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By Mia Resnicow
(February 3, 2026 / Jewish Exponent) The Zionist Organization of America announced on Jan. 20 that it reached a settlement in its lawsuit against Cherry Hill Public Schools in New Jersey.
In June 2024, the ZOA filed a complaint on behalf of a Jewish student at Cherry Hill High School East and his parents relating to the conduct of the school and the school district in response to alleged harassment, intimidation, bullying and free speech violations of said student.
“I think one important aspect of this resolution, that I think applies to other cases, is the importance of educating your school community about the problem of antisemitism, helping the community understand how antisemitism can be expressed today, making it clear to your school community that the district or the university will have zero tolerance for antisemitism, however it’s expressed, and that is going to hold wrongdoers accountable,” Susan B. Tuchman, the director of ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, told Philadelphia Jewish Exponent.
The complaint alleged that school officials retaliated “harshly, undeservedly and outrageously” against the student for making complaints of bullying and harassment.
“The antisemitic threats, harassment and intimidation were so offensive, severe and pervasive that they created a hostile environment for [the student] limiting his ability to participate in and benefit from High School East’s programs and activities,” the ZOA stated in the filed complaint.
After Oct. 7, 2023, students at Cherry Hill High School East allegedly came to school wearing keffiyehs, waving Palestinian Arab flags, and shouting “Free Palestine.” The Jewish student took two short videos of the other students, expressing his opinion that the students were endorsing Hamas. According to the complaint, the videos did not violate any of the school’s rules or policies.
The complaint also alleged that the Jewish student’s friend overheard Arab Muslim students in the school bathroom discussing a plan to jump the student for taking the videos. After reporting the incident to school officials, the school officials allegedly failed to address the threats. Another incident described in the filing involved the Jewish student being harassed in the school’s cafeteria by other students, and then being taken to speak with school officials, who allegedly threatened the student, telling him, “If you post any more videos, you’re out of here.”
A day later, the student was suspended for four days in October 2023. The complaint also alleged that school officials publicly blamed the student for one of the incidents, saying that someone was putting misinformation on social media, causing problems at school.
According to the complaint, no actions were taken against the other students.
Under the settlement, which was executed in May 2025, the school district is required to expunge any information and evidence relating to disciplinary action taken again the Jewish student, continue to provide education on antisemitism as part of its mandatory Holocaust education, commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day annually, and during the week of Holocaust Remembrance Day starting on April 21, 2025, maintain a table of books in the district’s libraries that commemorate Jewish history.
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