American University - Brandeis Center

Summer has not slowed the Brandeis Center (LDB) down. In August, LDB sued the U.S. Department of Education for unlawfully dismissing LDB’s Title VI complaint against the University of Pennsylvania only weeks after opening an anti-Semitism investigation. LDB also sued the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) Union for retaliating against Jewish and Non-Jewish members opposing its anti-Semitic practices. And LDB filed a brief opposing UC Berkeley’s motion to dismiss our lawsuit against UC Berkeley over its “longstanding, unchecked spread of anti-Semitism.”

Brandeis Center Sues the U.S. Dept. of Education

The Brandeis Center and its membership organization, Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education (JAFE), filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for failing to follow its own procedures in dismissing the Brandeis Center’s November 2023 complaint against the University of Pennsylvania for fostering an environment of anti-Semitism on its campus – an abdication of its responsibility to thoroughly investigate instances of egregious anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination that occur in potential violation of OCR’s anti-discrimination standards and the Administrative Procedure Act.

“By failing to follow its own administrative procedures, in violation of its own stated mission of ‘vigorous enforcement of civil rights,’ the Office for Civil Rights and the Department of Education overall have not only shown a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of Jewish students at the University of Pennsylvania, but for the due process entitled to every American who seeks relief from discrimination in educational institutions,” declared Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus. “Jewish students at UPenn and many other college campuses across the country increasingly continue to face an egregious amount of anti-Semitism, particularly after the Oct. 7 massacre. OCR’s decisions have crippled these students’ ability to seek remedy from these hostilities and allows certain colleges and universities to continue ignoring or even fostering anti-Semitism on their campus.”

Brandeis Center Sues Association of Legal Aid Attorneys Union

The Brandeis Center and law firm Lieb at Law filed a federal District Court complaint against the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325 (“the ALAA”) and individual union officials for undertaking acts to expel and otherwise discipline two Jewish and one Non-Jewish ally from the union, in retaliation for their lawsuit opposing the ALAA’s anti-Semitic discriminatory practices manifested in the now infamous ALAA resolution attacking Israel soon after the October 7 terror attacks.

The resolution opposed by the plaintiffs was so vile that several non-profit legal services providers employing ALAA’s members denounced it as anti-Semitic and unrepresentative of their values, including plaintiffs’ employer, the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, as well as The Legal Aid Society and the New York Legal Assistance Group.

“Zionism is integral to Jewish identity, but plaintiffs – proud unionists who have dedicated their professional lives to serving poor and disadvantaged clients – didn’t need to be Zionists, or in one case, even Jewish, to understand that anti-Semitism is antithetical both to their obligations as lawyers and to the mission of a union responsible for representing the interests of all its members,” proclaimed Brandeis Center Director of Corporate Initiatives and Senior Counsel Rory Lancman.

Brandeis Center Opposes UC Berkeley’s Motion to Dismiss Suit

LDB and its membership subsidiary JAFE filed an opposition brief in response to UC Berkeley motion to dismiss LDB’s lawsuit over the university’s “longstanding, unchecked spread of anti-Semitism.”

“Defendants paint the suit as one alleging a series of discrete incidents. Wrong — it is a suit alleging defendants’ failure to respond in any meaningful way to a longstanding hostile environment,” wrote LDB in its opposition brief.

UC Berkeley argued in June that the case should be tossed because the university had not had time to internally address some of the incidents cited as evidence of anti-Semitism in the suit, including a tent encampment and the blockade of a gate on campus. Prior to the school’s attempt to dismiss the suit, LDB expanded its complaint to include even more anti-Semitic activity on campus, which UC Berkeley still has not addressed.

“Amazingly, the UC Berkeley regents have the nerve to claim that they shouldn’t be held accountable because they haven’t had enough time to investigate the situation,” said Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus.

“They got the facts and the law wrong,” stated LDB General Counsel L. Rachel Lerman, who added that it is “abundantly clear” the plaintiffs have valid claims and UC Berkeley is “mistaken” in its argument. With anti-Semitic activity on campus likely to escalate once classes resume next month, Lerman explained that the court cannot give the school even more time to pursue its ineffective strategies. Pointing to comments made by UC President Michael Drake in November 2023 stating that students have faced “outright violence,” Lerman said: “Usually you would expect an immediate response at that point.”

Alyza Lewin Features in Touro University Webinar

Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin was among the featured panelists in Touro University’s Touro Talks 2024 Distinguished Lecture Series, “Antisemitism on College Campuses and Beyond.”

View President Lewin’s conversation with U.S. District Judge, Honorable Roy K. Altman, Touro University President Dr. Alan Kadish, and ‘Touro Talks’ Director Nahum Twersky.

LDB Holds Capitol Hill Policy Briefing on Disturbing Trend: Retaliation Against Jewish Whistleblowers Exposing Campus Anti-Semitism

The Brandeis Center hosted a July 10 Capitol Hill policy briefing titled “Retaliation Against Jewish Students and Parents: How Counter-complaints and Baseless Accusations are Being Weaponized to Silence Jewish Voices on Campus.” The event highlighted disturbing accounts of anti-Semitism alongside troubling and derelict administrative responses. Brandeis Center Board Member Tevi Troy served as moderator, and Brandeis Center Senior Counsel Mark Goldfeder, Staff Attorney Deena Margolies, and Staff Attorney Ben Alkon all presented as panelists.

Emory and American University students, and the parent of a child enrolled in the Berkeley Unified School District shared their personal experiences with university administrators – who were indifferent to campus anti-Semitism and allowed baseless counter-complaints against the Jewish students to proceed.

In her concluding remarks, Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin explained that the experiences shared by the student and parent panelists are not isolated instances but are emblematic of a systematic effort to delegitimize and chill claims of anti-Semitism. She stressed the important responsibility universities have to recognize and dismiss such malicious complaints and highlighted the definition of anti-Semitism as a vital tool for distinguishing between good-faith political debates and anti-Semitism.

Read more about the policy briefing from Brandeis Center Intern Nicole Hirschkorn and watch the recorded briefing here.

Brandeis Center Hires Senior Litigator Kami Z. Barker

Accomplished trial attorney, disability policy advisor, and former intergovernmental lobbyist Kami Z. Barker joins the Brandeis Center as its newest senior litigator as part of its continued expansion.

“The Brandeis Center is happy to welcome Kami and looks forward to seeing her contributions to fighting the onslaught of anti-Semitism in our educational systems,” said LDB Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus. “Kami is joining our team when the demand for our legal services is higher than ever,” said Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin.

“It’s my privilege to join the Brandeis Center’s fight to ensure that no one is forced to tolerate hate speech on campus or in the workforce,” affirmed Ms. Barker.

In response to the growing demand for our services, the Brandeis Center continues to expand its team, initiatives, and policy-driven work. LDB will continue to hire legal and other staff throughout 2024. Professionals with strong experience and interest in joining LDB’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism are encouraged to watch the opportunities section of LDB’s website – and subscribe to the organization’s mailing list.

Kenneth Marcus to Feature in American Jewish University Webinar July 30: “Using Law to Fight Antisemitism on College Campuses”

Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus will feature in an American Jewish University webinar on July 30, exploring the utility of using Title VI and other civil rights laws to fight anti-Semitism on college campuses.

The event is free, and we encourage you to register for what will surely be an engrossing conversation between Chairman Marcus and AJU President Jeffrey Herbst.

Brandeis Center Interns

The Brandeis Center’s summer interns have been busy writing about the latest developments in the fight against anti-Semitism. Jonah Feuerstein authored two new blog posts chronicling the testimony of LDB clients before Congress. Nicole Hirschkorn authored two more posts, one detailing LDB’s latest policy briefing, and another covering the recently issued “Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism,” to which the U.S. is a party. Eli Goldstein authored the press release announcing the hiring of Kami Z. Barker.

The Brandeis Center is Hiring

The Brandeis Center is hiring for multiple full-time positions:

New York Litigation Attorney
Staff Attorney (New York; Washington, D.C.; or remote)
Director of Development ( Washington, D.C.; New York; or remote)
Executive Assistant (Washington, D.C. ǀ Telework)

Duties, qualifications, and compensation are listed in the Opportunities section of our website.

If you meet the qualifications and are passionate about our mission to advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all, we want to hear from you. Interested candidates should send resumes and cover letters by electronic mail to info@brandeiscenter.com. For the attorney roles, we suggest also including a writing sample and list of references.

The Brandeis Center hosted a Capitol Hill policy briefing on July 10, 2024, titled “Retaliation Against Jewish Students and Parents: How Counter-complaints and Baseless Accusations are Being Weaponized to Silence Jewish Voices on Campus.” The event highlighted disturbing accounts of anti-Semitism alongside troubling investigations into Jewish parents and students by campus administrators. Brandeis Center Board Member Tevi Troy served as moderator, and Brandeis Center Senior Counsel Mark Goldfeder, Staff Attorney Deena Margolies, and Staff Attorney Ben Alkon all presented as panelists.

Brandeis Center experts opened the briefing by explaining what retaliatory complaints look like – how they are different from genuine grievances – and gave a brief history of the recent surge in counter-complaints. Congressional staffers in attendance heard firsthand accounts from three university students and one high-school parent who experienced retaliatory complaints aimed at chilling their accusations of anti-Semitism.

Emory University student Sophie Ravina shared her experience of being harassed and threatened online after posting a video showing Emory peers engaging in openly anti-Semitic behavior. Although Ms. Ravina’s post focused on the anti-Semitic activity and not at all on the identity of her peers, several perpetrators chose to frame her post as “Islamophobic.” University administrators, instead of addressing the anti-Semitism to which Sophie was responding, demanded that Ravina take down her post.

Ilana Pearlman, a parent in the Berkeley Unified School District, reflected on her experience grappling with the school district’s poor handling of anti-Semitism. Rather than holding anti-Semitic students and teachers accountable for their actions, BUSD instead chose to reassign Jewish students away from classrooms where they were being harassed. BUSD parents who voiced concerns about the unaddressed anti-Semitism were accused of “using Israel Defense Force drones over classrooms for surveillance,” and faced doxing and threats by other parents.

American University students Naomi Hazan and Lauren Cayle described their experience receiving retaliatory complaints after they posted flyers around campus to raise awareness about the plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza. When they were harassed by fellow students as they put up the posters, they wisely recorded the perpetrators for their own security and to provide administrators evidence of students violating the student code of conduct. Instead of addressing the anti-Semitism and policy violations captured on video, the university subjected Hazan and Cayle to baseless disciplinary proceedings, despite possessing exculpatory evidence, for lawfully recording their harassers. Ms. Cayle stated that “I have never been one to hide my Jewish identity….I have always lived loud and proud, but now…fear follows me like a shadow” due to the hostile environment fostered by American University.

Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin concluded the briefing by stating that these testimonies are not isolated instances, but rather a systematic effort to delegitimize and chill claims of anti-Semitism. She stressed the importance of universities recognizing and dismissing these malicious complaints and highlighted the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism as a vital tool for distinguishing between good-faith political debates and anti-Semitism.

The Brandeis Center previously filed civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) against the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and American University for severe and pervasive anti-Semitism. In May 2024, OCR opened an investigation into BUSD just days after LDB expanded its complaint with even more evidence of how hostile and threatening an environment it has become for Jewish students.

If you or your child is experiencing discrimination perpetuated or unaddressed within an educational institution, the Brandeis Center is ready to provide support. Contact us to get legal help.

Watch the full hearing below.

Authored by: Nicole Hirschkorn

Published in Jewish Insider 3/7/24; Story by Haley Cohen

Task force punts on whether some slogans chanted at anti-Israel rallies are antisemitic

The recommendations handed down earlier this week from Columbia University’s task force on antisemitism painted a picture of Jewish students feeling “isolation and pain” in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests that have gripped the campus since Oct. 7.

They also cited a lack of disciplinary response from the university regarding unauthorized protests of the Israel-Hamas war as contributing to Jewish students’ struggles on campus, and called for the university to more effectively investigate policy violations by creating an easier process for filing complaints.

But on the pivotal question of whether some of the slogans chanted at those rallies veer from legitimate political speech into antisemitism the task force’s recommendations are ambiguous.

The report states, “Obviously, the chants ‘gas the Jews’ and ‘Hitler was right’ are calls to genocide, but fortunately no one at Columbia has been shouting these phrases… Rather, many of the chants at recent Columbia protests are viewed differently by different members of the Columbia community: some feel strongly that these are calls to genocide, while others feel strongly that they are not.”

The report does not, however, specifically address the slogan “from the river to the sea Palestine will be free,” which has frequently been chanted at protests on Columbia’s campus and is widely viewed by Jewish groups as a call for genocide of Israelis.

According to David Schizer, a professor of law and economics and dean emeritus of Columbia’s law school, who is one of the three co-chairs of the task force, the key issue that the 24-page report addresses is the thorny matter of campus free speech — emphasizing that “everyone needs to have a right to speak and to protest,” he said.

“How can we make sure the people have the right to speak and protest, while at the same time ensuring that protests don’t interfere with the ability of other members of the community to teach classes, study for a test, to hear their professors,” Schizer, who is also the former CEO of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, continued. While the report emphasizes the right to peaceful demonstrations, it also condemns faculty for participating in unauthorized demonstrations.

But some prominent leaders of the movement to fight antisemitism in higher education expressed skepticism that a set of recommendations could fix the raging antisemitism on Columbia’s campus — which has included repeated violations of the rules on protests and physical assault and other serious attacks on Jewish students.

“The new recommendations have some technically good work which could provide incremental advances, but it’s certainly not the kind of thing that will solve Columbia’s problems,” Kenneth Marcus, founder of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, told JI. The Brandeis Center recently filed federal complaints against the University of California for antisemitism at UC Berkeley and American University, while the Department of Education is currently investigating Brandeis Center complaints filed against Wellesley, SUNY New Paltz, the University of Southern California, Brooklyn College and the University of Illinois for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and for discrimination against Jewish students.

The recommendations come as Columbia faces pressure from donors and investigations by Congress and the Biden administration over antisemitism. It also comes in the wake of scrutiny regarding a number of antisemitism task forces set up at elite universities as a response to the surge in antisemitism that erupted following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel. Five months later, questions remain over the effectiveness and direction of such groups — with some experts claiming task forces have been all talk with minimal action so far.

But Schizer said that in Columbia’s case, there have been months of ongoing research of university policies, including interviewing students. It aims to release a series of reports in the coming months with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the campus climate and providing further recommendations.

The report states that while it agrees with the university’s principle that calls for genocide, like other incitement to violence, violate the rules, “the application of it should be clarified.”

It goes on to encourage the university’s legal team to “provide more guidance on this issue,” and emphasizes that clearer guidance is needed, like the university has done with its rules on gender-based misconduct to include “scenarios,” “to provide greater clarity help to provide fair notice, so Columbia affiliates have more of a sense of what is permissible (even if offensive) and what is not.”

Columbia administration plans to review the task force’s interim policy at the end of this semester. Minouche Shafik, the university’s president, said in a statement that the new recommendations — the first set in a series — are welcomed by the university and “will continue across a number of fronts as the University works to address this ancient, but sadly persistent, form of hate.”

Marcus said it’s “good that Columbia finally has good people asking serious questions about harassment and disruptive protests,” but he added, “What’s needed is not just a few recommendations regarding the rules on protest. The fact is that there’s been antisemitic bigotry [at] Columbia University for decades now.”

“It’s not as if a few changes to the protest policies are going to substantially change the institution as long as they continue business as usual,” he continued. “Much of what’s in this new set of recommendations could have been written on Oct. 6 given everything that’s happened since. What’s needed is not a series of incremental measures, but a rethinking of what Columbia is doing to cause harm, not just to Jewish students but also to the surrounding community. These recommendations may lead to technical and marginal changes in the ways that the university responds to specific incidents, and generally speaking that’s a good thing.

But it’s certainly not a solution to the problem.”

Marcus noted that the recommendations are “framed fairly narrow, with response to only one narrow piece of the problem.”

“I know this is only one of the series of reports that we can anticipate, but if this is an indication of what’s to come, it may provide some useful professional iteration but not a truly substantial change,” he said. “It does not indicate a new mindset that is ready to deal with the problems Oct. 7 has revealed.”

Mark Yudof, chair of the Academic Engagement Network, expressed a similar sentiment as Marcus, but added that he’s “hopeful” the report will bring change. Schizer, as well as the two other co-chairs of the task force, Ester Fuchs and Nicolas Lemann, are all longtime members of AEN.

“We need adequate rules about speech and we need to put teeth into it and have reasonable procedures in which people are actually disciplined for violating the rules,” Yudof said, calling the report “complex.”

While skeptical, Yudof also expressed praise for the recommendations — “I think Columbia’s report gets at the core problem of education and I applaud them,” he said.

“I like the report and am hopeful… I would urge the Columbia administration to adopt the recommendations of the task force, but the proof will be in the pudding.”

The Brandeis Center and Jewish on Campus filed a complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights against American University on behalf of numerous Jewish students who have been assaulted, threatened, and intimidated on campus because of their Jewish identity. Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin was the subject of a magazine cover story. And Facebook’s parent company Meta accepted LDB’s recommendation on Holocaust denial.

LDB and Jewish on Campus File Federal Complaint against American Univ. for Rampant and Pervasive Anti-Semitism

The Brandeis Center and Jewish on Campus (JOC) filed a complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on behalf of numerous Jewish students at American University (AU) who have been assaulted, threatened, harassed and intimidated in dormitories, classrooms and campus spaces. According to the complaint, AU was fully aware of the pervasive and hostile environment for Jewish students, and not only ignored it, in some cases, it chose to subject Jewish whistleblowers to harassment and disciplinary proceedings.

“Shamefully AU has repeatedly chosen to turn a blind eye to the anti-Semitism snowballing on its campus,” stated Brandeis Center chairman Kenneth L. Marcus. “Not only has the university failed in its legal obligation to protect Jewish students from illegal targeting and harassment, it is attempting to bully those brave enough to speak up. The university’s delinquency is reprehensible, and it only signals to the AU community there are no consequences for those who harass, threaten, assault or shun Jewish and Israeli students, emboldening those hostile to Jews even further.”

The Dept. of Education is currently investigating Brandeis Center and Jewish on Campus complaints filed against Wellesley and SUNY New Paltz, as well as LDB complaints filed against the University of Southern California, Brooklyn College, and the University of Illinois. And the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee is investigating Harvard for its failure to take action against a professor even after Harvard itself admitted the professor discriminated against LDB-represented Jewish Israeli students. The Brandeis Center also recently sued the University of California in federal court over UC Berkeley’s longstanding, unchecked spread of anti-Semitism. In response to a complaint filed by the Brandeis Center and JOC, the Dept. of Education last year reached an unprecedented agreement with the University of Vermont to address anti-Zionist forms of anti-Semitism on its campus.

Brandeis Center Staff Attorney Deena Margolies and an AU student
discuss campus anti-Semitism at American University

Kenneth L. Marcus Offers Insights about Harvard’s Anti-Semitism Problem

News outlets continue seeking Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus’s insights about Harvard’s ongoing failure to effectively address anti-Semitism on its campus.

Regarding U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx’s launch of an investigation into the handling of anti-Semitic incidents at Harvard and other elite universities, Marcus told the Boston Globe: “Harvard has not been willing on its own to take the type of action that is clearly required, so unfortunately more action is required from Congress, the courts, and perhaps the executive branch as well.”

In an Aish.com story on the downfall of Harvard’s and UPenn’s presidents and the double standard applied to Jewish students by campus Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Marcus stated: “DEI offices have often acted as if Jewish Americans were outside their scope of responsibility.” When Jewish students go to DEI offices seeking support, “they will receive a cold shoulder from administrators who are quicker to support members of other groups such as African-American, Hispanics, or gay or lesbian students.”

And regarding a new lawsuit filed by Jewish students alleging a hostile, anti-Semitic environment at Harvard, Marcus told JNS: “Harvard is a ripe target for anti-Semitism litigation, and no one should be surprised to see this lawsuit filed. It may be the first but probably won’t be the last – in light of both the nature of the events they faced and also the feebleness of their responses.”

In a separate matter, the Brandeis Center represents three Israeli students who were subjected to anti-Semitic discrimination at Harvard’s Kennedy School and were met with a similarly inadequate response by the Harvard administration. Explaining the broader context for the lawsuit, Marcus added: “This is not just one random complaint. It is part of a broader effort to hold Harvard responsible for its failure to comply with federal civil rights laws when it comes to Jewish students.” In a wide-ranging Q&A story for JewishPress.com, Marcus discussed the disastrous testimony given by presidents at Harvard, UPenn and MIT: “I don’t think [UPenn] President Magill was notably worse than [Harvard] President Gay who also failed to respond in a presidential way. To me, the bigger issue…is whether these universities are willing to tackle these issues in a very serious way. Simply removing a president is hardly enough, if there isn’t a will to make substantial changes both in the policies and the culture.”

Alyza D. Lewin Profiled in Cover Story for Washington Jewish Week

Washington Jewish Week, the Jewish newspaper of record in the nation’s capital since 1930, profiled Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin in a January cover story.

The story explored Lewin’s background working with her father, and Brandeis Center legal advisory board member, Nathan Lewin to “ensure that Jews in America could practice their faith freely and with pride.” Lewin discussed her realization of “the need to make sure that society recognizes Jews are not just a religion – we’re a people with a shared history and a shared heritage…and shared ancestry.”

Regarding the hostile, anti-Semitic climate many Jewish students are currently experiencing on campuses across the U.S., Lewin told the news outlet that there is a “tremendous demand for the services that we provide at the Brandeis Center….Especially with our focus on the university campuses, anti-Semitism is spreading like wildfire.” Lewin continued: “And so, one of the things that we’re going to be working on in the coming year is growing the Brandeis Center to be able to address the dramatic increase in the demand for our services to try and ensure that every student and every faculty member and staff member on campus that’s experiencing anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination is given the support they need. And to try and better educate the administrators on those campuses to recognize and see the anti-Semitism and to take effective steps to address that harassment and discrimination so that the campuses will once again become truly safe welcoming spaces for everyone.”

Rachel Lerman Addresses LDB Tracking Anti-Semitic Incidents Across California

Speaking in the Washington Post, Brandeis Center General Counsel and Vice Chair L. Rachel Lerman stated that LDB is tracking anti-Semitic incidents across the country, with an initial emphasis on California, where some school districts have seen a wave of anti-Semitism since the October 7 massacre perpetrated on Israeli civilians by Hamas.

In Inside Higher Ed, Marcus Discusses the Recent Increase in Anti-Semitism Complaints Investigated by the Education Dept.

Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcusdiscussed the significance of the recent increase in the volume and speed with which the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has opened investigations of campus anti-Semitism complaints since October 7.

“They certainly seem to be trying to get the word out about these complaints and about the fact that they are open for business.” Marcus, who oversaw the OCR during the Trump administration, said that while the department has been quick to open investigations, he’s not seeing the same promptness when it comes to closing the inquiries. The lack of resolution is “becoming problematic,” he said. “It would make an even bigger difference if OCR were closing more of these complaints with changes, but the mere fact that they’re opening them and providing transparency is helpful.”

Lewin Featured in Webinars for American Bar Association and Hadassah Magazine

This month, Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin was a panelist in two separate webinars about anti-Semitism hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA) and Hadassah Magazine.

Speaking to the ABA on the topic of “How to be an Anti-Antisemite: Responding to the Growth of Antisemitism in 21^st Century America”, Lewin explained how Jewish identity is made up of more than just religious practice: “The Jews are much more than a religion. We are also a people. And what makes us the Jewish people is that we have this shared, common history, this common ancestry….And the life of the Jewish people was established in Israel.”

In her remarks to Hadassah Magazine, Lewin said: “Everyone has a right to define their identity for themselves. No matter how radical that identity may seem, we respect and we welcome you to come to the table with your full identity. Yet the only people who are being told NO are the Jewish Zionists.”

Watch both webinars below:

Hadassah webinar featuring LDB President Alyza D. Lewin:
‘Safeguarding Jewish Students on Campus’

ABA webinar featuring LDB President Alyza D. Lewin:
‘How to be an Anti-Antisemite:
Responding to the Growth of Antisemitism in 21st Century America’

Meta’s Board Accepts LDB’s Recommendation on Holocaust Denial

In a notable decision, the oversight board of Meta, parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has concluded that Holocaust denial should be treated consistently with other forms of hate speech. The decision concluded that Holocaust denial is anti-Semitic hate speech, as the Brandeis Center argued in its public comment, and consequently violated Meta’s content moderation policies.

LDB President Alyza D. Lewin lauded the work of colleague Arthur Traldi, who prepared the Brandeis Center submission: “Congratulations to Arthur Traldi, whose scholarly and persuasive work was quoted by the oversight board in its opinion. We are proud of have contributed to this resolution.”

In Wall Street Journal, Rory Lancman Discusses “anti-Israel and anti-Zionist Animus” in U.S. Workplaces

In a feature about the increased scrutiny on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Brandeis Center Director of Corporate Initiatives Rory Lancman explained that DEI’s problems extend beyond America’s campuses – and into its workplaces.

Lancman shared that in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks, LDB is fielding an increased volume of calls from Jewish and Israeli employees who are experiencing a hostile work environment due to “anti-Israel and anti-Zionist animus” fueled by the Hamas-Israel war.
In addition, Lancman said: “Jewish concerns and anti-Semitism have been erased from corporate DEI programs to the point where there is no training on combating anti-Semitism.” Some workers are also finding that their requests to have workplace affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, are being denied, often on the grounds that companies have a policy of not allowing religiously-based employee groups.

Brandeis Center Holds New Capitol Hill Policy Event: ‘Defining Anti-Semitism: IHRA Briefing’

On January 30, the Brandeis Center, Jewish Federations of North America, and the Combat Antisemitism Movement hosted a bipartisan briefing on Capitol Hill, discussing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) provided opening remarks, while Eric Fingerhut moderated a panel between LDB President Alyza Lewin and former Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism Elan Carr.

LDB co-hosted a Capitol Hill policy event ‘Defining Anti-Semitism:
IHRA Briefing’ with the Jewish Federations of North America
and the Combat Antisemitism Movement

eJewish Philanthropy Recognizes LDB’s Leadership in Response to Increased Anti-Semitism after October 7

The Brandeis Center is pleased to have been recognized in an article by Yossi Prager in eJewish Philanthropy for our work fighting campus anti-Semitism.

“The Louis D. Brandeis Center…is taking the lead in helping students bring discrimination cases against their universities; and Hillel, the Brandeis Center, and the Anti-Defamation League are coordinating with the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to guide legal strategy and provide pro bono legal services to students who have experienced antisemitism on campus.” Thank you to eJewish Philanthropy, and all people and institutions who support our work .

Theater Benefit Raises Awareness and Funds for the Brandeis Center

Here’s something a little lighter for you.

On January 19, the organization was the beneficiary of its first-ever theatrical fundraiser. Carl Kissen’s “Jewish in an Hour.”

The performance educates about Judaism’s major holidays and traditions through comedic monologues and songs. A portion of the proceeds raised supported the Brandeis Center, and the creator read LDB’s mission statement to the audience. Take a look, and enjoy!

First-ever theater fundraiser benefitting LDB:
Carl Kissin’s “Jewish in an Hour,” produced by Little Red Light Theatre

Welcome and Blog Posts by LDB’s Spring Law Clerks and Interns

The Brandeis Center is delighted to welcome another fantastic group of spring law clerks and undergraduate interns to our team. Law clerks will assist LDB attorneys with legal casework, and interns will work with LDB’s Director of Communications on communications and policy projects.

Incoming spring 2024 intern Mika Chin (American Univ, ’27) authored a blog post introducing herself and her fellow LDB clerks and interns: Elana Shapiro (Georgetown Law, ’24), Hannah Fischman (NYU School of Law, ’24), Annabelle Enig (Emory Univ, ’25), and Samantha Wlodawsky (Univ. of Texas at Austin, ’25). Students interested in Summer internship, clerkship, and fellowship opportunities are encouraged to apply here.

Incoming spring intern Samantha Wlodawsky authored a blog post about an AMCHA Initiative coalition letter, signed by LDB and 118 other organizations, which was sent to the University of California Regents, President and CA Attorney General, expressing concerns about anti-Zionist activities at UC Santa Cruz.
Returning intern Annabelle Enig authored a post about the first-ever theatrical fundraiser benefitting the Brandeis Center.

Published by WRC-TV 4 NBC Washington, D.C.; Story by Aimee Cho

Complaint accuses school of creating hostile environment of antisemitism

Several Jewish students filed a civil rights complaint against American University accusing the school of creating a hostile environment of antisemitism on campus.

Junior Tomer Ben-Ezer said two FBI agents were in the audience to ensure his safety at a recent piano recital. People on campus had been harassing him and spitting on him due to his Israeli heritage, he said. Someone defaced one of his recital posters with the words “death to the Zionists, Hitler was right.”

“I took it really hard, like really hard,” Ben-Ezer said. “I had night terrors; I barely sleep. It was just a horrible few months. I wouldn’t do it on my worst enemy.”

He and several Jewish classmates — with help from Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the group Jewish on Campus — filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights Wednesday accusing American University of “ignoring discrimination and harassment” and creating a “hostile environment.”

“AU has a substantial Jewish population, and they should feel safe on campus,” Brandeis Center lawyer Deena Margolies said.

Freshman Ethan Kassar is a witness in the complaint.

“Swastikas were drawn on the doors of Jewish students,” he said.

Over the past three years, American University has confirmed three investigations into swastikas found on campus.

“I never thought in 2024 on a liberal campus I would ever have to hide my Jewish identity, but that’s where we are,” Kassar said. “We’re at a place where everyone on campus seems to be hostile.”

“I just want people to acknowledge that it’s been rough and they’re going to do something, but I don’t hear anything,” Ben-Ezer said.

American University said it’s engaging with Jewish student groups and incorporating antisemitism into the curriculum.

“American University supports the safety, well-being, and sense of belonging for our Jewish students, a community which has been and remains an important part of the fabric of our university,” the school said in a statement.
“While we have made progress in combatting antisemitism, we know we have more work to do,” the statement said.

A Palestinian employee said he experience hatred in October, when he found a death threat in his office at AU.

The school says it plans to cooperate with any inquiries it receives.

Margolies said Brandeis Center has been swamped with call from Jewish and Israeli students across college campuses since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. She hopes the Department of Education opens an investigation into AU “to see and explore the systemic antisemitism that is on its campus, and that they can affect some changes on campus to better address what is going on.”

Several other schools in the region also have experienced a spike in hate. The Department of Education announced last month it was investigating George Mason University for allegations of discrimination but wouldn’t go into more detail. George Washington University recently announced it kicked a student off campus for allegedly tearing down posters of Israeli hostages. At the University of Maryland, antisemitic messages were written in chalk on the sidewalk during a protest calling for a cease fire in Gaza.

St. Louis University (Source: Wikicommons)

This week will provide opportunities to see Brandeis Center lawyers in action in Boston, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. At noon today, LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus will address “The New Anti-Semitism” at St. Louis University School of Law. This event, in which Marcus will discuss legal approaches to contemporary Jew-hatred, kicks off a particularly busy week for the Brandeis Center. On Wednesday, LDB Staff Attorney Danit Sibovits will headline the inaugural event of the newly formed Northeastern University School of Law chapter of the Brandeis Center in Boston. The Boston event will launch the fourth LDB law school chapter and the first in New England, joining law student groups at UCLA, Penn, and American. That same day, in Washington, D.C., Marcus will address reform of the Higher Education Act at a Capitol Hill event presented by the Endowment for Middle East Truth.

Los Angeles

The Brandeis Center announced today that it will conduct an inaugural national law student leadership training conference in Los Angeles, California on January 2-3, 2014. This inaugural national law student conference coincides with the launch of the Center’s new Law Student Chapter Initiative. The conference will draw law student leaders together to exchange lessons on advancing civil and human rights. Key topics will include campus anti-Semitism, international law, human rights, and freedom of speech. Attorney mentors will also discuss career paths for law students interested in advancing the civil and human rights and combating campus anti-Semitism.

This announcement follows shortly upon the establishment of the first Brandeis Center law school chapters. This Fall, law student leaders have formed Brandeis Center chapters at UCLA School of Law and the American University’s Washington College of Law. Law students are also working to form Brandeis Center chapters at other law schools nationwide. (more…)

UCLA Law School

At the Brandeis Center we are thrilled to be launching an important, brand new initiative: law student chapters at select law schools throughout the United States. The new chapters will advance the organization’s mandate to combat campus anti-Semitism through legal means. This news is absolutely exhilarating because there are law students throughout the United States who wants to help with us with our mission to advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all.

LDB President, Kenneth L. Marcus, points out in our newly produced short film, The Louis D. Brandeis Center: For Human Rights Under Law, that the crucial aspects of the law chapter initiative is that it is a “vehicle for law students to get together to see what’s going on their campus and other campuses throughout their region, to get the training they need to address it, to educate undergraduates, and to take a leading role on their campus and their part of the country, to advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all.” Everybody that is concerned about justice should be a part of these chapters, which are not just for Jewish students. The new film, by the way, is discussed by Eesha Bhave elsewhere at this blog. (more…)