A majority of Jewish American college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism firsthand since October 7, according to a January survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Hillel International, and College Pulse.
The survey conducted by the ADL and College Pulse, an online survey and analytics platform, focused on Jewish and non-Jewish American college students at 135 different universities in the fall semester of 2024.
According to the survey’s findings, 83% of Jewish college students said they have experienced or witnessed antisemitism firsthand since the October 7 massacre in Israel. Despite this, an overwhelming majority (92.5%) did not report the incidents to campus authorities.
Additionally, more than a quarter of Jewish students surveyed said they had observed antisemitic activity by faculty, compared to only 6 percent of non-Jewish students. The survey also found that more than half of both the Jewish and non-Jewish respondents lacked confidence in their university’s ability to prevent antisemitic incidents.
Moreover, the survey found that 22.9% of Jewish students have felt the need to take additional safety precautions. About half of Jewish students reported feeling “very” or “extremely” comfortable with others on campus knowing their Jewish identity.
'Deeply concerning'
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt expressed his concerns with the survey's findings.
“Since the October 7 attack in Israel, Jewish students have felt increasingly threatened, unwelcome, and unsupported on campus, both by students and faculty," he said.
“It is unacceptable that Jewish students cannot be confident in their university’s ability to address and prevent antisemitic incidents and that they now live in a world in which they feel compelled to conceal their identity and beliefs. These findings underscore the urgent need for university leaders to step up and protect Jewish students."
“These findings paint a deeply concerning picture of what Jewish students are facing on campuses today,” said Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International.
“As we work to ensure that campuses are free from antisemitism, we are committed to creating spaces where Jewish students can build vibrant communities and express their identities with pride. No student should ever feel the need to hide who they are or take extra precautions to protect themselves while they’re living and learning at school.”