Email from Zionist Organization of America   ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA IN THE MEDIA     JNS Op-Ed by ZOA’s Tuchman/Klein: Title VI Protects Jewish Students Because of ZOA’s 6-Year Campaign 21 Years Ago In 2004, ZOA filed the first-ever Title VI complaint alleging campus antisemitism that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) agreed to investigate. Today, these legal tools—Title VI and the IHRA definition—are the backbone of efforts to protect Jewish students. They are now being used by many of the same organizations that once rejected and criticized ZOA’s approach. By Morton A. Klein and Susan B. Tuchman, Esq. Morton A. Klein is the national president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA). Susan Tuchman, Esq. is director of ZOA Center for Law & Justice. (July 21, 2025 / JNS) In the aftermath of the Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitism has surged to levels not seen in decades. Students on college campuses and in K-12 schools across the United States have been harassed, threatened, marginalized and even physically assaulted based on their Jewish identity and support for Israel. Legal complaints have flooded the courts and the U.S. Department of Education, alleging violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that requires any institution receiving federal funding to maintain an environment free from racial and national origin discrimination. The fact that Jewish students today can invoke Title VI to protect their civil rights is the result of a strategic and sustained effort that began more than 20 years ago. The Zionist Organization of America led that effort. In 2004, ZOA filed the first-ever Title VI complaint alleging campus antisemitism that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) agreed to investigate. Filed against the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the complaint alleged that Jewish students were facing unrelenting hostility, including threats and physical assaults, that university officials failed to effectively address. Some students were so fearful for their safety that they transferred to other schools. OCR’s investigation confirmed that the harassment was severe and pervasive at UCI, but the agency concluded that UCI had not violated Title VI. By its terms, the law protects against discrimination based on “race, color or national origin,” not religion. OCR considered Jews to be a religious group only and therefore not covered under the statute. ZOA argued that Jews are not only a religious group but an ethnic group with shared ancestry, culture, language and a connection to a homeland. That began a six-year campaign to expand the application of Title VI to cover Jewish students. For years, ZOA stood virtually alone among Jewish organizations in this battle. Some major organizations hurt and even openly opposed ZOA’s efforts. The Anti-Defamation League, for example, publicly criticized ZOA’s legal action against UCI. ADL leadership described the lawsuit as “disconcerting” and accused ZOA of coming in “with all guns blazing.” It asserted that “changes occur not through lawsuits but by education on campus and by working toward better communications.” That criticism was both misguided and damaging. Civil-rights laws exist precisely because education and dialogue are not always enough. From desegregation to disability rights, transformative change in America has often occurred through litigation. Continue Reading   Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email   DONATE   www.zoa.org   Copyright © Zionist Organization of America 2025. All rights reserved. Zionist Organization of America | 633 Third Ave 31 B | New York, NY 10017 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice