VIEW: October 8 is a film about the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, on social media and in the streets of America in the aftermath of Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. It opens in theaters this Friday. We strongly recommend this movie; ADL had an advance screening at Never Is Now last week where we heard from Directory Wendy Sachs, and it was so popular we had to add a second showing.

LISTEN: Last week at Never Is Now, Dan Senor recorded “Are ANY Colleges Confronting the Madness?, ” an episode of his Call Me Back podcast where he talked with two university leaders — Washington University Chancellor Andrew Martin and University of Michigan President Santa Ono, PhD about campus protests and supporting Jewish students. Don't miss this fascinating conversation as Senor and these school leaders talk about lessons learned and charting a path forward.

Title VI Cases. This week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is reducing its workforce by nearly half. The reductions would eliminate half of the regional offices of the Department’s Office of Civil Rights, which handle many of the Title VI civil rights complaints about campus antisemitism. The Office of Civil Rights has been busy under both the Biden and Trump Administrations, with dozens of Israel-related civil rights cases opened. Just this week, the Office of Civil Rights warned 60 colleges and universities about potential consequences if they fail to properly support the rights of Jewish students. ADL issued a strong statement, warning that “now is not the time to weaken federal oversight or enforcement” as Jewish students face “an alarming rise in antisemitic harassment and hostility.” The OCR has played a critical role in launching investigations, issuing Dear Colleague Letters, and holding schools accountable. Campus civil rights issues could potentially shift to the Department of Justice if the scaled down Department of Education no longer has the resources to handle them.

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Cornell. It was reported that seventeen anti-Israel protesters were arrested or detained at Cornell University after disrupting a panel titled "Pathways to Peace" featuring experts and leaders discussing potential resolutions to the Mideast conflict. The protest, allegedly organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), involved shouting and chanting, particularly directed at former Israeli official Tzipi Livni. Interim Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said in a statement, “Nine students will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards for appropriate action, including the imposition of interim measures up to and including suspension. Staff members involved in the disruption will be referred for disciplinary actions through Human Resources. Outside disrupters will be issued persona non grata status, barring them from Cornell’s campus.” ADL New York / New Jersey released a statement saying the disruption was “appalling” and is “grateful the administration is taking swift action to investigate.” Kotlikoff also said that SJP faces a potential suspension as a campus organization.

(Anti-Israel protesters interrupting the event. Source: Stephan Menasche/Cornell Sun)

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UCLA. UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk announced a new Initiative to Combat Antisemitism, aiming to enhance complaint systems, training and education on campus. The initiative follows recommendations from UCLA’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias and will be led by Professor Stuart Gabriel of the Anderson School of Management. The announcement comes amid federal scrutiny of antisemitism on campuses, with the Department of Justice task force investigating UCLA and the new administration threatening funding cuts for universities failing to address antisemitism. UCLA Hillel and ADL Los Angeles Regional Director Jeffrey Abrams praised the move and Frenk’s determination to address this issue since coming into office. Abrams noted that “since he’s become chancellor at UCLA, [Frenk] has on several occasions made it very clear that antisemitism not only needs to be eradicated to protect the Jewish students on campus — but it needs to be eradicated to create the appropriate learning environment for all communities on campus.”

A Hero’s Application. Asaf Bar Natan, an Israeli special forces reservist, submitted his MBA application to Rice University just hours before heading to the battlefield on October 7, 2023. In a rushed email to the admissions team, he wrote, “I’m sorry, there is an emergency. This is my application. I know this is not perfect, but it is what it is.” Months later, he became the first recipient of Rice’s Gibborim (Heroes) Scholarship, a $1 million endowment supporting Israeli veterans at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business. Funded by Houston businessman Jay Zeidman, the scholarship goes beyond tuition — helping recipients connect with the local Jewish community through mentorship, networking, and internships. “This is more than just a scholarship,” said Zeidman. “It’s integrating somebody into Houston’s community.”

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School's Out for Antisemitism: Lessons from Campus to Classroom. An op-ed by Rabbi Micah Greenland asserts antisemitism is a growing concern not just in universities but also in middle and high schools, where Jewish students increasingly face harassment and discrimination. The ADL’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card highlights both progress and persistent challenges in combating antisemitism in higher education, offering valuable lessons for K-12 institutions. NCSY’s Jewish Student Union (JSU), which operates in over 400 schools, has seen a 40% increase in student participation since October 7, 2023, with more than half of its students reporting antisemitic bullying or violence. ADL writes this new partnership will help support Jewish students in middle and high schools and provides tools to counter antisemitism. Rabbi Greenland argues that schools must take action by enforcing anti-harassment policies, integrating Jewish history and culture into curricula, and providing training for educators to combat antisemitism at all levels of education.

Like a Phoenix. Israel has unveiled its 2025 Eurovision entry, “New Day Will Rise,” performed by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the 10/7 Nova music festival massacre. The song, which blends English, French and Hebrew lyrics, features themes of resilience and hope, rising from darkness. Unlike last year, the song has been approved by Eurovision without requiring revisions for overly political content. The competition will take place in May in Basel, Switzerland. Raphael is honest about what she expects to face in Switzerland, but said “I want to tell the story, but not from a place of seeking pity. I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this, and in the face of the boos I’m 100% sure will come from the crowd.”

(Source: Yuval Raphael video | YouTube)

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Interstellar Innovation. Israel marked a major milestone in space education as nine research satellites, built by high school students, were launched into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 12. This is the largest single batch of Israeli satellites ever sent into low Earth orbit, reinforcing Israel’s growing leadership in space innovation. Part of the "Tevel 2" project, the initiative is a collaboration between the Israel Space Agency, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Tel Aviv University, and nine local authorities. Among the achievements is the first-ever Druze-built satellite by students at Yirka School. One satellite, from Shaar Negev, will transmit the names of victims from the October 7 attacks in tribute. The satellites will study cosmic radiation while inspiring future Israeli space engineers.

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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Mazel Talk: Building Community – Susan Radov & Nacho Gajer

In our very first episode of Mazel Talk, you will hear from Susan and Nacho, both at Northwestern University. Post-10/7 and witnessing antisemitism on campus, they decided to be the change they wanted to see. They share how they build community, leaned on each other during difficult times, and are setting a standard for standing up for what you believe in

• 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 campus@adl.org with any suggestions, questions, photos or videos.