Get the Expert Advice: Considering Campus Antisemitism in Your College Search
To help Jewish parents and families get the information they need about what antisemitism and Jewish life on campus are truly like right now, the latest session in Hillel’s Virtual College Prep Series focused on what campus climates really look like today, how prospective students can get an honest picture of what’s going on at their potential schools, and how Hillel is there to support Jewish students in every aspect of their college experience.
Here are some of our top takeaways on how Hillel is making a difference on over 850 college and university campuses, and which tips to keep in mind for choosing a college in today’s complex environment:
Hillel’s advocacy for Jewish students takes many forms, and makes a difference every single day.
Hillel doesn’t just support students; we also work with administrators to make long-term changes on campus when it comes to antisemitism. Jon Falk, vice president of Hillel International’s Israel engagement and confronting antisemitism program, in discussion with Hillel International President and CEO Adam Lehman, emphasized the importance of Hillel’s work with administrators to prepare policies and enforcement for those policies to help support Jewish students. They cited the Hillel International Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), a flagship program that helps college and university presidents and campus administrators counter antisemitism, which has been key in helping administrators understand how to implement changes that reduce antisemitism on campus.
More than 100 colleges and universities participate in CCI, engaging in campus-specific work to foster a positive, inclusive, and welcoming campus for Jewish students and all students. “Where we’ve seen a huge change is when penalties [for policy violations] are really enforced, and… students understand that there is a penalty for hate and a penalty for hatred of Jews,” Falk said.
Lehman highlighted that, in addition to CCI, Hillel International operates Campus for All, “a resource for any Jewish student who wants to learn more about the nature of contemporary antisemitism, learn more about all the misinformation about Jews, Judaism, [and] Israel that [has] been twisted into antisemitic tropes and actions.” Additionally, Lehman shared more information about the Campus Teach-in Tour, which has educated thousands of students about issues related to Israel and the Middle East, and the Campus Impact Advisors initiative, which empowers campus professionals to prevent and respond to antisemitism.
Taking a campus tour is more important than ever.
Touring a college campus can be one of the most fun parts of the college search process, but it’s also critical to getting an accurate picture of the campus environment.
“What you see in the news is not necessarily reflective of what’s happening on campus,” said Evan Cohen, vice chair of the Israel Leadership Network and a Hillel student leader at the University of Michigan. “Really checking in on that campus, talking to students who are there, talking to Hillel professionals, understanding what the experience is truly like, is critically important.”
Moreover, Falk encouraged students to not be afraid of asking questions about what the campus environment is like and whether there have been antisemitic incidents on campus. Issues of antisemitism on campus can give you real insight into the reality of the campus environment.
The safety of Jewish students will always be Hillel’s number one priority.
Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. But that work includes another critical mission: keeping Jewish students safe. While many campus Hillels had existing relationships with campus safety officers, local police, and even private security companies before the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the past 18 months have led to new investments in safety and security processes and protocols to ensure that Jewish students are safe on campus.
“Our commitment to safety… was always important, and we’ve taken much more of a priority in communicating that, certainly to parents, to students, to our student leaders, so they understand a little more of our inner workings, and even to our broader community,” said Debbie Yunker Kail, executive director at Hillel at Arizona State University. “If we don’t have that foundational safety and security, the rest of the growth that we’re all here to do and that students… came to college to receive, that can’t happen.”
Building confidence in your Jewish identity can make all the difference.
Being Jewish on campus can be difficult, even when there is a vibrant and thriving Jewish community. But all of our experts agree that building confidence — in yourself, your values, and your Jewish identity — can help you navigate even the most challenging situations.
“Even if we weren’t living in such a complicated Jewish moment… part of the spiritual journey of the university setting is encountering ideas that are different from the ones that you grew up around, encountering ideas that you might disagree with, and having to hold your space to grow but also to remain confident in your perspectives on the world,” said Rabbi Josh Bolton, executive director of Brown & RISD Hillel.
Some of the campuses with the highest level of antisemitism also have some of the most vibrant Jewish life.
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to finding the right school, but one important thing to remember in your search is that when it comes to evaluating the Jewish environment on campus, it’s important to take a full-circle look.
“There are campuses that have had, sadly, multiple antisemitic incidents, but there were 10 different [Passover] seders being held on that campus,” said Falk. “So it’s not a zero-sum game. That, to me, is so important in understanding the full picture of the campus environment, both some of the troubling pieces around antisemitism and then really grasping vibrant Jewish life.”
“There’s so many ways that we find joy on campus,” Cohen said. “From attending Shabbat dinners, where we… sometimes have hundreds of students, to growing my circle of Jewish friends.”
Even during challenging moments, Cohen underscored that Hillel finds ways to bring Jewish students together, showing and building their resilience.
Catch the full recording to hear all the tips and resources we couldn’t fit into just one blog post.