Antisemitism on College Campuses: A Growing Threat

A new report highlights the increase in antisemitism around the world, including on college campuses. GWU student Hannah Kraut discusses the recent protests on her campus and calls for universities to be safe spaces for all students.

As the world commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day, a new report shines a light on the alarming rise in antisemitism globally, including on college campuses. The Annual Antisemitism Worldwide Report, published by Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), reveals a disturbing increase in antisemitic incidents in Western countries between 2022 and 2023.

For George Washington University freshman Hannah Kraut, these statistics are not just numbers; they are a lived reality. She recently witnessed firsthand the alarming spread of antisemitism on her campus during protests related to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.

Kraut, who is Jewish, found the protests to be deeply troubling. "They were completely unacceptable," she said. "Students were chanting antisemitic slogans and spreading hateful rhetoric. It was clear that they were not protesting against the Israeli government; they were attacking Jews."

The TAU-ADL report supports Kraut's observations. After analyzing data from 2022 and 2023, the researchers found a significant increase in antisemitic incidents on college campuses. In the United States alone, the ADL recorded more than 7,500 incidents in 2023, up from nearly 3,700 in 2022.

The report highlights an alarming trend that commenced in October 2023, when Hamas terrorists entered Israel and killed approximately 1,200 people. According to the authors, this event "helped spread a fire that was already out of control."

Similar patterns were observed in other Western countries with substantial Jewish populations. In France, antisemitic incidents surged from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023. Germany experienced a similar spike, with incidents rising from 2,639 to 3,614 during the same period.

Kraut believes that universities have a responsibility to create safe spaces for all students, regardless of their beliefs. "Universities should be places where students feel safe to express their views, even if they are unpopular," she said. "But that should not mean that universities tolerate hate speech or discrimination."

Kraut's concerns are shared by many Jewish students on campuses across the country. President Biden has also addressed the issue, condemning both antisemitism and Islamophobia as forms of hate speech.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has also reported a surge in anti-Muslim hate. According to the organization, 8,061 complaints were registered nationwide in 2023, with nearly half occurring in the final three months of the year. This represents a 56% increase over 2022.

The TAU-ADL report suggests that the escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza after October 2023 may have contributed to this increase in both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate.

As the world grapples with the lingering scourge of antisemitism, it is imperative that institutions of higher education take a proactive stance against hate speech and discrimination. Students like Hannah Kraut deserve to feel safe on their campuses, free from the threat of bigotry and violence.