Campus and Higher Education Affairs
• Responding to Anti-Israel Activities on Campus - Frequently Asked Questions
• Anti-Israel Activity on American College Campuses
Colleges and universities across the United States have experienced recent highly charged anti-Israel and anti-Zionist activity. Many rallies and events have gone beyond legitimate criticism of Israel and have been marked by hateful attacks against Jews and the Jewish state, crossing the line into blatant anti-Semitism. This report explores the political events, groups and tactics shaping this alarming trend, and highlights effective responses by some university officials.
• Fighting Back:
A Handbook for Responding to Anti-Israel Rallies on College and University Campuses
This guide answers students’ common questions about anti-Israel political protests that have occurred or may occur on their university's campus, including explanations of principals of free speech. Such protests and rallies are increasingly common, and many have turned hostile. A disturbing number of anti-Israel protests have often crossed the line into outright expressions of vicious anti-Semitism. Students who feel intimidated, threatened, or harassed by rallies or protests should understand the options they have to address their concerns. These may include legal rights and remedies.
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Increasing incidents of harassment and hate crimes on college and university campuses make it clear that the ideals of the higher education environment: inquiry, free expression, and civil exchange of ideas, can be easily exploited by perpetrators of hate. ADL is equipped with a broad range of preventive and reactive programs and resources to address the challenges of hate on campus.
ISSUES ON CAMPUS
- Harassment
Many students and faculty suffer malicious forms of harassment including threats, physical attack and verbal abuse. A student leader on one campus received threats left on her car and home telephones, "Be careful, we are watching you. Ready to go boom?" Students have been stalked on campus and harassed by hate-filled E-mail messages.
- Anti-Semitic Speakers.
One disturbing trend is the number of extremist and anti-Semitic speakers invited to campus by student organizations. When speakers such as Minister Louis Farrakhan , Khalid Abdul Muhammad, Leonard Jeffries and Tony Martin visit campuses, they spew anti-Semitic vitriol and create divisiveness among student groups.
- Holocaust Denial.
Propagandists target campus newspapers to place advertisements questioning the established history of the Holocaust. Since 1990, Bradley Smith has published Holocaust denial ads on over 100 prestigious campuses, including the University of Michigan, Texas, Rice, Duke, Brandeis, Vanderbilt and Ohio universities.
With the increasing use of the World Wide Web, Holocaust deniers and other promoters of hate have found a new tool to broadcast their message. Northwestern University Associate Professor of Engineering Arthur Butz has a Web page with links to similar pages of other Holocaust deniers. Bradley Smith's latest ad features his Web site. These and other Web sites promote the Holocaust denial message and link the user directly and indirectly to the wider hate movement, including sites sponsored by such anti-Semites as David Irving, Ernst Zündel, Tony Martin and the Nation of Islam
- Anti-Israel Divestment Campaigns
With the start of the new school year, anti-Israel student activists are attempting to revive their campaign to force universities to divest from companies doing business with Israel. The divestment campaigns are led and supported by far-left and radical Muslim groups who make clear that they do not acknowledge the legitimacy of the state of Israel.
- Religious Accommodation.
Conflicts often arise when exams or course registration are scheduled on Jewish and other religious holidays. Students are placed in the difficult position of choosing between religious observance and the fulfillment of an academic requirement.
Programs
ADL Campus Editors Study Mission to Poland, Bulgaria and Israel
The annual Anti-Defamation League Campus Editors Study Mission to Poland, Bulgaria and Israel provides student journalists with day-to-day experience in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians and a valuable lesson in history.
A CAMPUS OF DIFFERENCE™
Assists college administrators, faculty members and students learn to examine stereotypes, expand cultural awareness, explore the value of diversity, and combat all forms of bigotry.
Resources
To learn more about Religious Freedom and Church/State issues, including school choice and voucher policies, visit ADL's Religious Freedom Web page
For more details and to schedule programs, contact your ADL Regional Office, ADL National Headquarters (212) 885-7700, or by E-mail
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