Today is the 23rd anniversary of the attacks of September 11th. May the memories of all those lost that day be a blessing.

Columbia. A 40-year-old lawyer has been indicted on several charges, including arson, after he allegedly set fire to an Israeli flag during protests at Columbia University in April. James Carlson is not affiliated with the New York Ivy, but was a frequent protester at the Morningside Heights campus. He was part of the group that occupied Hamilton Hall, and was charged with trespassing for that action. Carlson, the New York Post reported, is the son of two wealthy ad executives, purchased a multi-million dollar home in Brooklyn and has a history of arrests. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said: “This defendant’s alleged activity went beyond legal and peaceful protest. Committing arson in a crowded protest endangers the safety of others, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

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SJP Day of Action. The group Students for Justice in Palestine is calling for a national “day of action” this Thursday, pushing for student protests on campuses nationwide. While it’s unclear what exactly this “day of action” entails, a social media post announcing the event reiterated common SJP demands, including “university divestment” and “an end to academic partnerships” with Israel. The post also featured a typical SJP sign-off: “We will not rest until our universities divest. The Student Intifada continues.” For context, this is the same group that condoned “armed rebellion” and “resistance by any means necessary” ahead of the first day of classes at the University of North Carolina. Our team will be carefully watching developments around the country.

(Credit: National Students for Justice in Palestine | X/Twitter)

👉TAKE ACTION: “From the River to the Sea” is an antisemitic chant used widely at campus protests and shared across social media. Urge Facebook to label this phrase as antisemitic and fight hate on their platform.

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Vermont. The University of Vermont chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine filed a federal lawsuit against the University and its leaders on Monday, seeking an injunction against the temporary suspension the University imposed following SJP-fueled anti-Israel protests last spring. Local reporting indicates the SJP chapter “spearheaded” protests and encampments on the University campus in May, and the University suspended the SJP chapter a few days after the protests began, saying the group’s “actions have had a direct impact on the safety of students and university operations.”

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North Carolina. ADL Washington D.C. Regional Director, Meredith Weisel, and ADL National Director of Programs on Antisemitism Vlad Khaykin recently met with Chancellor Lee Roberts of the University of North Carolina to discuss ADL’s recommended actions to counter on-campus antisemitism. This was an extremely productive conversation that comes as UNC has worked to make crucial changes to its codes of conduct surrounding protests, now enforcing time, place and manner restrictions to help ensure UNC is safe and inclusive for all students. We are grateful to Chancellor Roberts and his leadership team for supporting Jewish students and taking clear actions to prevent discrimination against Jewish students and organizations. We look forward to continuing these important discussions.

(Credit: ADL)

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South Carolina. Leaders of the University of South Carolina gathered with state officials, Jewish student groups and others on Monday for a summit on antisemitism held at the university’s alumni center in Columbia, SC. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson helped organize this event, partnering with the Combat Antisemitism Movement to hold a serious discussion about how universities can protect Jewish students. At the summit, USC President Michael Amiridis said: “At the University of South Carolina, we have a history of addressing antisemitism by educating students and the public about the Holocaust in a comprehensive manner.” Moving forward, Attorney General Wilson hopes to hold similar events in the state’s Upstate and Lowcountry regions, working with institutions like Clemson University.

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Violent Tactics. A new survey of more than 50,000 students across 258 universities found that 32 percent of students believe “using violence to stop a campus speech” is acceptable in some or all circumstances. Most students also believe it can be acceptable to employ tactics like “shouting down a speaker” (69 percent) or “blocking other students from attending a campus speech” (51 percent). Sean Stevens, chief research adviser for the group that produced this survey, says “the trends are going in the bad direction [...] More people are saying it's acceptable to shout down the speaker, to block entry, to use violence."

Upper West Side Workers. After the encampments are cleared and the graffiti is scrawled, it’s left to the hard-working custodial and grounds staff to clean it up. In a new New Yorker essay, the men and women who have had to — repeatedly — clean up Columbia University are profiled. Last year, when protesters seized Hamilton Hall on the Morningside Heights campus, three janitors and a public safety officer were trapped inside. John Samuelsen, the international president of the Transport Workers Union, which represents Columbia’s staff, said, “We’re not going to let a bunch of freaking trust-fund babies hold our members against their will at Columbia.” Another union official cautioned that if a situation like that arose again, “the size and the girth of the men that’s coming…the protesters would part like the Red Sea.”

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Hurrah Hurrah. University of Pennsylvania sophomore Talia Shapiro was one of four Philadelphia-area Jewish college students to speak at a Monday press conference organized by the American Jewish Committee, and she took the opportunity to share her experience as a Jewish student in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre, saying “the [Penn] administration did not speak up quickly enough and did not help us right away.” As we enter a new school year, Shapiro urged the university to “be proactive and take a stance against antisemitism.” Speaking to the university’s student newspaper, Shapiro concluded “I’m hopeful that it will only get better, and I’m really hopeful that campus becomes a less hateful and safer space for all students.”

He Got the EGOT! Songwriter Benj Pasek recently became the eighth Jewish winner and the twentieth winner ever of an EGOT, collecting an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award throughout his career. (Among his other notable accomplishments is speaking at ADL’s Never is Now conference in 2019). The final award came with his Emmy win on Sunday for an original song in the show “Only Murders in the Building.” Pasek, along with his writing partner Justin Paul, previously won an Oscar for their work on the film “La La Land,” as well as both a Grammy and a Tony for their score for the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” Raised in a Jewish family in Philadelphia, Pasek has made it clear that his Jewish identity informs his work, and he believes “Jewish people particularly have a responsibility to claim their Jewishness and also be champions for people in marginalized groups.” Mazel tov, Benj – your accomplishments, artistic excellence and commitment to the Jewish community are an inspiration.

(Credit: The Tony Awards | X/Twitter)

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Yes, Chef! In the aftermath of the October 7th massacre, the company Chef Works donated thousands of aprons, chef jackets and pants to Israeli cooks, bakers and chefs. This week, a pop-up art exhibit at Anu - Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv drew inspiration from that donation, bringing together culinary icons and leading illustrators to raise both awareness and funds for Israelis in need. The exhibit, “Three Spoons of Oil and Two Brushes,” united 14 pairs of creators, with each illustrator using a chef’s jacket as a canvas to depict the chef’s personality. Pieces featured at the exhibition, as well as calendars, notebooks and aprons with their images, will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to food therapy activities for Israeli seniors and youth.

(Credit: Itay Selikter | Anu - Museum of the Jewish People)

• 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.