Campus In Crisis

In the aftermath of October 7, Jewish students on college campuses have been facing an alarming surge in antisemitism, anti-Zionism, pro-Hamas protests, and hostile demonstrations.

At UJA, our top priority is to ensure the physical safety and well-being of Jewish students, empowering them to visibly, proudly, and publicly express their Judaism and Zionism on campus. As the new academic year begins, we are dedicated to providing these students with the support, resources, and protection they need to thrive.

SAFETY

Our Community Security Initiative (CSI) team includes a newly hired professional campus security director, who will exclusively be focused on Jewish students’ needs. This professional will be a first point of contact for any urgent situations that arise.
CSI is launching a joint-campus security program, which will allow us to offer an app to all Jewish students on campus. The app is designed to be activated when a student feels unsafe and immediately connects them with security.
The Community Security Service (CSS) will be training Jewish college students on self-defense and situational awareness.

ADVOCACY

UJA and our partner JCRC-NY are raising our voices and laying out expectations of campuses this fall, making it clear that we will not tolerate a repeat of the spring semester.
We are an active member of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Postsecondary Anti-Hate in Education Working Group, brought together to address rising antisemitism on college campuses. Together with our advocacy partners, our recommendations focus on sharpening campus policies and support systems to create safer and more inclusive environments for Jewish students.
Over the summer, our partner Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) convened 400 pro-Israel students for three days of learning and strategizing for the coming year. Content included social media engagement, legal support, strategies for effective political organization, and more.

LEGAL SUPPORT

UJA provided a grant to the Brandeis Center for a full-time attorney to focus exclusively on New York campuses. The attorney has been investigating Title VI claims and representing Jewish students facing baseless misconduct allegations by pro-Palestinian organizations and individuals. Our initial funding made it possible for Brandeis to establish a full New York office with four full-time attorneys.

JEWISH LIFE

In this moment, more than ever, it is critical for students to experience the joys of being Jewish. We are allocating significant additional funds (on top of our typical allocations) to help build vibrant Jewish life on college campuses.

TAKE ACTION: WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW