News

Over the summer, we waited with bated breath to see to what extent, if any, the climate on campus for Jewish students will have improved in time for Fall semester.

Unfortunately, by the first week of August, antisemitic incidents were already pouring in.

One student told us that the local campus culture was so fraught with anti-Israel biased that it is just assumed that no one, including Jewish students, would ever possibly consider supporting the Jewish State. It doesn't matter that this student isnt herself a supporter of the Israel government, because anyone who dares to say anything positive about Israel are immediately accused of supporting "genocide." This student, who serves as the leader of a particular (not Judaism-related) club, was interrogated by other student leaders to make sure she had personally attended protests, then pressured to issue a statement in full support of the encampments (which made this student uncomfortable as the encampments had featured slogans including "Death to Israel"). When the student brought up also condemning antisemitism in the statement, she was ostracized for "promoting Zionist propaganda", was called "a supporter of genocide" and is facing a coup from her own board and membership.

Most tragically, the student was terrified of reporting these details to the school she attended for fear of repercussions if the story came out.

What I find so disturbing here is how this student has been persecuted for doing nothing but saying the word "antisemitism." Like the majority of young Jews in this country, they are just not engaged one way or another in Mideast politics, much less vocal ? and Israel advocacy is not on their agenda. They are just trying to attend grad school in peace. When Jewish students aren't allowed to even do that, it all just goes to show that it's not really about Israel, it's about Jews.

Jewish students on campus these days are walking a tightrope. How do they toe the line without turning their back on their community and their values, or face getting skewered if they don't?

We really feel for these students and try to help them any way we can. JGO is now sponsoring this particular student's trip to Washington DC to attend our annual Partners Summit in two weeks to hear from inspiring speakers, meet counterparts from around the country, and get the support to deal with issues like these. We also offered to double funding for Jewish programming on her grad campus and we are speaking to her school administration on her behalf.

Jewish students on campus deserve to have a safe space to be Jewish without pressure to do anything that goes against their beliefs. They certainly deserve to have their concerns heard without fear that their complaints will be used against them.

JGO is continuing to do everything we can to help them walk that tightrope.