From ADL Campus <[email protected]>
Subject 🚨 Campus Crisis Alert
Date February 7, 2025 4:05 PM
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Good morning and welcome to the Campus Crisis Alert, brought to you by the ADL Ronald Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education (CCAE). If you want to subscribe,
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sign up here.

1. &#128240; Top Stories

University of California. A group of anti-Israel protesters targeted and
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vandalized the home of Hollywood agent and University of California (UC) Regent, Jay Sures, vandalizing it with red handprints and threatening signs. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt responded, &ldquo;Once again, a public servant is targeted for harassment and intimidation, and once again, it is a Jewish regent being targeted.&rdquo; Greenblatt called for a full law enforcement investigation. Sures condemned the protest as an escalation and a threat to his family, vowing to press charges if the perpetrators are identified. The
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protestors were linked in media reports to UCLA&rsquo;s Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine.

(Red handprints as part of vandalism of Sures house. Source: Dylan Winward/Daily Bruin)


~~~~~

Cooper Union. A federal judge ruled that Cooper Union must
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face a lawsuit from Jewish students who allege the college failed to protect them from antisemitic harassment during an ugly anti-Israel protest in October of 2023. The students sought safety in the library, fleeing demonstrators who banged on doors and windows while chanting hateful slogans. U.S. District Judge John Cronan rejected Cooper Union&rsquo;s defense that the protest constituted protected political speech and criticized the school for suggesting the students could have hidden elsewhere. &ldquo;These events took place in 2023 &ndash; not 1943,&rdquo; Cronan wrote, emphasizing the college's duty to protect Jewish students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.


&#128073; TAKE ACTION: From elementary schools to college quads, Jewish students are confronted by hate. Teaching the next generation about the Holocaust helps address antisemitism. Tell Congress to improve Holocaust education by voting for the HEAL Act.
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Speak out now.


~~~~~

UCLA. Alicia Verdugo, UCLA&rsquo;s Undergraduate Students Association Council Cultural Affairs Commissioner,
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resigned Tuesday amid allegations of antisemitic discrimination. Verdugo, who held the role for nearly three years, stepped down just days before a scheduled judicial board hearing on claims that their office excluded Jewish applicants during fall 2024 hiring. The hearing was later canceled after the complaint was withdrawn. Verdugo, who has supported the BDS movement against Israel, denied the allegations. Verdugo&rsquo;s resignation was met with mixed reactions, with critics citing a history of exclusion while supporters praised advocacy for students of color.


~~~~~

United Kingdom. In collaboration with the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), the
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Jewish Chronicle surveyed Jewish students across UK universities, revealing disturbing levels of antisemitism. Incidents ranged from verbal harassment and Holocaust jokes to violent attacks and bomb threats, with many students fearing for their safety on campus. Surveys like this indicate a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents post-10/7, with hostility towards Zionism increasingly used to justify antisemitism and discrimination against Jewish students.

DEEPER: See
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ADL&rsquo;s new report on the U.S. surge in campus antisemitism since 10/7.

2. &#127942; Campus Champions

Sephardim in the House.
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Sephardi House Fellowships are a learning and leadership experience for college students that started in 2020 and kicked into high gear as a way to mobilize against antisemitism since 10/7. This year&rsquo;s 55 fellows from universities across the country get mentorship and education sessions, and in turn, they go back to their schools and organize campus programs for Jewish peers and speak out in the media. As Joshua Benaim, who spearheaded the Sephardi House launch observed, knowledge and connectivity &ldquo;are the superpowers that have kept the Jewish people strong for millennia.&rdquo;

(Source: Courtesy American Sephardi Federation)


~~~~~

Number 1 On and Off the Court. Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl
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welcomed 125 Jewish high schoolers to the university for a transformative experience filled with basketball, community service, and cultural exchange. Organized by Athletes for Israel CEO Daniel Posner, the visit was inspired by Auburn&rsquo;s 2022 team trip to Israel. The visit was deeply personal for Pearl, who reflected on the importance of creating a welcoming space for Jewish students at Auburn. "It also completely breaks down the stereotype of the Deep South,&rdquo; Pearl said, emphasizing how crucial it is for Jewish students to feel valued and supported on campus. Pearl has balanced his Jewish faith and basketball success brilliantly, as the Tigers are number 1 in the rankings
nationally.

(Source: Courtesy Athletes for Israel)


3. &#128170;✡️ Am Yisrael Chai

Rehab and Renewal. In Kiryat Ono just outside Tel Aviv,
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Ono Academic College is
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launching its International School this fall. The international school will offer new immigrants specialized degree programs, including in occupational therapy (OT), one of the fastest-growing health professions in Israel. Dr. Naomi Ferziger is one of the school&rsquo;s new directors and an expert in OT. She highlights that these therapists are in great demand, especially for post-10/7 rehabilitation for soldiers and civilians. The curriculum integrates hands-on clinical training, mentorship, and simulation-based learning. Dr. Ferziger adds that this new program has a lot of potential, saying &ldquo;Quite a few olim consider studying OT in Israel, but the language barrier can be a
deterrent. We aim to bridge that gap, provide access, and open the door to this fulfilling career path.&rdquo;


~~~~~

From Rockets to Red Flowers. In the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza,
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Israeli travel organizations are working to integrate the recovery of southern Israel into educational trips. The Israel Educational Travel Alliance held a summit in Sderot, where activists and officials encouraged youth travel groups to help revitalize the war-stricken region. Programs such as the Hallelujah Project, founded by the late Ofir Libstein, proposed itineraries that include visits to massacre sites, workshops on reshaping perceptions of the Israeli areas along the Gaza border, and volunteering activities. Survivors of the 10/7 attacks shared their experiences, emphasizing the power of storytelling in healing and education. Tour operators also discussed incorporating trauma
training for staff and shifting volunteer efforts to the south. The initiative aims to balance narratives of tragedy with resilience, fostering connections between international Jewish youth and Israel&rsquo;s rebuilding efforts.



&#127903; Interested in Addressing Antisemitism on Campus?

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Join ADL and other leading voices on March 3-4 in NYC at Never Is Now, the World's Largest Summit on Antisemitism and Hate. Engage in panels and workshops designed to equip you with tools to advocate against antisemitism on college campuses.

4. &#128227; Info and Action:
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Not on My Campus

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Students &mdash; how to take action, deal with antisemitism, and organize your community.
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Alumni &mdash; how to organize a sign-on letter, answer a fundraising request, or write a letter to a university president.
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Parents &mdash; 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 &mdash; 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 &mdash; 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:[email protected]
[email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos or videos.



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