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Columbia. Deborah Lipstadt, the antisemitism envoy during the Biden Administration, has withdrawn her name from consideration for a teaching post at Columbia University. She explained her concerns in an op-ed,
citing that she would be seen as “a fig leaf” in terms of how the university has handled protests on campus, and she also expressed wariness for her safety, saying “I do not flinch in the face of threats. But this is not a healthy or acceptable learning environment.”
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Cambridge. The University of Cambridge failed to secure an injunction
to block anti-Israel protests on its campus. The university argued the measures were urgently needed ahead of the upcoming graduation ceremonies, citing previous disruptions by anti-Israel demonstrators. While the judge denied the university’s long-term request, he did grant a limited interim injunction restricting protests at Senate House and Senate House Yard during the ceremony. The court criticized Cambridge for not presenting a full picture of past events, noting that recent graduations proceeded without incident.
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UCLA. Three Jewish students and a professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have asked a federal court to reaffirm a previous ruling that barred the university from supporting antisemitic actions on campus.
The request follows a 2023 court order that forced UCLA to stop aiding protesters who created a "Jew Exclusion Zone," blocking Jewish students from accessing campus. The lawsuit alleges that UCLA provided barriers, security and logistical support to the agitators — findings that were documented in the university’s own Task Force report, which condemned UCLA’s failure to protect Jewish students.
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CUNY Chaos. At least three anti-Israel protesters were arrested
Thursday as demonstrations erupted at CUNY’s City College, forcing Governor Kathy Hochul to cancel a scheduled event over security concerns. Two protests — one from City College and another from Barnard College, where agitators had occupied a building — merged outside the Harlem campus, chanting “Kathy Hochul you can’t hide” and “Long live the intifada.” Police set up barricades, but tensions escalated as protesters clashed with officers. Among those arrested was a protester who climbed a tree and another accused of stealing a police bodycam. The demonstration lasted three hours before protesters dispersed. City College officials cited
safety concerns as the reason for postponing Hochul’s event, originally planned for a workforce development announcement.
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Protest outside Harlem CUNY (Source: James Keivom) |
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Bowdoin. The “Bowdoin Eight,” student leaders of a disruptive occupation of a Bowdoin College campus building last month have had their suspensions lifted, and are now on probation and allowed back onto campus. The Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter
has been barred from operating on campus until they complete the disciplinary process. The initial building occupation was an attempt to foist anti-Israel BDS goals onto the school, and to protest Trump administration statements about Gaza. During the demonstration, Bowdoin had warned protesters that their actions “could put them on the path where they are jeopardizing their ability to remain as Bowdoin students.”
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Protesters in Bowdoin's Smith Union building. (Source: Miles Berry / Bowdoin Orient) |
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United We Click. ‘Our CampUs United’ is a new online platform
designed to equip Jewish students with the “knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to take action against antisemitism, build community through joy and lead meaningful change on their campuses.” One of the founders, recent Tulane grad Yasmeen Ohebsion, noted her inspiration: “As a college student, I struggled to find the resources to stand up against antisemitism, and I knew I wasn’t alone.” The new platform reflects learning
from college student experiences, tailoring its resources to their recommendations. The platform has founding members from schools from coast to coast.
DEEPER: For additional online resources or for support with incident response, don’t miss ADL’s ‘Not on My Campus’ content.
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Do Your Homework. This is good advice from Amit Rau, a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin. The work
she is referring to is the research that Jewish high school students should take on before they decide on a school. As she points out, "life for a Jewish student can become daunting" in the post-10/7 world. So, she recommends looking into the Jewish population on campus, the level of activity, which professors to follow or avoid and more. She also strongly suggests quickly making connections once you are on campus. Whether it's Hillel, Chabad or some other Jewish or pro-Israel group, building those ties can make your school a home and reduce the worry caused by any volatile campus climate. | |
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A New Chapter for Jewish Unity. After months on hold following October 7, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has relaunched
his Voice of the People (Kol Ha’Am) initiative, a global dialogue project designed to strengthen Jewish unity and tackle key challenges facing the Jewish people. Originally announced in April 2023, the initiative was paused due to Hamas’ attacks and the surge in global antisemitism. Now, with an updated format, it aims to reignite discussions and develop leadership for the Jewish future. The relaunch includes an open survey — available in six languages — to gather insights from Jewish communities worldwide. Additionally, a 150-member council will be formed to shape global Jewish conversations.
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Ready To Rebuild. Despite the devastation of October 7, Israel’s kibbutzim are determined to rebuild.
Communities in the south, like Nir Oz, Be’eri, and Kfar Aza, suffered unspeakable losses, yet thousands of displaced residents are committed to returning home. The Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund estimates it will take hundreds of millions of shekels to restore these towns. Still, there’s hope — with 20,000 volunteers already stepping up, including groups from Germany helping rebuild kindergartens. “We need to get everyone back to their homes and we need to rebuild the kibbutzim stronger,” said CEO Neri Shotan, who also has a waiting list of 2,000 people eager to join southern kibbutzim. | |
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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, 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 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 [email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos or videos. | |
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