UC Berkeley. The suspect accused of firebombing a University of California, Berkeley police vehicle earlier this year will plead guilty to a single federal charge, according to details that emerged last week. Casey Robert Goonan is expected to plead guilty to “damaging property used in or affecting interstate commerce by fire,” while other charges will be dropped. The court documents also allege that Goonan came back after setting the fire to take photos, one of which was posted online with the text “Student Intifada.”

Incident image showing the fire being set under a UC Berkeley police car. (Source: U.S. District Court of Northern California)

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Columbia. According to an anti-Israel group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the school’s SJP chapter is now publishing a printed newspaper called “The Columbia Intifada.” News reports say that the publication includes articles like "Zionist Peace Means Palestinian Blood." ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt termed the newspaper “an incitement” and called for action. “Columbia can’t just condemn. The administration must hold the culprits accountable.” Columbia University’s administration has issued a statement decrying the publication and noting that an investigation is under way.

(Source: Columbia SJP | X/Twitter)

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Clark. David Fithian, President of Clark University, made the school’s plans on BDS crystal clear last week in an official statement. He pointed out that the central Massachusetts school’s endowment is not a political tool. It is intended to strengthen the university for the future. Or as Fithian stated: “The University — under the Board of Trustees’ direction — will not consider divestment as a strategy for addressing world events.” ADL commends Fithian and the university for recognizing that BDS is antithetical to principles of academic freedom and the values of the university.

DEEPER: In an example of the campus tensions, read about a Clark Hillel 10/7 memorial event, and the "die in" staged by anti-Israel protesters.

Anti-Israel protesters at a Clark Hillel event. (Source: Leo Kerz/The Scarlet)

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NYU. The NYU Law Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) staged a silent "study-in" anti-Israel protest at the law library, displaying signs accusing the university of "funding genocide" and demanding divestment from weapons manufacturers linked to Israel. University administrators, citing policies against disruptions in academic spaces, warned participants of potential disciplinary action, including consequences outlined in NYU’s Guidance and Expectations on Student Conduct. SJP then criticized the school for its policies.

(Source: @nyulsjp | Instagram)

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Columbia. Last week, all charges were dismissed against Rabbi Reuven Kahane who was accused of assaulting anti-Israel protesters in May. The case was dropped due to speedy trial limitations. Two of the protesters arrested at the same protest also had their charges dismissed. The incident occurred during heightened anti-Israel demonstrations at Columbia University, with city officials citing "outside agitators" as contributors to the unrest. Kahane believes his high-profile last name garnered attention for the case. He said, “I think if my name was Joe Smith, I don’t think anybody would have picked this up.”

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Arizona State. A meeting between Hillel of Arizona State University and a local synagogue highlighted the good news and bad news of the school’s commitment to neutrality. The good news? Students know where they stand, can address issues directly and as Hillel’s exec Debbie Yunker Kail said, “We can count on ASU to enforce their own rules, something we saw missing from many universities over the last year.” The flip side of that neutrality was clear in an example a student gave: an antisemitic speaker was permitted on campus since the student group that invited him had followed the proper procedures. During Hillel’s meeting, students also spoke of the emotional toll of the tense campus climate.

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Alabama. In Tuscaloosa, several anti-Israel demonstrators held a "die-in" on the Quad at the University of Alabama. Students laid on the ground to represent casualties, holding signs with messages such as “UA investments kill kids” and “Tide against genocide.” As spectators gathered, Owen Dodd, an Alabama freshman who comes from an Israeli family, criticized the protest, saying “They all sit here, laying down comfortable, supporting and defending the same people that are bombing my family.” Others noted the insensitivity of the timing of a ‘die-in” held just two days after the IDF confirmed the death of an Israeli-American soldier, Omer Neutra.

BY-Jew’s Matzah Moves. Jake Retzlaff, the star quarterback at Brigham Young University and the school’s first Jewish starting QB, has scored himself a sponsorship with Manischewitz, the iconic kosher food brand. The deal includes limited-edition matzah boxes featuring Retzlaff’s likeness. It highlights his pride in his Jewish identity, which has earned him the nickname “BY-Jew.” Retzlaff, who has led BYU to a 10-2 record and a top-25 ranking, says the partnership is “about more than football — it’s about creating connections and celebrating Jewish pride in ways I never expected. Retzlaff has embraced his role as a leader in the Jewish community, sharing traditions like Hanukkah with teammates and participating in Provo, Utah’s first public menorah lighting.

(Source: Courtesy of Manischewitz)

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Agendas Over Facts. Jacki Karsh, who serves on the board of the Columbia University Alumni Association in Southern California, explains how campus journalism has played a significant role in shaping antisemitic narratives at many universities. Publications like The Harvard Crimson and Wellesley News have elevated campaigns such as BDS and the Mapping Project. Post 10/7, bias has escalated, with anti-Israel op-eds and silencing Jewish voices. Karsh warns that if “many student newsrooms continue to be breeding grounds for the plague of antisemitism and hatred for the world’s only Jewish state, a generation of reporters will enter global newsrooms untethered to the principles of balance and integrity.”

We’re Number Four! In the latest release of annual rankings of the world’s top universities, Israel came in fourth overall in terms of results per capita. Hebrew University, Technion, and the Weizmann Institute were among the strong performers in the assessment by Shanghai Ranking, and overall, 11 Israeli academic programs were listed in the world’s top 50 in specific areas such as math, chemistry and communications. As a media report noted, “these achievements come despite disruptions caused by ongoing conflict and significant military reserve duty among Israeli students and staff.”

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Helping Israel Bloom Again. Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting areas in Israel that were hit the hardest after 10/7, with a generous donation of $27.8 million. “The funding will support 65 cities and towns in hard-hit areas of southern and northern Israel. The funding is intended to boost municipal governments through capacity building and other development projects,” according to news coverage of the plan, which will rebuild eight displaced communities via “innovation hubs” and encourage people to stay by building new infrastructure, getting citizens back in their homes and school, and trusting in the future of Israel as a whole.

• 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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