BUZZ
One third of Jewish students also say they self-censor their beliefs about Israel
One in 4 Jewish college students say they either felt or were excluded from a campus activity because of their Jewish identity, a new survey by the American Jewish Committee and Hillel International found.
The results add evidence to on-going concerns about rampant antisemitism on American college campuses.
“While we welcome the fact that the vast majority of campuses have not been disrupted by uncontrolled protests in the past year, the data make clear that Jewish students are still experiencing antisemitism on their campuses,” AJC Vice President Laura Frank stated in a news release.
Published Tuesday, the survey found that 42 percent of Jewish students said they have experienced antisemitism on campus.
Additionally, 25 percent said “they have felt or been excluded from a group or an event on campus because they are Jewish.”
Self-censorship also is a problem with 38 percent saying they don’t share their views about Israel on campus. This is despite nearly 70 percent saying Israel is important to their Jewish identity.
Meanwhile, one in three said they “avoided displaying their Jewish identity due to fear of antisemitism.” This includes wearing, carrying, or displaying things that associate them with Judaism or Israel.
“When looking at campus antisemitism from an institutional standpoint, 32% of Jewish college students say that they have felt that student life and/or student activities have promoted antisemitism or fueled a learning environment that is hostile to Jews,” according to the survey.
Adam Lehman, president of Hillel International, said Jewish students should not be afraid to share their identities or beliefs.
“ … yet that’s the reality for too many students today,” Lehman stated in the news release. “Our work on the ground every day is focused on changing that reality by creating environments where all Jewish students can find welcoming Hillel communities and can fully and proudly express their Jewish identities without fear or concern.”
MORE: Former UCSB student government president sues school alleging antisemitic harassment
