Maryland. Over 650 students at the University of Maryland signed a petition asking the Student Government Association (SGA) to have a campus-wide vote on whether the University System of Maryland Foundation and University of Maryland College Park Foundation should “divest from companies that may be implicated in human rights violations in places such as Palestine, Guatemala and Myanmar.” Of course, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is the instigator in this situation. The Maryland chapter aims to revive the divestment push after a similar resolution failed to advance in the SGA on Nov. 7, this time specifying defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. SJP knows that this wouldn’t pass with just a vote from the SGA, so they are calling for a campus-wide vote in hopes of having more participants on their side.

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MIT. An anti-Israel student zine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has been blocked from distribution on campus after the school’s administration found that an article made “several troubling statements that could be interpreted as a call for more violent or destructive forms of protest at MIT.” The publication, called Written Revolution , included art alongside the article that contained symbols depicting the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

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Providence. Brown University’s agreement to hold a vote on divesting from Israel may have been influenced by an unusual factor: the need to remove a dead elm tree on the Main Green on campus. Anti-Israel encampment participants noted the tree’s removal created pressure during their encampment, which lasted from April 24 to April 30, just days before the tree’s scheduled removal. University officials emphasized the importance of maintaining campus safety and preparations for major events, while students highlighted the leverage they felt they had because they knew the university wanted and needed the tree taken down before commencement ceremonies began.

(Sign from April Encampment on Brown Campus. Source: Dana Richie)

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Leipzig (Germany). A lecture by a prominent Israeli historian who has managed to attract criticism from both pro- and anti-Israel academics has been cancelled by the University of Leipzig in Germany over claims of safety concerns. The talk by Benny Morris, part of a lecture series on antisemitism, was nixed by two of the school’s professors after protests, but they bemoaned the cancellation as a double-standard against Israeli scholars while pointing to “various groups” that protested Morris. The professors described the protests as “understandable, but frightening in nature.”

New Questions. Alina Adams, a Jewish admissions consultant in New York, is supporting parents as they navigate new realities post 10/7. Adams highlights a new trend where she sees Jewish parents are prioritizing safety as a key factor in the high school admissions process. Adams tells parents to try at least one of her recommendations, which includes thoroughly researching the school’s culture, speaking with other parents and examining the curriculum, teachers and past events before committing to any school.

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Triple Threat. Three dynamic student leaders are campaigning to become the next president of the Union of Jewish Students, representing 9,000 members across 75 societies in the UK and Ireland. The candidates — Louis Danker (Edinburgh), Naomi Bernstein (Cambridge), and Daniel Grossman (Bristol) — each bring unique perspectives and bold platforms to tackle antisemitism and strengthen Jewish life on campuses. From Danker’s call to restore Jewish pride with initiatives like a Jewish culture week, to Bernstein’s focus on women’s empowerment and inclusive communities, to Grossman’s vision of a “Bolder, Braver UJS” through interfaith dialogue and Israel engagement, each candidate is addressing the challenges of rising antisemitism with innovative solutions.

(L to R: Louis Danker (Edinburgh JSoc), Naomi Bernstein (Cambridge University) Daniel Grossman, (Bristol JSoc))

A Night of Celebration for Israel Immigrants. Nefesh B’Nefesh hosted its 10th annual Sylvan Adams Bonei Zion Prize Ceremony in Jerusalem, honoring immigrants who have significantly contributed to Israeli society over the very tense past two years. The award was given to those who are resilient in these times of adversity: "These extraordinary individuals have enriched Israeli society and beyond,” said the organization’s executive director. With this good news, we hope that organizations similar to Nefesh B’Nefesh continue to highlight positive and uplifting stories to help us get through these times.

(Source: Nefesh B’Nefesh)

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A Kafka-esque Journey. A new exhibition of Franz Kafka’s work is being displayed by the National Library of Israel. Among the documents are some that give a rare glimpse of Kafka’s connection with Judaism and Zionism. Before his death, he had apparently considered moving to then-Palestine and opening a restaurant. While none of his published work includes mentions of Judaism, his friend Max Brod said that it infused his work and that “a Jew reading it… will understand and feel it immediately.” Brod had saved the documents, bringing them out of Germany shortly before WWII, and they made a convoluted journey to their new home at the National Library of Israel.

(Kafka’s notebook for studying Hebrew. Source: Courtesy/National Library of Israel)

• 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.
• Faculty and Staff — support for impacted faculty and staff, and guidance on how to discuss what constitutes antisemitism and anti-Zionism, and how to provide help to students and colleagues.
• 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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