Barnard. For the second time in days, a building at Barnard College in New York City has been occupied by anti-Israel activists. This time, it was the Milstein Library, where dozens of masked protesters barged in, waving Palestinian flags and demanding that the school back down from its decision to expel several students who had been identified as taking part in a classroom occupation at Columbia University, which Barnard is affiliated with. The administration called on protesters to leave the building, and ultimately, the building was cleared after NYPD went in after reports of a bomb threat. News reports indicate that several people were in NYPD custody afterwards.

(Source: CBS 2 News)

DEEPER: Barnard College’s President, Laura Rosenbury, condemned the anti-Israel protests on campus in an op-ed earlier this week, vowing that the school will continue to take decisive action against those who violate college policies.

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Columbia. Speaking of Columbia University... a crowd of anti-Israel protesters gathered outside the school to protest an invite-only event featuring former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. The event was co-hosted by Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the Institute of Global Politics and the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life. Protesters chanted slogans, waved Palestinian flags and unfurled banners reading “War Criminal Off Our Campus.” Counter-protesters also gathered, with tensions escalating as one demonstrator lunged at a pro-Israel attendee. The NYPD set up barricades near Faculty House, where Bennett was speaking. Columbia stated that the event proceeded without disruption.

(Protest next to Columbia on March 4. | Source: Lukas Roybal / Columbia Spectator)

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Israeli Med Students. The International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA) officially reversed its decision to suspend Israel’s membership, following significant diplomatic efforts by Israel's Foreign Ministry and pressure from the World Health Organization. The IFMSA General Assembly voted 41-20 with 13 abstentions, to overturn the suspension of the Federation of Israeli Medical Students (FIMS). FIMS asserted that the suspension was in retaliation for calling out an IFMSA official’s post supporting the 10/7 Hamas attack. The original suspension sparked international concern over rising discrimination against Israeli and Jewish students worldwide.

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Yale. At Yale University, the law school announced this week that an employee has been placed on “immediate administrative leave” over reports that she is a member of Samidoun, a U.S.-designated terrorist network that fundraises for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The employee, Helyeh Doutaghi, was identified due to a reference to her on a Samidoun website. A Yale representative confirmed the step to put Doutaghi on leave and added that “we take these allegations extremely seriously and immediately opened an investigation into the matter to ascertain the facts.”

DEEPER: Read ADL's expert analysis on Samidoun and the role it has played in anti-Israel movements on college campuses.

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Harvard. The Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) is investigating a bias-related incident after an anti-Israel protester tore down a Harvard Chabad poster featuring Israeli hostages during a Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine rally on Monday. A video circulating on social media shows the protester removing a poster depicting the Bibas children, who were taken hostage by Hamas and murdered. The individual was wearing an ID badge belonging to a Harvard student though the school has not confirmed his identity. Harvard condemned the act as vandalism and hate, with HUPD continuing its investigation.

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University of California System. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it is investigating the University of California system, looking into whether Jewish employees face a “potential pattern” of discrimination. The statement says that the Department of Justice will assess whether the UC system is “allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses.” This would violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; this case is an important reminder that we need to protect and support Jewish employees on campus as much as the students they serve.

Sharansky to Universities: Shape Up or Ship Out! Natan Sharansky is calling on the Trump administration to take real action against campus antisemitism, arguing that strong statements alone won’t cut it. He urged federal penalties for universities that allow antisemitic protests to thrive unchecked. He emphasized the need for legal pressure, financial consequences and student activism to fight back. His message? Universities that refuse to protect Jewish students should face repercussions — whether through lawsuits, donor withdrawals or students choosing to enroll elsewhere.

DEEPER: ADL’s updated Campus Antisemitism Report Card^TM helps you stay informed and take action to protect Jewish students; now grading 135 colleges and universities.

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A Class Act. Both countering and commending Deborah Lipstadt's decision to decline an option to teach at Columbia University, Menachem Rosensaft says he will continue to teach law there despite agreeing with her legitimate concerns about anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments on campus. Rosensaft notes that, in his eyes, the current leadership at Columbia is committed to supporting Jewish students. He says that his decision is driven by the students. “And not only the Jewish students… They deserve to be taught that antisemitism was the malignant cause of the Holocaust just as anti-Muslim bigotry caused the genocide of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica, and just as ethnic hatred caused the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda.”

Holy Sites & Healing Hearts. After multiple delays due to COVID-19 and 10/7, young Jews are joining Birthright trips to Israel again. Mila Brenner got her chance to go in August and shared that “There was not one boring moment on that trip. The most impactful was the Nova music festival site, which they’ve turned into a memorial. Just being there was so heartbreaking.” Birthright has adapted its programs to include visits to memorial sites, volunteering opportunities and conversations about Israel's resilience, providing a deeper connection to Israel and to participants’ Jewish identity amid rising global antisemitism.

(Source: Birthright Israel | Instagram)

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Breaking the Barriers. Peer Syed Mudassir Nazar Shah, a Pakistani Sufi leader, made history with his first visit to Israel, aiming to promote interfaith dialogue and break long-standing taboos. Shah has spent years working on de-radicalization and interfaith connection. His visit, arranged by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, took him to Jerusalem, the Gaza border and communities affected by the 10/7 attacks. Shah condemned Hamas, advocated for mutual understanding and stressed the importance of human connections over political divisions. His visit signals a slow but meaningful shift in attitudes.

Chai-er Ed^TM, ADL’s campus podcast, brings you firsthand stories from Jewish students navigating today’s college campuses. Hosted by activist and former student leader Luda Isakharov, each episode uncovers the realities of Jewish life on campus — the challenges, the victories and the unshakable resilience of Jewish students confronting hate head-on.

This is all of our fight. These are their stories.

🎧 Tune in weekly and be part of the conversation.

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Episode 1: Standing Strong — Ben Marcus at Brown University. In our very first episode of Chai-er Ed, we sit down with Ben Marcus, a student at Brown University who has faced antisemitism on campus — but refused to back down. Ben shares his powerful journey of resilience, how he overcame challenges and what it took to transform adversity into leadership.

• 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, 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!

Do you have something to share with us? Please email us at [email protected] with any suggestions, questions, photos or videos.