Latest News from Campus

Anti-Israel protesters at the University of Washington caused more than $1 million in damage to the school’s engineering building during a demonstration where protestors demanded that the university sever ties with defense contractor, Boeing. In response, the U.S. Department of Education has initiated a federal review of the incident, citing concerns about campus safety and antisemitism.

A Temple University student was suspended after displaying an antisemitic sign that read ‘F*** the Jews’ at Barstool Sansom Street in Philadelphia. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy condemned the incident, fired two employees involved, and announced plans to send the patrons responsible on an educational trip to Auschwitz — an offer he later retracted for one of the students involved after he denied accountability. Philadelphia police are investigating the matter.

Tessa Veksler, former student body president at UC Santa Barbara and UCSB Hillel leader, faced antisemitic harassment after speaking out against the October 7th Hamas attack. She responded by launching the viral hashtag #We’reNotGoingAnywhere, documenting the hate she received and galvanizing support. Veksler now works in strategic communications, speaks nationwide, and is running for a seat on the World Zionist Congress, all while continuing to advocate for Jewish college students and Israel on a global stage.

In this op-ed, Jacob M. Miller, a Harvard senior and former president of Harvard Hillel, argues that the university’s emphasis on defining antisemitism within pro-Palestine and anti-Zionist activism overlooks broader moral issues within the anti-Israel movement. Miller contends that certain actions and rhetoric from pro-Palestine groups, while not always antisemitic by definition, warrant criticism for their insensitivity and potential to incite violence, writing: “Our excoriation of the anti-Israel movement should be based on protesters’ simplistic thinking, extremist rhetoric, support of violence, and denial of Jewish religious teaching and history.”

Penn Hillel was honored with the 2025 Sharon Greene Award for Campus Advocacy at the AJC Global Policy Forum in New York City. The award recognizes leadership in countering antisemitism on campus, and is awarded to students and campus organizations that lead the way in combating antisemitism and discrimination. Ben Messafi, student vice president of Penn Hillel, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.

Yale University revoked the official student group status of Yalies4Palestine after the group violated campus protest policies and triggered concerns about antisemitic behavior during a recent demonstration. The student club lost access to campus spaces and university funding, while Yale continues investigating reports of antisemitism connected to the protest.