December 11, 2023 The Fallout: What the Antisemitism Hearing Could Mean for Higher Education (Inside Higher Education) Published 12/7/23 in Insider Higher Ed; Story by Katherine Knott After Republicans grilled three university presidents on Capitol Hill, experts weigh in on the broader implications for public opinion and the politics of colleges and universities. The failure of three college presidents to clearly say Tuesday that calling for the genocide of Jewish people violated their […] Media Coverage
December 4, 2023 On the last day of the Global Conference for Israel in Denver, protestors and attendees say they feel unsafe (CBS Colorado) Published by CBS Colorado on 12/3/23; Story by Michael Abeyta While the Jewish National Fund’s Global Conference for Israel wrapped up on Sunday, a local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace held a march that shut down part of Speer Boulevard in Denver. “Our Jewish values tell us that all life is sacred,” said Siena Mann with Jewish Voice […] Media Coverage
November 29, 2023 Brandeis Center files lawsuit against UC Berkeley for hostile campus environment (Jewish Insider) Published by Jewish Insider on 11/28/23; Story by Haley Cohen UC Berkeley professor: ‘There’s a group of students who feel free to say the nastiest slurs as long as they substitute Zionist for Jew’ Citing claims of a “longstanding, unchecked spread of antisemitism” on the University of California, Berkeley’s campus, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights […] Media Coverage
November 29, 2023 Jewish groups sue University of California over ‘unchecked’ antisemitism (Politico) Published by Politico on 11/28/23; Story by Bianca Quilantan The 36-page lawsuit argues that UC Berkeley and its law school’s inaction on discrimination against Jewish students has led to a spread of antisemitism. Jewish groups are suing the University of California system, UC Berkeley and its leaders over what they are calling a “longstanding, unchecked spread of […] Media Coverage
November 20, 2023 What to know about the Education Department’s antisemitism, Islamophobia investigations (Politico Pro Morning Education) Published by Politico on 11/20/23; Story by Bianca Quilantan. WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATING? — The Education Department last week announced seven new investigations into incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia at schools. However, the department does not comment on ongoing investigations and officials cautioned that just because a school is under investigation does not mean it has broken the law. So, […] Media Coverage
November 20, 2023 Several Schools Under Investigation for Allegedly Failing to Protect Jewish, Muslim Students (Wall Street Journal) Published by Wall Street Journal on 11/17/23; Story by Joseph Pisani. Education Department is looking into seven complaints alleging antisemitic and anti-Muslim harassment at colleges and one K-12 school district The Education Department is investigating several schools over reports of harassment against Jewish and Muslim students in response to ongoing campus tensions related to the Israel-Hamas war. […] Media Coverage
November 20, 2023 The thin line between condemnation and incitement to genocide (Times of Israel) This blog was authored by Olivia Flasch and published by the Times of Israel on 11/16/23. Last year, long before the October 7 massacre, I engaged with a former colleague on social media. She claimed that as a supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself against terror attacks committed by Hamas, I was supporting child murderers, and, […] Media Coverage
November 15, 2023 Brandeis Center alleges Penn allowed discrimination against Jewish students in federal complaint (Daily Pennsylvanian) Published 11/14/23 by The Daily Pennsylvanian. Story by Nicole Muravsky. The Brandeis Center, a Jewish legal rights advocacy group, filed a federal complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education, alleging that Penn failed to respond to the harassment of Jewish students. The 27-page discrimination complaint alleges that Penn violated Title VI […] Media Coverage
November 14, 2023 Administration officials receive lukewarm reception from Jewish leaders on campus antisemitism (Jewish Insider) Article published by Jewish Insider on 11/14/23; Story by Gabby Deutch Top officials from the Department of Education met virtually with Jewish community leaders on Monday to discuss the agency’s actions to combat rising antisemitism on American college campuses. But several of the attendees left the meeting concerned that the department is not responding with the urgency they feel […] Media Coverage
November 14, 2023 Civil rights complaints allege UPenn and Wellesley allowed antisemitism to ‘run rampant’ (CNN.com) Published by the CNN.com on 11/10/23; Story by Matt Egan A Jewish legal rights advocacy group has alleged that the University of Pennsylvania and Wellesley College have violated federal civil rights law by allowing for discrimination against Jews. The Brandeis Center, a Jewish civil rights legal organization, filed civil rights complaints with the US Department of Education […] Media Coverage
November 14, 2023 Kenneth Marcus: The Department of Education has the power to probe colleges with antisemitic protests (FoxNews.com) Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus featured on Fox News program ‘Life, Liberty & Levin‘ 11/11/23. FoxNews.com published an article based on the segment. A top former Trump administration official told FOX News on Saturday that the Department of Education has the power to investigate the conduct of colleges where antisemitic and/or pro-Hamas protests are occurring, and where Jewish students have […] Media Coverage
November 14, 2023 Kenneth L. Marcus Testifies Live Before Congress – Twice in one week Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus testified twice in one week about campus anti-Semitism before separate Congressional bodies. On Wednesday, November 8 Chairman Marcus testified before the House Judiciary Committee in a hearing titled “Free Speech on College Campuses.” The hearing examined the current state of the First Amendment on the campuses of American colleges and universities. It also […] Media Coverage
November 14, 2023 Jewish and conservative students testify they’re being silenced on college campuses (Spectrum News, NY1) Published by Spectrum News, NY1 on 11/8/23. Story by Ryan Chatelain. In a House Judiciary Committee hearing focused on free speech on college campuses, Amanda Silberstein, a Jewish student at Cornell University, said she has seen antisemitic tropes from classmates on social media, anti-Israel signage and graffiti on campus, and a professor publicly justify Hamas’ attacks on […] Media Coverage
November 9, 2023 Education Dept. pens letter to universities urging them to address antisemitism, Islamophobia (Jewish Insider) Published by Jewish Insider on 11/8/23; Story by Gabby Deutch The letter comes as Jewish advocates have sought additional action from federal officials in light of a dramatic rise in antisemitism on campuses The top civil rights official at the Education Department sent a letter to leaders of American colleges and universities on Tuesday to remind them […] Media Coverage
November 7, 2023 Jim Jordan Promises Congressional Hearing on Antisemitism on College Campuses (New York Sun) Published by the New York Sun on 11/6/23. Story by Matthew Rice. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jim Jordan, will hold a hearing later this month on the issue of antisemitism on America’s college and university campuses. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, antisemitic hate crimes have skyrocketed around the globe. The hearing, […] Media Coverage
November 6, 2023 Jewish Groups Demand Universities Protect Jewish Students (JewishLink) Published by JewishLink on 11/2/23; Story by Deborah Rubin As Israel battles Hamas terrorists, a battle is raging in the United States with college campuses exploding with antisemitic threats and violence directed against Jewish students. The alarming increase has resulted in physical assaults, including at Tulane and Columbia universities and the University of California-Berkeley, to threats posted […] Media Coverage
November 6, 2023 Pro-Palestinian left undermines White House’s focus on right-wing antisemitism (Washington Times) Published by The Washington Times on 11/1/23. Story by Valerie Richardson. President Biden rarely misses an opportunity to blast “MAGA Republican extremists,” but the pro-Hamas displays at U.S. universities are undercutting the administration’s framing of antisemitism as a right-wing problem. Mr. Biden forcefully condemned Hamas shortly after the Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians and vowed to […] Media Coverage
November 1, 2023 Is There a ‘Right Way’ to Respond to Israel-Hamas War? (SHRM) Published by the Society of Human Resource Management on 10/30/23; Story by Matt Gonzales. The Oct. 7 attacks on Israel were personal to Walter Isenberg. Isenberg, co-founder and CEO of Sage Hospitality Group in Washington, D.C., recalled how his mother survived the Holocaust after the Nazis killed his grandparents. When learning about Hamas’ attacks, he found out […] Media Coverage
October 30, 2023 Brandeis Center demands action from Harvard over prof with ‘anti-Israel and antisemitic bias’ (Jewish Insider) Published October 30, 2023 by Jewish Insider. Story by Haley Cohen. The university had previously acknowledged the three Israeli students were targeted by anti-Zionist Jewish faculty member More than four months after Harvard University found that a professor at its John F. Kennedy School of Government discriminated against three Jewish Israeli graduate students, violating Title VI […] Media Coverage
October 23, 2023 Strategic co-ordinated litigation, clear public messaging can help combat antisemitism, lawyers say (Law360 Canada) Published 10/18/23 by Law360 Canada; Story by Cristin Schmitz Galvanized by growing bigotry, hate and violence directed at Jews here and abroad, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is ramping up its legal fight against antisemitism, including honing its public messaging and inviting lawyers to volunteer with a CIJA legal task force that works […] Media Coverage
October 22, 2023 The disturbing rise of antisemitism on elite U.S. campuses (Deseret News) Published 10/14/23 by Deseret News; Story by Hanna Seariac Jewish groups are working to stop this new tide of antisemitism. While Harvard Divinity School student Shabbos Kestenbaum was observing the Sabbath and celebrating the sacred holiday Sukkot, he wasn’t expecting to hear that he should reach out to any of his friends or family in Israel […] Media Coverage