October 22, 2020 Trump or Biden, keep up the pressure on campus anti-Semitism ~ By Kenneth L. Marcus It is important that government officials stress the importance of protecting civil rights in ways that respect the freedom of speech. Read the Op-Ed Here By Kenneth L. Marcus ~ October 22, 2020 ~ New York Daily News Last year, at a national conference in Manhattan, New York University student Adela Cojab described a pattern […] Media Coverage Press Room
October 22, 2020 By Kenneth Marcus – The government must do more to address antisemitism and anti-Zionism on campus Even on COVID-closed college campuses, some students continue to find ways to harm one another. Recently, anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist incidents have been cause for alarm. Read the Op-Ed Here By Kenneth L. Marcus October 22, 2020 The Forward The Government Must Do More to Address Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism on Campus Even on COVID-closed college campuses, […] Media Coverage Press Room
October 21, 2020 LDB Appoints Jesse A. Witten to the LDB Legal Advisory Board Washington, D.C., October 20, 2020: The Louis D Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law is pleased to announce the appointment of Jesse A. Witten, to the position of LDB Legal Advisory Board member. Mr. Witten’s arrival coincides with an expansion of the Center’s staff to address historic increases in anti-Semitic activity, especially in educational institutions. Over the last […] Media Coverage Press Room
October 5, 2020 NYU Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Settles Antisemitism Lawsuit NYU adopts IHRA definition of antisemitism, settles antisemitism lawsuit By Rachel Wolf, October 3, 2020 Jerusalem Post New York University and the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reached a landmark settlement over charges of antisemitism on the university’s campus, The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (LDB) […] Media Coverage Press Room
August 12, 2020 LDB Commends FSU President for Adopting the IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism Washington, D.C., August 12, 2020: LDB Commends FSU President ~ Press Release The Louis D. Brandeis Center commends Florida State University President John Thrasher for adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. In his letter to the FSU community this afternoon, Thrasher wrote, “The United States, the State of Florida, and Florida State University recognize the International […] Media Coverage Press Releases Press Room
August 9, 2020 USC Vows to Counter Hate After Jewish Student Government Leader Resigns By Melissa White ~ August 7, 2020 Jewish Insider The student government vice president at the University of Southern California resigned this week, alleging she was the subject of antisemitic harassment over her support for Israel. In response, the university administration said it is launching a new educational initiative to counter on-campus hate. “As you […] Media Coverage Press Room
July 10, 2020 The Future of College: A Jewish Townhall with Alyza D. Lewin Is it anti-Semitism to support the destruction of the one and only Jewish nation-state—home to approximately half of the Jews in the world today? Is it anti-Semitism to say that Jews do not have a right to self-determination—that Jews have no right to exercise sovereignty within any borders in their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel? Media Coverage Press Room
December 22, 2019 The executive order that defines and combats anti-Semitism without stifling speech Is it anti-Semitism to support the destruction of the one and only Jewish nation-state—home to approximately half of the Jews in the world today? Is it anti-Semitism to say that Jews do not have a right to self-determination—that Jews have no right to exercise sovereignty within any borders in their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel? Media Coverage Press Room
October 7, 2019 Joint Duke-UNC Middle East Studies Program in Hot Water By Melissa White – September 20, 2019 Jewish Insider The U.S. Department of Education blasted a joint Middle Eastern studies program between the University of North Carolina and Duke University for providing a biased curriculum to students. The department ordered UNC’s vice chancellor for research to provide an updated curriculum for the Duke-UNC Consortium for Middle East […] Media Coverage Press Room
June 5, 2019 UC-Irvine Graduate Student Purveys Anti-Zionism While Rejecting Anti-Semitism Sheikh Osman Umarji, A PhD student at UCI’s School of Education, delivered a sermon underpinned by anti-Semitism and a clear denial of Israel’s right to exist. In his speech, Umarji stated the need for “courage to fight Zionism” in order to “free the Palestinians from the oppression.” He rallied against “specific Israeli government policies and Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories” while repeatedly denouncing a Jewish state in any form. The incident at UC Irvine is not an isolated case; the conflation of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism continues to be a problem on college campuses throughout the country. Recent data shows how it has contributed to the general uptick in anti-Jewish animus in higher education. Media Coverage Press Room
March 19, 2019 Zionist Student Group Accuses UC Berkeley Middle East Center of Anti-Israel ‘Indoctrination’ A Zionist student group has accused the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) at the University of California, Berkeley, of displaying bias against Israel, raising concerns over its use of federal funding. Media Coverage Press Room
March 4, 2019 Publisher embroiled in legal battle with Arkansas over law banning Israel boycotts When letters first showed up on Alan Leveritt’s desk saying the Arkansas Times was required to sign a pledge not to boycott Israel in order to continue to receive state contracts, he ignored them. Media Coverage Press Room
February 6, 2019 Federal Judge: Plaintiffs suing American Studies Association over BDS “may have meritorious claims,” but must file in state court In December 2013, the American Studies Association (ASA) became the first, and so far the only, major American academic association to adopt the academic boycott of Israel, part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS). Media Coverage Press Room
January 21, 2019 WHY PROHIBITING BOYCOTTS OF ISRAEL DOES NOT VIOLATE FREEDOM OF SPEECH The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is campaigning against existing and proposed federal and local laws that would deter boycotts of Israel popularized by the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS). Their argument is that requiring all businesses who want to contract with the state to certify that they do not engage in a boycott of Israel violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Media Coverage Press Room
January 18, 2019 Mixed Reactions after Prosecution Efforts at UCLA and UCI Organized disruptors — both students and non-students — who shut down a pro-Israel gathering at University of California Los Angeles in May 2018 might not be prosecuted, according to information from LA City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office. Instead, they will be called to a confidential but mandatory proceeding called a “City Attorney Hearing,” an alternative to prosecution which can be described as a “warning” not to repeat the conduct. One legal expert compared it to a “deferred prosecution,” but stressed a full trial could still result. Media Coverage Press Room
November 26, 2018 Training attorneys to combat rising threat of anti-Semitism JIGSAW – “Justice Initiative Guiding Student Activists Worldwide” – is the brainchild of Alyza Lewin, president of the Louis D. Brandeis Center. She explains the reason she introduced JIGSAW. Media Coverage Press Room
November 21, 2018 New initiative equips law students with legal tools to fight rising antisemitism The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, in conjunction with Hasbara Fellowships, on Friday, Nov. 2 launched JIGSAW Initiative, a innovative pilot program to train law students to combat and prevent resurgent antisemitism. Media Coverage Press Room
November 4, 2018 Advocacy Group Pioneering ‘Revolutionary Approach’ in Fighting Anti-Semitism The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, in conjunction with Hasbara Fellowships, on Friday launched the innovative JIGSAW Initiative, an unprecedented pilot program to train law students to combat and prevent resurgent anti-Semitism. Media Coverage Press Room
November 2, 2018 Brandeis Center launches initiative to train law students to fight anti-Semitism In the aftermath of the Oct. 27 shooting at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh, a new initiative was launched on Friday for law students to fight anti-Semitism. Media Coverage Press Room
November 2, 2018 It’s Not Just Dumb Neo-Nazis, It’s Your Smart College Student: Anti-Semitism Spikes Most in Colleges In the wake of the Pittsburgh synagogue mass murder, Americans have realized anti-Semitism is definitely on the rise. Some people hear about this bigotry here in America and they tend to blame people on the Right. But often it’s coming from the Left and many times these days it’s right on college campuses. Media Coverage Press Room
November 1, 2018 Pro-Israel Groups Urge U-Mich to Crack Down on Academic Boycotts Pro-Israel groups StandWithUs, The Lawfare Project and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, penned a letter to University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel and the university’s board of regents, urging the administration to crack down on academic boycotts of Israel among faculty members. Media Coverage Press Room