The dramatic rise in antisemitism on university campuses over the past year 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 of 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.
The Road to Rising Antisemitism on Campus
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 over 1200 people. Hamas also kidnapped 251 people, at least 70 of whom have since died, with close to 100 still in captivity.
This genocidal massacre triggered military action by Israel to protect its citizens and dismantle the terrorist group. 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 wherever they live. As a result, we have seen an alarming rise in Jew-hatred worldwide, expressed through assaults, vandalism, and verbal or written harassment.
Where We Stand: A Year After October 7
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 and barring them from accessing campus spaces.
We have also seen professors openly advocate for the destruction of Israel, the world’s only Jewish state. 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 and a House of Commons Justice Committee investigation into antisemitism; and the U.S. Department of Education investigating dozens of educational institutions over antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents.
We’ve also seen an inspiring response from some students dedicated to protecting their classmates' rights and ensuring that aggressive pro-Hamas demonstrations do not hinder their pursuit of an education free from hate, intimidation, and violence, including at Concordia University. Following the inspiring response from some students, Jewish students across Canada have also joined together to form the Canadian Union of Jewish Students (CUJS). This democratically elected body advocates for Jewish students’ safety and rights on campus, amplifies their voices, and takes action against antisemitic 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 related to campus antisemitism the extent to which diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) units at universities include policies and programs that tackle antisemitism and promote the inclusion of Jewish students. At Canadian universities antisemitism often remains outside the scope of DEI initiatives, despite its prevalence on campus and on our streets. Simon Fraser University assistant professor Dr. Lilach Marom has highlighted this issue, noting the absence of antisemitism in Canadian DEI policies and conversations within higher education.
The ways in which DEI practices influence academics also impact 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 is in particular need of protection and support in these turbulent times.
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.
Engaging with Jewish Student Groups and Leaders
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 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.
Learning from External Organizations and Initiatives
What can also help support your institution’s communications about anti-Jewish racism is noting how some universities are more successfully 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. Also noteworthy, the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism (ALCCA) has launched a Respectful Dialogue Committee to better foster understanding and civil discourse on College and University campuses.
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 new handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of 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.
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A version of this article was first published here.
About the Author
Sharon Aschaiek of Higher Ed Communications is a writer, editor, and content strategist who uses her expertise to support advocacy efforts that combat antisemitism and work for Jewish safety, rights and inclusion.