BREAKING NEWS: ADL Launches New Center to Combat Surge of Antisemitism in Schools and on College Campuses. The Ronald Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education will work to compel educational institutions to meet their legal and moral obligations to ensure safe, welcoming learning environments for all members of their communities, including Jewish students, faculty and staff. “No student should face hatred at school, but since Oct. 7 the antisemitic vitriol, intimidation and violence in classrooms and on campuses has been unrelenting,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. The new Center will unify ADL’s efforts across K-12 and higher education, using tools like partnerships, lobbying, litigation, and consultation to combat antisemitism throughout the educational landscape.

👉TAKE ACTION: Urge your State Department of Education to protect students from antisemitism.

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Princeton. Students for Justice in Palestine disrupted Princeton’s annual Community Care Day (CCD), an event intended to promote campus well-being, to rally against what they called the school’s “investment in genocide.” About 60 students gathered on the Cannon Green area of campus — where organized protests are strictly prohibited — interrupting a day meant for "fun and relaxing activities." SJP participants refused to let students enjoy this event, chanting phrases like “Community care means our camp on Cannon Green,” “If you care about mental health, don’t fund bombs with your wealth.”

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Orange County. Charges continue to mount for participants in the disruptive May 15 protest at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), with more than 30 more individuals now facing charges, including two UCI professors, a teaching assistant and 26 students. The protest led to the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies across Orange County, assisting UC Police in handling the situation. In total, law enforcement arrested 26 students, two faculty members and 19 people not affiliated with the university.

(Law enforcement officers approaching a protest encampment at UC Irvine on May 15,2024 | Source: KTLA)

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#DropHillel. With Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, under attack by National Students for Justice in Palestine and their allies who want to isolate, demonize and delegitimize Jewish students and organizations, it is important to speak out before this campaign gains traction. As of now, the most visible sign of the movement was at UNC-Chapel Hill, where SJP protesters called for “no more Hillel” during a rally last week. ADL responded firmly: “This is not social justice. It’s not even an expression of opposition to the Israeli government. It’s simply a bigoted attack on the Jewish community.”

DEEPER: For more on how antisemitic and anti-Israel activists are working to undermine Jewish life on campus, check out ADL’s backgrounder here.

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Penn. A group has claimed responsibility for vandalizing three signs on Penn’s campus last week with the text “SINWAR LIVES.” The group, called “Sinwar’s Stick,” denied affiliation with the university, describing the act as “spontaneous” and sympathizing with the late terrorist leader Yahya Sinwar, whom they called a “martyr.” In addition to the graffiti, the group criticized the Daily Pennsylvanian’s report on the incident, claiming it had a “pro-Israel slant” and omits “why the Palestinian people have reasonably, justifiably… and bravely turned to force of arms to defend themselves against those who wish to exterminate them.” Nothing should ever give justification and reason to turn to violence.

(Vandalism at the ARCH building on Sept. 19. | Source: Abhiram Juvvadi)

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UC Berkeley: A federal judge has granted anti-Israel students at UC Berkeley the chance to join a lawsuit filed by the Louis D. Brandeis Center, which accuses the university of ignoring a pattern of antisemitism on campus. The lawsuit claims Berkeley neglected antisemitic incidents during anti-Israel demonstrations, notably from a 2023 campus encampment and certain student group policies. The case points to a bylaw, initially set by Berkeley Law Students for Justice in Palestine, that barred Zionist supporters from speaking at events, a policy adopted by other student groups as well.

UC Berkeley, however, argues that intervening in protests would violate student rights. In a motion to dismiss, the university stated it condemned antisemitism but isn’t legally responsible for all student conduct. Meanwhile, anti-Israel students, say the lawsuit wrongly labels criticism of Israel as antisemitism.

(Alex Chis/Flickr | Source: Creative Commons)

New York United Against Hate. Over 40 Jewish organizations and pro-Israel figures are gathering in NYC at the Yale Club on October 31 for the “Rage Against the Hate” Conference, aiming to tackle rising antisemitism on college campuses with actionable strategies. Notable speakers include Douglas Murray, Alan Dershowitz, Michael Rappaport, Israeli Consul Ofir Akunis and strategist Frank Luntz. “Now, it’s our turn to re-take the streets and campuses from the haters and fiercely ensure that Israel’s narrative is blasted across social media platforms” stressed Shurat HaDin President Nitsana Darshan-Leitner.

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Getting Deplatformed. Harold Brenner, a student at a thinly disguised university in New York, writes about his (unsuccessful) efforts to get a campus administrator to take the concerns of Jewish students seriously when they spoke on the subway platform. Brenner points out the slippery ways that BDS is becoming more acceptable on campuses: “These resolutions and their language go beyond criticizing Israeli policies, often demonizing Israel as a uniquely evil state and pressuring Jewish students to renounce any connection to Israel to be accepted in academic spaces.”

Sound of Solidarity. Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik has released a moving tribute, "Song for the Hostages," calling for the release of the October 7 hostages and honoring the memory of those lost. Ondrasik explained he wrote this song to counter the wave of “voices that echo Hamas propaganda.” His poignant message unites music, art and human empathy as powerful tools to remind the world of the hostages’ plight and advocate for their freedom.

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Together in DC. Join us on Sunday, Nov. 10 in Washington, D.C. for Stand Together  – a gathering of unity, strength and resilience. We will unite to stand with Israel, call for the hostages’ release, and rally against antisemitism, we’ll also express gratitude to America, the U.S. military and our civic partners and allies. ADL is proud to join the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations for this event, offering a chance to honor heroes, bridge divides and strengthen Jewish unity. Taking place shortly after the elections, this hopes to be a chance to heal partisan divisions and chart a course for the future.

• 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!

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