ADL Trend Report on Campus Hate. Over the past two years, college campuses have become hotbeds of antisemitism and anti-Israel activism. A new ADL special report examines the evolution of anti-Israel activism on U.S. campuses and provides recommendations for universities to respond effectively. One trend among the anti-Israel student set: A shift from highly visible anti-Israel demonstrations such as the encampments toward tactics focused on internal pressure and disciplinary evasion. The new report highlights actions to watch for, and ADL’s best practices guide offers practical guidance for universities on how to address issues on their campuses.

Anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University in 2024. (Source: Alex Kent/Getty Images)

DEEPER: Read ADL backgrounders on extremist campus groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).

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City College of New York. An event organized by City College of New York and billed as an interfaith discussion of “How are we different and what are our commonalities?” went horribly wrong as attendees witnessed a whole lot of differences but not a lot of commonalities. An imam who had been invited to speak singled out the college's Hillel director as a “Zionist” responsible for deaths in Gaza and convinced the over 100 Muslim students to participate in a walkout. When the moderator of the event expressed his surprise at what had happened, a Jewish student responded: “You’re in shock? We’re not, we’re used to it.” After the event, campus security escorted the remaining participants out of the building. ADL condemned the imam’s appalling message of hate, saying “this is not dialogue – it is harassment". We support the school’s intent to investigate.

DEEPER. Getting ready to consider colleges? One helpful resource is ADL’s Campus Antisemitism Report Card, which assesses how 135 schools are addressing antisemitism and provides guidance to the schools on how to better support Jewish students.

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Rewarding the Radicals. Apparently, campus discipline now comes with a rebate. The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) set up a “Champions of Justice Fund” that cut $1,000 checks to students punished for anti-Israel disruption. A new report says the scheme turns sanctions into incentives, rewarding students responsible for “acts of criminality and violence” and those who are the “most militant face of the movement.”

DEEPER: Read ADL’s backgrounder on the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

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Harvard. Turns out anti-Israel activism at Harvard never takes a day off. The Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) -- known for applauding Hamas after 10/7 -- is now pushing campus divestment, complete with the kind of charged rhetoric that reliably ignites campus theatrics. So, Harvard University students will vote this week on PSC’s anti-Israel BDS measure as part of the academic year’s fall survey.

DEEPER: To learn more about the origins and impacts of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, see ADL’s Guide to Understanding and Countering BDS Calls.

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Orthodox Union. Building the Jewish Avengers, one fellowship at a time. The Orthodox Union just launched its Pipeline Initiative leadership venture. The program combines mentorship, training and hands-on experience for over 4,200 college-aged volunteers -- with 30 people selected for a yearlong Emerging Leaders Fellowship. The initiative isn’t just about internal growth -- it’s a communal talent play, creating a “leadership currency” that the entire Jewish world can spend. As OU’s Josh Gottesman put it, “Talent is a communal currency,” and whether fellows land in shuls, schools or startups, the goal is clear: develop future leaders who are ready when called.

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UK/Ireland. For all of us who wince when someone says ‘elections’ (since we know that anger and confrontation are on their way), hearing from the trio of candidates to lead the Union of Jewish Students is refreshing. The group, which represents thousands of students across 75 Jewish societies in the UK and Ireland, has three terrific choices pleading their case ahead of elections later this month. Among them, Israeli-born Anat Kraskin of Glasgow, who was influenced by the anger and isolation that Jewish students have faced since 10/7, made a comment that could apply to all three candidates: “I feel like I dealt with it, and I bring that sense of strong pride and chutzpah, that I can deal with and tackle antisemitism.”

Virginia K-12. After an antisemitic harassment complaint was filed with the Virginia Attorney General, a pricey private school has settled with the parents of an 11-year-old Jewish student. The complaint centered on several ugly incidents. The Jewish student was taunted by classmates who called Jews “baby killers” who deserved to die because of what is happening in Gaza, and there was a class project where the students created art that included Adolf Hitler. When the parents of the Jewish student met with the headmaster, the complaint says he told the parents to tell their daughter to “toughen up.” He then expelled all three children in the family. The settlement provided monetary relief to the family; the school also agreed to set up a committee to investigate discrimination complaints and to provide staff with antisemitism training and students with education on antisemitism and the Holocaust.

👉 TAKE ACTION: Has your family experienced antisemitism? ADL Legal Action Network provides victims of antisemitism and extremism with access to legal services.

DEEPER: Do you want to strengthen your independent K–12 school’s ability to identify, prevent and respond to antisemitism? Check out our Parent Advocacy: Countering Antisemitism in Independent K-12 Schools webpage.

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No Union for Hate. After weeks of public outcry, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) has fired the editor of its flagship magazine, Ayat Oraby, following resurfaced antisemitic posts praising Hamas and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. The move came after condemnation from Rep. Josh Gottheimer and 24 local Jewish officials, who demanded action. Oraby defended herself in interviews, claiming her posts reflected “legitimate criticism” and “compassion.” Adding fuel to the fire, the union had also scheduled a controversial workshop at its November convention, prompting further backlash for platforming inaccurate and hateful content that harms Jewish students, families and educators.

GET INVOLVED: Are you an educator who wants to get involved or needs support in creating more inclusive school communities? Join ADL’s BEACON network now.

Strategic Majority. For all the sound and fury surrounding campus protests, the real long game is quieter - and much more important. In eJewishPhilanthropy, Tamid Group CEO Yoni Heilman points to the fact that, according to Generation Lab, only 8% of students joined last spring’s encampments. What about the other 92% of students trying to get to class without getting threatened, shouted at or having to step around a drum circle? Heilman makes the case for focusing on career-driven, apolitical Israel engagement to reach the real campus majority. Tamid Group connects thousands of U.S. students, most of them not Jewish, with Israeli startups and internship experiences that build professional skills and long-term ties to Israel. In Heilman’s words: “We’re not going to out-shout. We’re not going to out-debate… But we can win in the long term.”

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A Life of Impact. Rabbi Gershon Litt has been named the 2025 recipient of the Jeffrey R. Solomon Prize, celebrating his nearly two decades of transforming Birthright Israel journeys into lifelong sources of identity and connection. As director of William & Mary Hillel and a veteran educator who has staffed more than 40 trips, Rabbi Litt has guided many young Jews toward deeper meaning, confidence and community. Colleagues praise his rare blend of knowledge, mentorship and humanity, noting that he does not simply teach Jewish values - he models them.

• Campus Community Advocacy Toolkit — From incident reporting and educational resources to letter-writing campaigns and Know Your Rights factsheets, ADL has clear steps for you to take action and effect change on college campuses.
• University Administration — Guidance and best practices for making campuses safer and more inclusive.
• Campus Antisemitism Report Card — See the grades of 135 universities, the current state of antisemitism on campus and how colleges and universities are responding.
• General Campus Resources — ADL Backgrounders, Educational Programming, Research and Analysis and more.
• ADL Legal Action Network — Anyone over 18 can report incidents of antisemitism to ADL for our network of law firms nationwide.
• K-12 Advocacy Resources — Tools and knowledge to foster and advocate for a safe, inclusive and equitable school environment for all.
• K-12 Advocacy Resources for Independent Schools — Additional resources for members of independent K-12 school communities.
• Report an Antisemitic Incident.

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