As antisemitic incidents continue to spike on college campuses, university leadership has a uniquely important role to play in addressing antisemitism and ensuring the safety and well-being of Jewish students, faculty, and staff. American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, maintains that in addition to meeting the immediate needs of Jewish campus citizens, real change requires a sustained commitment to improving the learning and living environment for everyone, including Jewish community members.
To further this mission, AJC established the Center for Education Advocacy (CEA) to consolidate all of the organization’s work in educational spaces under one umbrella. The Center’s founding comes on the heels of antisemitic protests on dozens of college campuses, which left many Jewish students feeling vulnerable and isolated, with some fearing for their safety and concealing their Jewish identity on campus. Jews of all ages, in all educational spaces, must be able to learn and grow without the threats of harassment, intimidation, and violence. We have updated our action plan to provide more focused recommendations about immediate, near-term, and long-term action steps to improve the campus atmosphere.
Our plan is responsive to the data from AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report that highlights the threat that antisemitism poses to the integrity of our shared institutions. AJC experts are available to work in partnership with university administrators to help build an atmosphere more resilient against rising Jew-hatred. Please contact Dr. Sara Coodin, AJC Director of Academic Affairs, or Dr. Daniel Rosenthal, AJC Assistant Director of Academic Affairs at [email protected], for more information about this action plan or to discuss how we can help.