Latest News from Campus

In this opinion piece, Executive Director of Columbia Barnard Hillel Brian Cohen says that the key question for Jewish students is not whether antisemitism exists on campus, but how universities respond when it shows up. He highlights the strength of campus support systems and Jewish life infrastructure, including professional staff, student organizations, and community programming, as factors that shape students’ safety and ability to thrive. Cohen states that a school’s commitment to action and support for Jewish engagement is a critical part of the full picture of Jewish life.

British police have arrested two suspects on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following an attack in which four ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer emergency organization, Hatzola, were set on fire in north London. No injuries were reported in what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a “deeply shocking antisemitism arson attack.” As the investigation continues, police are probing a claim of responsibility by a group with suspected links to pro-Iran networks.

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing the school of failing to address antisemitism and permitting severe harassment of Jewish and Israeli students on campus, including physical assault, stalking, and exclusion from campus facilities. The complaint alleges Harvard “turned a blind eye” to antisemitism on campus, allowing anti-Israel protesters to violate rules “with impunity.” Harvard denied the claims and said it has taken “substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism” and enforces its anti-discrimination policies.

University police at San Jose State University are investigating graffiti found on building walls that called for the “eradication of Jews,” along with other hateful and violent language. The graffiti targeted multiple communities, including Jewish, Muslim, and Asian groups. University officials say they have not identified a credible threat, but the incident raised safety concerns on campus.

Columbia University reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Jewish students who alleged the school failed to address rising antisemitism on campus. The complaint claimed, in part, that the university did not adequately protect Jewish and Israeli students as incidents escalated in the aftermath of the October 7 terror attacks. As a result of the settlement, Columbia committed to expanding antisemitism-related programming, creating new Israel-related scholarships, and considering adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

A recent event at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, hosted by the college’s Muslim Student Association, featured a speaker who has shared posts online promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories. Sheikh Abdelrahman Badawy circulated videos and posts in the past several weeks containing anti-Jewish conspiracies and mocking the Holocaust.