Addressing Antisemitism on Campus: Education and Understanding as Key

Recent events, including the detention of a former Columbia University graduate student involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests and the Department of Education’s investigation into alleged antisemitism at numerous colleges and universities, have brought the issue of rising campus antisemitism into sharp focus. These incidents, while concerning, highlight the need for a comprehensive and nuanced approach to addressing prejudice on college campuses.

Data paints a disturbing picture. A recent survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International, and College Pulse revealed that a staggering 83% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since October 7, 2023. This marks a significant increase from 2021, when a similar survey indicated that 43% of Jewish students had experienced or witnessed antisemitic activity in the past year. This near doubling of antisemitic incidents is deeply alarming and demands immediate attention.

The rise in antisemitism is a threat to the vitality of our religiously diverse democracy, particularly within the realm of higher education, which plays a central role in preserving and promoting these values. While it’s imperative to address this issue, we must carefully consider the most effective strategies for doing so. Punitive measures alone may not offer a lasting solution to a problem as deeply rooted as antisemitism.

Perhaps, a more constructive path involves leveraging the core strengths of higher education: education and the expansion of hearts and minds. While corrective actions are certainly necessary when policies are violated or when antisemitism manifests in ways that threaten people’s safety, administrators and leaders of higher learning institutions have a responsibility and an opportunity to educate.

Imagine a campus environment where institutions doubled down on a commitment to education. What if they taught campus communities about antisemitism and other forms of prejudice, equipping students with the skills to engage across deep differences, even when those differences are deeply offensive? What if they fostered institutional cultures that valued both intentions and impact? What if they took seriously the impact of prejudice while assuming that those who perpetuated it could learn and grow if given the chance?

Policies and punitive measures play a vital role in ensuring safety on campus, but they should be viewed as a last resort rather than the initial response. Many leaders have already embraced this approach, offering valuable models to emulate. When the Ohio State University’s Hillel student center was vandalized in 2023, Hillel leaders chose a restorative response over a punitive one. As part of an agreement, the students involved in the vandalism attended listening and learning sessions with Jewish students and rabbis.

Rabbi Aaron Portman, senior Jewish educator at OSU Hillel, described the experience as transformative, saying that the goal was to bridge divides and move toward mutual understanding, while also ensuring acknowledgement of responsibility. This approach highlights that it is possible to address rising antisemitism in a way that truly shifts attitudes and fosters inclusion, rather than alienating individuals.

The current context presents significant challenges, including new pressures from political leaders. While concerns about antisemitism are valid, it’s important to broaden the view to include Muslim students, who are also impacted by rising prejudice. A 2024 University of Chicago study revealed that 56% of Jewish students and 52% of Muslim students feel personally endangered due to their support of Israel or Palestinians. This underscores the importance of addressing all forms of prejudice and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students.

We must address antisemitism wherever it manifests, but we must do so in a way that does not amplify one form of prejudice while attempting to minimize another. Painting all pro-Palestine protesters as supporters of terrorism, for instance, reinforces Islamophobic and anti-Arab tropes that portray Arabs and Muslims as uniquely violent, foreign, and monolithic.

While one may disagree with the rhetoric or tactics employed during campus protests, it’s crucial to uphold the fundamental American value of the right to protest. Many participants in these protests are motivated by a genuine commitment to justice, not support for terrorism.

We can only realize the full potential of our religiously diverse democracy by upholding core principles of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. These principles ensure that we safeguard the rights of even those with whom we disagree, including the right to due process. By upholding these rights for others, we also safeguard them for ourselves.

Higher education, by its very nature, can lead the nation in this critical work. Its deep commitments to robust intellectual inquiry and research, exchange across diverse identities and viewpoints, and thoughtful education provide the best pathway to addressing prejudice and cultivating healthier campus communities for all.

Colleges and universities can empower students to take pride in their unique identities while also broadening their perspectives on the world. They can expose students to new ideas and intellectual frameworks, and help them understand the impact of their words and actions on others.

Leaders face significant institutional risks in this moment. However, higher education’s existing values and commitments provide powerful tools to navigate these challenges. Institutional leaders can leverage their strengths to find solutions rather than operating solely from a mindset of caution.

The founder and president of Interfaith America, Eboo Patel, often quotes the words of poet Edwin Markham, who wrote, “He drew a circle that shut me out – Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle and took him in!” This sentiment underscores the importance of inclusivity and understanding in addressing prejudice.

We can only move the needle in addressing antisemitism, along with the other prejudices that plague our campuses, when we focus not on who we can push out or what we can tear down, but rather on what we can build together. By embracing education, understanding, and inclusivity, we can create campus communities that are truly welcoming and equitable for all.