ADL Data Reveals Alarming Campus Antisemitism, Despite Strong Jewish Life

Anti-Israel students protest at Columbia University in New York City. Photo: Reuters/Jeenah Moon

Antisemitism on college campuses is a serious problem for Jewish students trying to experience the diverse landscape of academic life.

In 2023, antisemitism on college campuses reached record levels, with incidents surging by 321 percent compared to 2022, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)’s Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.

This dramatic increase includes 922 antisemitic incidents on college and university campuses, demonstrating an urgent need to address antisemitic hate on campus to ensure that all students can learn and thrive. A 2024 CPOST study confirmed that there is a crisis of antisemitism on college campuses, reporting that 56% of Jewish college students felt in personal danger because of their stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. A December 2023 Brandeis report showed that higher levels of antisemitic hostility on campus resulted in Jewish students feeling less safe and less like they “very much belonged.” Such hostility has translated directly to self-censorship, with a 2024 Jim Joseph Foundation study noting that “more than a third of Jewish students report they are hiding their identity in order to fit in.”

To help students, their families, and other campus stakeholders assess what’s happening on campuses — and to urge campuses to take immediate and meaningful action to improve the campus climate for Jewish students — the ADL recently released the first iteration of its new Campus Antisemitism Report Card, a tool that assesses the state of antisemitism on campus and how universities and colleges are responding.

The feedback so far indicates that we are achieving those goals.

Feedback from students and families indicates that our tool is a useful source of necessary information during this volatile time. A number of universities and college leaders have already responded with requests for information and resources, eager to learn how to improve.

Despite its strengths, some have criticized the Report Card or the specific grades it assigned, suggesting that the evaluations may not align with personal experiences on certain campuses.

It’s important to note, however, that while individual experiences may vary, the Report Card is based on data and research, focusing on institutions’ responses to antisemitism and reported incident data.

The data is clear — many of these schools are failing to meet the moment when it comes to addressing rising antisemitism. This is data and information that students, families, alumni, and other campus stakeholders deserve to have. Moreover, it is data and information that should incentivize meaningful corrective action from the institutions themselves.

Although the Jewish student experience is deeply related to what we were aiming to assess — namely the level of antisemitism on campus and how universities are responding — those things are not one and the same. Students on campuses that receive lower grades may still experience positive Jewish life due to strong support systems like Hillels, Chabads, robust Jewish studies programs, and Jewish Greek life organizations.

Conversely, campuses with high grades may still have students experiencing antisemitic incidents.

It is important to note that a high grade does not imply that a campus is free from antisemitism, just as a low grade does not suggest the absence of robust Jewish student life and support. In fact, many campuses received full credit for every aspect of Jewish life we assessed, but the high level of antisemitic incidents on campus, or the university’s lackluster response, drove the grade down.

Many factors affect an individual student’s experience on campus, which is why students and families should view the Report Card as one tool in a suite of available resources that they use to assess campuses.

Our Report Card aims to create a race to the top among campuses, motivating them to strive for excellence in addressing and combating antisemitism. The race is on, and removing the hurdles will only benefit students by creating safer and more inclusive campus environments for all students, including Jewish students.

We hope these schools will implement new programs and policies that we and others recommend, and that their grades will improve accordingly.

Shira Goodman is Senior Director of Advocacy at ADL (the Anti-Defamation League).

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