcome back dinner at a Kosher restaurant in NYC -- Mr. Broadway. Instead of experiencing a fun welcome dinner, students were relentlessly harassed and subjected to antisemitic slurs and disgusting statements about executed American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin. In addition, Hillel Director Ilya Bratman was harassed by name. A former ADL NY/NJ region intern, Keira, was at the dinner. She said they were followed from Baruch to the restaurant, and for many of the students, it was their first Hillel event. She acknowledged this was a very rough start, but that the Hillel staff was "great and kept everyone safe and in good spirits for the rest of the dinner -- once they all made it inside and the cops came.” Enough is enough; there must be consequences for any student who participated in this harassment.

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Brown. Attorneys General from 24 states wrote to Brown University Trustees last week, urging them to reject the “Brown Divest Now” proposal the University is expected to vote on later this year. The leaders outlined how adopting this “antisemitic and unlawful proposal” to divest from 10 companies with ties to Israel could “have immediate and profound legal consequences for Brown.” In fact, these states and others could be forced to “terminate any existing relationships with Brown and those associated with it.” Among other concerns, the Attorneys General cite the proposals' clear efforts to “isolate and inflict economic harm on Israel, Israelis, and Israel’s allies.” Many signatories are also working to combat on-campus antisemitism in their states. In Florida,  for instance, Attorney General Ashley Moody recently wrote to remind Florida’s higher education leaders that “failing to protect Jewish students would create significant legal risks for Florida colleges and universities.”

Last week, ADL also wrote to Brown’s Advisory Committee on University Resources Managment, urging the Ivy League school to “firmly oppose anti-Israel divestment conceptually and in this instance. It is crucial that Brown’s investment decisions remain aligned with the university’s core educational mission, uphold fiduciary responsibilities, and support the financial stability necessary for Brown’s continued academic excellence and responsible impact on the world.”

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Kansas. For the first time in the school’s history, the University of Kansas will break ground on a new Jewish student building this Sunday. The new Chabad Center for Jewish Life will span 10,000 square feet, including lounge areas, a dining hall and the City of Lawrence’s first-ever commercial kosher kitchen. Rabbi Tiechtel, who co-leads the Center, said “We are inviting the entire KU and Lawrence community to gather together in celebration of this great milestone.”

Council Counsel. New York City Council members are pressing the City University of New York to address antisemitism after Hillel centers at both Baruch and Hunter College were targeted by protesters carrying banners that read "Bring the war home" and "Hillel go to hell." The banners also displayed the inverted red triangle, a symbol of support for violent resistance against Israel. In a letter addressed to the CUNY Chancellor, members of the Council’s bipartisan Jewish Caucus called on the CUNY system to clarify guidelines on protests, intimidation, harassment and related actions, writing “CUNY must balance every student’s right to free speech with every student’s right to a safe environment, free from harassment and intimidation.” Council members urged the CUNY system to follow the example of SUNY Buffalo, New York University and dozens of universities that have issued proactive guidance.

DEEPER: Read what the inverted red triangle means here.

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Harvard Faculty for Israel. Jesse Fried and Matthew Meyerson have been undergraduates, graduate students and professors at Harvard University, and in their 40-year history with the University, they “cannot remember anti-Israel hatred or antisemitism at Harvard ever being this profound and widespread.” Describing a pervasive lack of empathy, rampant antisemitic attacks and a culture that pushes Jewish students to renounce their Zionism, the professors believe the Harvard community has sent a clear message in recent months: “Zionists are not welcome.” In response, they’ve founded the school’s first Harvard Faculty for Israel group, pushing the University to pursue zero tolerance for antisemitic and anti-Israel harassment, resist calls for boycotts and treat every member of the community with dignity. We look forward to seeing their group thrive in the months to come.

(Credit: Julian J. Giordano | Harvard Crimson)

Farm to Shabbat Table. The Jewish Federations of North America is aiming to send 1,000 North American Jews to volunteer on farms and in communities across Israel through January 2025. Under the “Serve Israel” program, many volunteers will be deployed to farms facing severe labor shortages, helping with day-to-day farming, logistics, food packaging, student mentorship and other vital activities. In the wake of the October 7th massacre, North American Jewish volunteers have “been instrumental in helping Israelis navigate the profound challenges they face, while simultaneously strengthening the bonds between North American and Israeli communities,” according to Jewish Federations of North America Vice President Shira Hutt.

👉TAKE ACTION. Serve Israel is accepting applications on a rolling basis. Click here to learn more and apply.

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Welcome Home. Nearly 3,200 North Americans have immigrated to Israel since the October 7th attacks, and Nefesh B'Nefesh estimates an additional 700 will arrive by the end of September. Most of these immigrants are young adults who have chosen to build their lives in Israel. Nefesh B'Nefesh CEO Rabbi Yehoshua Fass said “The significance of the number of immigrants arriving here, especially during these challenging times, is beyond words. They serve as a wellspring of strength and inspiration for all of us." Discussing her decision to move, 21-year-old Atara Teitelman said “I want to be part of a nation that stands firmly for its beliefs and remains resilient.” 30-year-old Grace Schenk of Chicago echoed that sentiment, adding that “If I wait for a period of complete calm to move to Israel, I'll never make the leap. This is something I need to do now."

(Credit: Chen Galili | Israel Hayom)

• 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.