Nearly Three-Quarters of Jewish Students Experienced or Witnessed Antisemitism on Campus, New Survey Finds

Key Findings:

A new study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Hillel International reveals a sharp increase in antisemitism on college campuses since the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year. This study unpacks the growing antisemitism on campus and calls for improved university responses and more comprehensive DEI training to better support Jewish students.

Increased Antisemitism:

Jewish Students: 73% of Jewish students have either experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the start of the current academic year. This is a notable rise from 32% who reported personal antisemitism and 31% who witnessed it in 2021.

Non-Jewish Students: 44% of non-Jewish students have observed or experienced antisemitism since the academic year began.

Impact of October 7 Attacks:

Before October 7, 67% of Jewish students felt physically safe on campus. After October 7, this number dropped to 46%. Emotional safety among Jewish students also declined, from 66% feeling safe before October 7 to only 33% afterward. The perception of universities as welcoming and supportive fell from 64% to 44% post-October 7. Comfort with disclosing Jewish identity dropped from 64% to 39%.

Dissatisfaction with University Responses:

Pre-October 7: A majority of students (77% of Jewish and 67% of non-Jewish) felt universities were not adequately addressing anti-Jewish prejudice.

Post-October 7: 52% of Jewish students expressed dissatisfaction with their university’s response to the Israel-Gaza conflict, compared to 25% of non-Jewish students.

DEI Training Gaps:

56% of students had completed DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) training, but only 18% of these had modules specific to anti-Jewish prejudice. Both Jewish (84%) and non-Jewish (75%) students support including discussions of anti-Jewish prejudice in DEI programs.

New Initiatives:

ADL and Hillel International recently launched Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL), the helpline for students facing antisemitism. Since its launch, nearly 260 requests for legal assistance have been made across 152 campuses.