Hearing on the Hill. The House Education & Workforce Committee convened a hearing yesterday titled “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.” Testimony was provided by the Presidents of Haverford College, DePaul University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. They addressed the rise in antisemitic incidents on their campuses and how their institutions are responding to the antisemitism crisis. The hearing drew extensively on materials developed by ADL, including the 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents and data from the Campus Antisemitism Report Card. Throughout the hearing, Committee members underscored their firm commitment to addressing campus antisemitism and holding higher education institutions accountable for failing to safeguard Jewish students. DePaul and Cal Poly SLO cited ADL as a partner in their ongoing work to better promote the safety and inclusion of Jewish members of campus communities.

“There is a great deal of work left to do,” said ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties’ regional director Joshua Burt, adding that the region looks forward to working with the university to “enable tangible improvements in the campus climate.” By contrast, Haverford’s testimony drew sharp criticism from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who said the college still “doesn’t get it.” Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) also weighed in, warning that anti-Zionism can quickly bleed into antisemitism. Haverford’s testimony comes after ADL has waited more than 18 months for a response to our offers to engage, and we remain hopeful as that dialogue finally begins to move forward. You can watch the recording of the hearing here.

(Source: House Education & Workforce Committee | YouTube)

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Columbia. Columbia University continues to be a focal point of concern for campus antisemitism. A large group of masked anti-Israel protesters disrupted campus by flooding Butler Library during finals week. Their refusal to leave, despite repeated warnings, led to confrontations with university security and ultimately the NYPD, resulting in the arrest of approximately 75 individuals later that evening. Acting University President Claire Shipman authorized the police intervention, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring community safety after two public safety officers were injured. She strongly condemned the "violence on our campus, antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination" witnessed during the event, which was organized by the anti-Israel group Columbia University Apartheid Divest. The protesters displayed a banner declaring "Liberated Zone" and ADL added they were heard chanting " globalize the intifada," a phrase identified as a clear call for violence against Israelis and Jews. Adding to the university's challenges, Columbia announced impending layoffs of nearly 180 research staff, representing about 20 percent of its researchers. This decision follows the Trump administration's suspension of $400 million in federal funding, a consequence of concerns regarding antisemitism and anti-Israel incidents on campus. As the statement by Columbia about the staffing cutbacks noted, “Those decisions also impact our greatest resource, our people. We understand this news will be hard.”

(Source: Luisa Sukkar / Columbia Daily Spectator)

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Washington. At the University of Washington, anti-Israel protesters broke into an engineering building and briefly occupied it, setting fires in dumpsters and vandalizing the building. Approximately 30 protesters were arrested, and the school estimated damages of over $1 million. A group called Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return UW took credit for organizing the incident as a way to oppose Boeing, which had partially funded the building and which the group blames for military support for Israel. A school spokesman described them as a “suspended student group” that has made antisemitic statements, and Washington President Ana Mari Cauce denounced the demonstration, saying “this was no peaceful protest in support of Palestinian rights or against the war in Gaza.” ADL praised the quick condemnation by the school and urged continued progress in making the school safe and welcoming for all students.

Outside the UW building during the demonstration. (Source: FOX 13 News)

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Northwestern. A survey of students at Northwestern University that was conducted by the student newspaper dug into a number of issues of concern to the school’s Jewish community. At the school, which has had highly visible anti-Israel protests since 10/7, the majority of Jewish students identify antisemitism as a “somewhat” or “very” serious problem at the school, joined by 30% of the whole student body. The report also found that students who described themselves as moderate or conservative were far more likely to see antisemitism as a serious problem at Northwestern than students who see themselves as very liberal.

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Dartmouth. Anti-Israel student protesters at Dartmouth College dismantled their encampment after the administration agreed to demands related to support for international students and divestment. The college increased its legal aid fund for noncitizen students from $2,000 to up to $5,000 in special cases and confirmed that the Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility will vote on a Gaza-related divestment proposal by May 20. Unlike previous encampments that ended in arrests, this protest concluded peacefully, though students involved were still notified that they had violated university policies and may face disciplinary action.

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New Tools for Academic Associations. A new guide and toolkit developed by ADL in partnership with the Academic Engagement Network (AEN) provide support to help address antisemitism and to foster academic spaces that accommodate diverse viewpoints within professional academic associations. The guide includes best practices for the leadership of these organizations, and the toolkit is full of resources for members of associations to use when confronting antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, including illustrative examples of incidents and effective responses to these situations.

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EVENT: ADL Parent Advocacy Webinar: Addressing Antisemitism in Independent K-12 Schools. Jewish students in independent K-12 schools deserve to feel accepted and safe and to thrive within learning communities that are free of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias. On May 21, we invite parents and caregivers to join us for an online discussion on what ADL’s latest research indicates about the climate for Jews in independent K-12 schools, how other parents have championed change in their schools and communities and what kinds of resources ADL offers to support your own advocacy efforts to create a positive, inclusive school experience for Jewish students. Click here to register now.

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Out of the Pitts. The two main universities in Western Pennsylvania are taking steps to support Jewish life on campus after a spike both nationally and regionally in campus antisemitism. As Richard Scheines, a Carnegie Mellon University Dean noted, “We are doing everything we possibly can to fight antisemitism insofar as it is there, and we’re doing everything we can to keep the temperature down.” The school got a B grade on ADL's Campus Antisemitism Report Card. Pitt, which received a C grade on that Report Card, had a number of worrisome incidents last year. Pitt has added security options and organized sessions to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A newly created working group to address antisemitism is vowing to move Pitt in a positive direction for Jewish students.

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Never Stay Silent. Rather than staying silent amid the increasing hostility and harassment faced by Jewish students on campus, Ethan Elharrar and Liat Schwartz at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are using their voices to call attention to the injustice and demand meaningful change. They describe a dramatic shift on campus post-10/7. Once feeling part of the campus community, they quickly became targets of hostility after publicly supporting Israel and identifying as Jewish. Despite filing complaints and seeking university support, they say TMU administration largely ignored or deflected their concerns. Elharrar and Schwartz have gotten more involved in pro-Israel groups and argue that TMU's silence in the face of escalating antisemitism sends a dangerous message of indifference.

A Healing Hug. Nefesh B’Nefesh, Friends of the IDF and JNF-USA have relaunched “Operation Hug,” an initiative that reunites lone soldiers in the IDF with their parents amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Since its 2023 launch, the program has enabled over 1,200 reunions for parents of combat soldiers who made aliyah and serve without family nearby. The program will help parents who haven’t seen their children in over a year and haven’t previously participated. Task Force Chair Deborah Riegel said “I have seen firsthand the indescribable impact this initiative has had on them all. In moments of challenge and triumph, nothing can substitute for a hug from a parent, and Operation Hug reminds these young heroes that they are never truly alone.”

(Source: Nefesh B'Nefesh)

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Flames of Solidarity. Lieutenant Aston Bright from Plantation, Florida shared his firsthand experience after his fifth time volunteering in Israel through the Emergency Volunteers Project . Bright highlighted his admiration for Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services, praising them for their dedication and skill in continuously overcoming immense challenges. The Lieutenant calls for increased international cooperation, particularly between the U.S. and Israel. “As I write this, I’m filled with gratitude for the chance to serve alongside Israel’s firefighters. Their courage fuels my own, and their dedication reminds me why I became a firefighter in the first place. Let’s honor their work by standing with them now” said Bright.

Chai-er Ed^TM, ADL’s campus podcast, hosted by activist and former student leader Luda Isakharov, uncovers the realities of Jewish life on campus — the challenges, the victories and the unshakable resilience of Jewish students confronting hate head-on.

🎧 Tune in weekly and be part of the conversation.

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In this special Chai-er Ed bonus episode, University of Michigan President Santa Ono emphasized the importance of empathy and accountability in supporting Jewish students during times of conflict. He also shared Michigan’s proactive steps to address antisemitism, including policy changes, campus engagement and a strong partnership with ADL.

• Campus Community Advocacy Resources — From social media shares to letter writing campaigns, ADL has clear steps for you to take action and effect change on college campuses.
• K-12 Advocacy Resources — Tools and knowledge to foster and advocate for a safe, inclusive and equitable school environment for all.
• University 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.
• University Administration — Guidance & 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.
• Chai-er Ed Podcast — ADL’s campus podcast, brings you firsthand stories from Jewish students navigating today’s college campuses.
• General Campus Resources — ADL Backgrounders, Educational Programming, Research and Analysis and more.
• Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL) — College or university students, professors, or employees who want to report campus incidents of antisemitic discrimination, intimidation, harassment, vandalism or violence that may necessitate legal action can report to CALL for legal support.
• K-12 Antisemitism Legal Line — Parents and other interested adults in California, Massachusetts and New York can report incidents of antisemitic discrimination, intimidation, harassment, vandalism or violence occurring in K-12 schools to the K-12 Antisemitism Legal Line.
• Report an Antisemitic Incident.

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