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Good morning and welcome to the Campus Crisis Alert, brought to you by ADL's Ronald Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education (CCAE). If you want to subscribe,
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sign up here.
1. 📰 Top Stories
Sarah Lawrence. The U.S. Department of Education is opening a
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Title VI antisemitism investigation into New York’s Sarah Lawrence College after a complaint from the area’s Hillel chapter. Incidents in the complaint included an instance when a Jewish student was allegedly harassed with threatening texts, and another when the school’s DEI office promoted an “Hour of Solidarity with Palestine” — in partnership with SJP — just days after the 10/7 massacre. Since the complaint was filed, additional incidents include the occupation of a campus building by anti-Israel protesters in November. ADL is
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deeply concerned about these allegations, which “paint a picture of a campus that is hostile to Jewish students and an administration that needs to take more steps to improve things.”
DEEPER: For more about antisemitism issues at Sarah Lawrence, listen to the edition of the
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ADL ‘From the Frontlines’ podcast centered on the school and Title VI.
Protesters occupying a Sarah Lawrence building in November. (Source: @slcdivest | Instagram)
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Academic Historians. A resolution was passed by the American Historical Association (AHA)
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condemning Israel's alleged "scholasticide", claiming the IDF has intentionally destroyed most of Gaza’s academic infrastructure. The AHA president opposed the resolution, highlighting concerns about politicizing academia, and arguing the resolution ignores evidence of Hamas’ use of schools for military purposes. ADL
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strongly condemns this unapologetically political and biased resolution. As Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, a professor at the New School who opposed the motion, points out “This feeds directly into the idea that academics are unapologetically political and are all on board with a pretty far left-wing view of the Israel-Hamas war.”
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Columbia. A Columbia University professor,
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Katherine Franke, is leaving the university in the wake of an investigation of comments she made to the media that accused Israeli students of being dangerous to Palestinian students. Franke had said: “So many of those Israeli students, who then come to the Columbia campus, are coming right out of their military service. They’ve been known to harass Palestinian and other students on our campus.” After a complaint filed by other professors at the law school, an outside law firm’s investigation found Franke had violated university anti-discrimination policy with her statement, and also violated school policies barring retaliation and social media activity targeting
the complainants.
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Haverford. A federal judge
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dismissed a lawsuit alleging antisemitism at Haverford College, calling the original complaint “sprawling and disorganized.” The case, filed by Jewish students with support from the Deborah Project, alleged that Haverford tolerated antisemitic behavior and failed to support Jewish students amid rising campus tensions. Judge Gerald Austin McHugh stated the complaint read “more as an opinion editorial” than a legal document. The plaintiffs plan to amend and refile their case, highlighting incidents like a professor’s alleged comments referring to Israel supporters as “racist genocidaires” and a campus event accusing Israel of infecting Palestinians
with COVID-19.
2. 🏆 Campus Champions
Brothers United. Post 10/7, Jewish campus organizations, including fraternities like Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), face new
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security challenges. Increased threats prompted AEPi’s Temple University chapter to partner with Community Security Service for safety training. As antisemitism grows, such initiatives are becoming critical for safeguarding Jewish spaces on college campuses. In a sobering example, the former AEPi chapter president Sam Fogle said that the trainers gave examples of potential warning signs such as “If it’s 80 degrees out and you see someone standing outside your house wearing sweatpants and a puffer coat, [you should] be extra aware of that. Even down to counting trash cans outside.”
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Smart Giving. In the wake of heightened campus antisemitism following 10/7, Jewish philanthropists are reevaluating how they support universities. An
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eJewishPhilanthropy guide urges donors to prioritize schools that uphold free speech, support Jewish life and enforce policies against harassment. Instead of unrestricted gifts, the guide recommends targeted giving, such as scholarships for Jewish students, study abroad in Israel, or security for Jewish organizations. As the article’s authors, who are also university donors, conclude: “You can still make a significant impact, without compromising your values.”
3. 💪✡️ Am Yisrael Chai
An Academic Oasis. Though Israeli universities have felt challenges during the semesters since 10/7,
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many international students are finding a rewarding college experience in Israel despite, or some cases inspired by the time of crisis. Ben Gurion University, for example, now has approximately 600 students from 64 countries who are attending the school, including 'Henry', a Kenyan master’s student, says that "Finding community and belonging in the middle of a war was an oasis for me in the Negev — a true sign that life triumphs over death."
(Source: Ben Gurion University)
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Home Away From Home. In the Polish city of Katowice, Israel House has become a vital
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space for Israeli medical students at the University of Silesia. Founded by Avichai Ayubi and his family, Israel House offers a warm, welcoming environment complete with a synagogue, communal meals and Israeli cultural programming. Hosting over 90% of the Jewish and Israeli students in the area, Israel House fosters unity among diverse participants, including Druze students and secular Israelis. It serves as a reminder of home while encouraging students to maintain their connection to Israel.
(Credit: Courtesy Israel House)
4. 📣 Info and Action:
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Not on My Campus
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Students — how to take action, deal with antisemitism, and organize your community.
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Alumni — how to organize a sign-on letter, answer a fundraising request, or write a letter to a university president.
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Parents — write a letter about commencement, organize a dial day, or get help selecting a college for your student.
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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.
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Glossary of Commonly Used Antisemitic Phrases Heard at Protests.
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Campus Antisemitism Report Card — see the grade a college earned in this first-ever report card.
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Report an Antisemitic Incident.
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Are you a student or know one who needs legal help? Contact our
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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? Please email us at
mailto:
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[email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos or videos.
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