https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/07/the_crisis_of_antisemitism_on_campus_and_where_it_s_coming_from.html
On October 7, 2023, crossing the Gaza border during a ceasefire, Hamas and other Islamic terror groups slaughtered 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostage. The magnitude of this unprovoked act should have ignited widespread outrage and solidarity with Jews and Israel. Instead, students and professors on many university campuses celebrated Hamas, vilified Israel, and expressed virulent antisemitism that had built up over the years, through slurs, flagrant discrimination, and even assaults.
Prof. Russell Rickford, who teaches history at Cornell, described the Hamas attack as “energizing” and “exhilarating,” and called it a “symbol of resistance.” He later defended his comments, saying he was referring to Hamas’s breaking through a “wall of apartheid” — whatever that means. Five days after the attack, student groups at Cornell justified it and blamed Israel for it. Similar displays of anti-Israel sentiment and blatant antisemitism appeared on other campuses as well. Jewish students and professors reported feeling unsafe, facing hate speech and unprovoked heckling.
An April report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) revealed 1,694 antisemitic incidents in 2024, marking an 84% increase from 2023. Likely, the actual numbers are higher, as a survey conducted by the ADL, Hillel International, and College Pulse found that 93% of students did not report antisemitic incidents to university authorities, and 83% of Jewish students have experienced various forms of antisemitism since October 7. Twenty-seven percent reported antisemitic behavior by faculty, and 66% expressed no confidence in their university’s ability to prevent such incidents. In fact, 30% of those who reported incidents said they received no help. Additionally, 23% of Jewish students now take extra security measures, and 41% feel the need to hide their identity.
According to the joint survey, on-campus antisemitism includes disrupting Jewish, Israeli, and pro-Israel speakers; singling out Jews for perceived or actual ties to Israel; subjecting Jews to anti-Israel or anti-Jewish comments both in conversations and online; vandalizing Jewish signs and symbols; forcing students to view course material that is openly anti-Israel; disrupting classes with protests, with some professors offering extra credit for participating in anti-Israel protests; receiving biased treatment from anti-Israel professors; being blamed for Israel’s policies; and facing ostracism by campus groups and students who are strongly anti-Israel.
