Following the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, college students have witnessed an unprecedented rise in antisemitism, leaving many Jewish students feeling unsafe on their own campuses. Antisemitic and anti-Israel rallies have risen at colleges nationwide including Penn and UW-Madison these past few months, where protesters have chanted mantras that sound as though they are calling for genocide against Jews, particularly in Israel.
The New York Times notes that the chants at these rallies consist of phrases like “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and are a direct reference to the destruction of Israel, which lies between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. For some, these words are merely advocating for Palestinian freedom, but for many, especially Jewish students, these words create a sense of fear as these protests are threatening the land of their faith. Furthermore, these chants are often paired with comments praising Hamas or other organizations that put Israel and its people in peril. While “there is of course nothing antisemitic about advocating for Palestinians to have their own state…calling for the elimination of the Jewish state, praising Hamas or other entities who call for Israel’s destruction, or suggesting that the Jews alone do not have the right to self-determination, is antisemitic,” according to the American Jewish Committee.
As commotion rises on campuses, the line between free speech and hate speech at universities across the country has grown thin and, in many cases, has kept people from being held accountable for hateful actions. At the congressional hearing in Washington D.C. on December 5, Claudine Gay, president of Harvard who has since resigned; Elizabeth Magill, president of Penn who has since resigned; and Sally Kornbluth, president of MIT, all denounced antisemitism while promoting free speech: “We are deeply committed to protecting free expression, even of views that we find objectionable and outrageous and offensive,” remarked Gay at the hearing for which Roll Call published a transcription. This comment sparked a multitude of reactions and controversy. For many students, specifically Jewish students, this statement meant that hate speech would be allowed to continue without repercussions, which did not quell their fears but heighten them. University administrations’ reluctance to speak out has only empowered protesters. A Penn senior, who asked to remain anonymous, noted that, “Their silence has allowed countless students and faculty to voice antisemitic thoughts and opinions right on campus. As a result, I’ve been steadily losing confidence in Penn’s ability to protect Jewish students.”
Despite this apparent inaction, some small steps are occuring in order to foster a safer environment for students. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has taken a stance against antisemitism, writing to New York State college and university presidents in reaction to the December hearing. Hochul emphasized the significance of antisemitic incidents and the repercussions that are to come if New York State colleges and universities refrain from punishing these acts: “I assure you that if any school in New York State is found to be in violation, I will activate the State’s Division of Human Rights to take aggressive action and will refer possible Title VI violations to the federal government,” wrote Hochul in her letter. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act states that the obligation to keep students free from an uncongenial environment based upon ethnicity or national origin lies within the hands of those who receive federal funding. Hopefully, these precautions will help put an end to the cruel and inhumane hatred.
Moreover, the Biden Administration and Education Department have put their best foot forward in the treacherous battle against antisemitism. The Biden Administration has vocalized its condemnation for both Islamophobia and antisemitism, stating “We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism. We must also, without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia.” Any action towards creating a sense of safety throughout college campuses is crucial, and while these initiatives have helped, the fight is far from over.
Some progress has been made in terms of combating antisemitic behavior on campus, but there is still much progress to be made. College administrations’ neglect of this issue cannot be overlooked. The Penn senior continued, “I share the opinion that the administration has ignorantly failed to condemn or punish so many deliberately antisemitic outbursts from both students and faculty members. Their silence and lack of action is deafening to the Jewish community at Penn.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. has skyrocketed by 360% ever since the October 7 attacks with approximately 500 prejudice occurrences taking place on college campuses. This massive wave of hate has washed away the haven that campuses claim to provide, and action must be taken in order to regain that safe space for Jewish students.