Antisemitism on campus: The role of communicators
By Sharon Aschaiek | Jan. 31, 2024
The dramatic rise in antisemitism on university campuses in recent months poses difficult challenges for those who work in higher education communications.
Communicators play a pivotal role in protecting the reputation of the schools at which they work. When protests happen on campus that call for the genocide on Jews, when social media feeds are flooded with antisemitic comments, when professors spew hateful and biased rhetoric about Israel, when university leaders fail to take decisive action that demonstrates their moral clarity and commitment to protecting their Jewish community members against hate—this all affects how well communicators can do their jobs.
How we got here
On Oct. 7, 2023, Israel was the victim of a barbaric attack of murder, torture and rape by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people. Hamas also kidnapped around 240 people and, as of this writing, 136 remain in captivity. This genocidal massacre triggered military action by Israel to dismantle the terrorist group and protect its citizens. The resulting war, exacerbated by Hamas terrorists using their citizens as human shields, has created much suffering for people in Gaza.
Many people have strong feelings about the terrorist attack and resulting war. But some see their grievances with Israel as an excuse to blame and attack Jews. As a result, we have seen an alarming rise in Jew-hatred worldwide, expressed through assaults, vandalism and verbal or written harassment.
In higher education settings, the terrorist attack on Israel inspired some university student groups to make statements blaming Israel for being attacked, and expressing their solidarity with the terrorists. Pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses have included calls to eradicate Israel and commit violence against Jews, in some cases including intimidation directed to Jewish students. We have also seen professors openly advocate for the destruction of Israel, the world’s only Jewish nation. In response, we’ve seen developments such as: lawsuits filed against multiple universities in Canada and the U.S. for failing to keep their Jewish students safe; Canadian universities responding to inquiries from federal MPs on their stance on calls for the genocide of Jews; a U.S. congressional investigation on antisemitism; and the U.S. Department of Education investigating dozens of educational institutions over anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents.
As leaders of universities continue to determine the best ways to quell antisemitic violence, restore order and protect the physical and psychological safety of Jewish members of their communities, communicators have an important role to play in this process.
DEI and anti-Jewish racism
A major area of concern in this issue is the extent to which diversity, equity and inclusion units at universities encompass policies and programs that tackle antisemitism and promote the inclusion of Jewish students. Research shows anti-Jewish racism is not on the radar of university DEI units. A 2022 report by the advocacy group Stop Antisemitism found that of DEI initiatives at 24 major colleges and universities in the U.S., only two had any specific programming or materials related to antisemitism. Meanwhile, data shows that the lack of consideration for Jewish students’ safety and belonging may be influenced by the attitudes of DEI staff: a 2021 study examining the X feeds of 741 DEI personnel at 65 U.S. universities identified their excessive criticism of the state of Israel.
The ways in which DEI practices influence academics also impacts how communicators do their work. For example, social work programs have a heavy emphasis on some forms of discrimination, but tend to completely exclude anti-Jewish racism. The omission of antisemitism, a real, historical and dangerous form of hate, from social work curricula has the effect of creating a learning atmosphere that disregards or is hostile to Jewish students.
The widespread perception of Jews as White, and therefore enjoying privileged social status, means they fall outside of the populations that DEI programs typically aim to serve. But this framing fails to acknowledge the diverse socioeconomic lived experiences of Jews, as well as their diverse ethnic makeup, with about half descending from the Middle East and North Africa (e.g. not presenting as White). It also doesn’t take into account the long history of oppression, persecution and displacement of Jews of all backgrounds throughout history and in our present time, which underscores the fact that Jews are also a marginalized group that, in its own way, is in need of protection and support.
Taking action in communications
If your university is lacking in programs and protocols to safeguard and support Jewish students, it adversely affects how you as a communicator can minimize reputational harm to your institution. It may mean there are no clear protocols for how to express the university’s solidarity with its Jewish students; respond to concerns about Jew-hatred from students, parents, donors and other stakeholders; address antisemitic comments made on your school’s social media accounts; prepare your leaders for media interviews about Jew-hatred on campus; and reflect to the public how your school lives its values and embraces DEI for students of all backgrounds, Jews included.
To fulfil your responsibility to develop and deliver communications that best represent your university, it is prudent for you to inquire about how DEI at your school prioritizes anti-Jewish racism, and to question gaps in this area that could jeopardize your school’s brand and reputation. As professionals who are observing the front-line impacts of inadequate DEI policies and practices relating to anti-Jewish racism, communicators have valuable input to share with their leaders on this topic. Communication leaders should share their observations and insights when it comes to institutional discussions and strategies relating to tackling anti-Jewish racism.
If your university is struggling to respond to anti-Jewish racism, communicators can explore ways to support this process and enhance communications about antisemitism and Jewish belonging on campus. For instance, now is a good time for communicators to become familiar with student groups on campus geared to Jewish or Israeli students. Members of these groups can share about their lived experiences as Jews, including how it feels to be on campus at times when antisemitism flares up. Undertaking this kind of engagement will help you with crafting culturally sensitive communications, and will allow you to meaningfully contribute to any institutional initiatives to prioritize Jewish safety and inclusion. In this vein, it may also be useful to consult with spiritual leaders on campus, such as a rabbi or an interfaith minister, who may be able to offer guidance on communicating about anti-Jewish racism in ways that engender understanding and unity.
What can also help support your institution’s communications about anti-Jewish racism is noting how other universities are addressing this issue. For instance, Dartmouth College has been lauded for holding two in-person and live-streamed academic forums for its community where its Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies professors discussed the complex history of Israel, Gaza and the broader region. These were well-attended events that resulted in productive dialogue that helped diffuse tensions surrounding this sensitive topic. As centres of knowledge sharing and intellectual exploration, universities have a vital role to play in promoting informed understanding on this issue, and communicators can play a role in encouraging and sharing about such learning opportunities.
Another way communicators can take a more informed approach to their work on anti-Jewish racism is by observing the actions and statements of external groups and initiatives focused on Jewish affairs and antisemitism, such as B’nai Brith Canada, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. One useful resource in the U.S. is The 10/7 Project, an initiative of five Jewish organizations—the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations—to promote accurate, unbiased news coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Other resources that may be useful include the advocacy groups Jewish on Campus and Alums for Campus Fairness, leaders of local synagogues, Canada’s Special Envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism, and the U.S. government’s U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
The more you understand about the Israel-Hamas conflict and its ramifications for Jews worldwide, the better you can support your institution in how it responds to and, by extension, communicates about anti-Jewish racism and the inclusion of Jewish students and other community members.