In this issue of the Brandeis Brief, we highlight major legal victories and accountability efforts, including new settlements with UC Berkeley and Pomona College, an initiative to confront deceptive and discriminatory practices, and LDB’s leading role in advancing tools to combat anti-Semitism in education, healthcare, and the workplace. These developments reflect both meaningful progress and the continued urgency of our mission.As we begin a new year, we pause to reflect not only on the progress we have made over the past year in the legal battle against anti-Semitism, but also on the Brandeis Center’s 15th anniversary. This milestone is an opportunity to take stock of the impact of a decade and a half of civil rights advocacy work and the pursuit of justice on behalf of Jewish Americans; and in these trying times for the Jewish people, we know our work remains necessary and timely. We are deeply grateful to our supporters for making our work possible. Your commitment to civil rights, religious freedom, and equal justice under the law enables us to continue this critical work. Thank you for standing with us, and we hope you will continue to support this vital work in 2026. In this issue: Settlement Reached with UC Berkeley in Israeli Dance Professor’s Lawsuit Pomona College Agrees to Address Anti-Semitism in Major Settlement Brandeis Center Exposes Guinness World Records Deceptive Practices Opinion: Denying Religious Freedom at Park East Synagogue Congress Investigates Anti-Semitism in American Psychological Association EEOC Promotes Brandeis Center Training in New Announcement Settlement Reached with UC Berkeley in Israeli Dance Professor’s Lawsuit The Brandeis Center and UC Berkeley announced a settlement to resolve discrimination claims filed by an Israeli researcher against the University. The lawsuit alleged that a University department chair declined Dr. Yael Nativ’s application to teach because she was Israeli; and that despite UC Berkeley’s own investigation last year which found that Dr. Nativ was discriminated against, UC Berkeley took no action to remediate the harm to Dr. Nativ prior to the Brandeis Center’s lawsuit. Under the terms of the settlement agreement negotiated by the Brandeis Center, the Chancellor will issue a formal apology to Dr. Nativ, who will also receive monetary damages (which she has elected to donate to charity). Dr. Nativ will also have the opportunity to teach the course she was denied, and UC Berkeley has committed to enforcing its policies against discrimination moving forward. In November 2023, the Brandeis Center filed a separate lawsuit against UC Berkeley for violating university policy and federal civil rights laws by allowing the “longstanding, unchecked spread of anti-Semitism” on campus, which continues to proceed. This case is a powerful example of why accountability and strong civil-rights enforcement matter—especially at institutions committed to academic freedom and diversity. Pomona College Agrees to Address Anti-Semitism in Major Settlement The Brandeis Center, ADL, and Hillel International announced a settlementwith Pomona College to resolve claims that the College permitted severe discrimination and harassment of Jewish students in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. As part of the settlement,Pomona has agreed to adopt a comprehensive set of significant reforms designed to address anti-Semitism on campus, including considering the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism in evaluation of anti-Semitic conduct, appointing a Title VI Coordinator to oversee the College’s compliance with Title VI, and implementing policy updates, among other changes. “The action steps outlined in this settlement will address the blatant and egregious anti-Semitism faced by Pomona’s students, therefore protecting students from facing similar treatment in the future, and we hope it encourages others to take legal action against those who violate our constitutional rights,” said Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center. Brandeis Center Exposes Guinness World Records Deceptive Practices The Brandeis Center sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) exposing Guinness World Records Limited for secretly blocking all submissions from Israel for the past two years, while continuing to market its products as genuine “world” records. The Brandeis Center urges the FTC to stop Guinness World Recrods’ deceptive practices, prevent them from continuing to deceive American consumers, and require them to compensate consumers who were misled and defrauded by the company’s deceptive practice. “Guinness has a right to exclude Israeli records and publish anything they want, but they don’t have a right to deceive their readership and customer base by claiming that it is publishing ‘world records’,” said Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman of the Brandeis Center and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education who ran the Office for Civil Rights. The letter also reveals how Guinness continues to promote and accept records from nations with deplorable human rights records, including North Korea, Syria, and Iran. Opinion: Denying Religious Freedom at Park East Synagogue The violent protest outside Park East Synagogue—where Jewish families were harassed and threatened—wasn’t protected speech. It violated the federal FACE Act, which protects access to houses of worship and explicitly includes protection for those exercising their right to religious freedom at worship sites. Some have argued that the event taking place at the synagogue wasn’t religious in nature and that the protesters therefore didn’t violate the FACE Act. That is wrong. Religious exercise includes conduct motivated by sincerely held beliefs, and the Park East Synagogue event falls squarely within that protected category. In a new opinion piece for the New York Daily News, Kenneth L. Marcusexplains why our leaders must uphold the FACE Act, defend religious freedom, and stop legitimizing anti-Semitism. Congress Investigates Anti-Semitism in American Psychological Association The Brandeis Center issued a statement in support of the House Education and Workforce Committee opening an investigation into anti-Semitism in the American Psychological Association. “We are increasingly hearing from Jewish therapists, doctors and patients who have been the subjects of ostracism, harassment and hostility simply because of their identity. The fact that anti-Semitism has allegedly taken root in the APA – a professional organization widely recognized as the leader in its field – is deeply disturbing,” said Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center. “We are grateful to the House Education and Workforce Committee for taking this issue seriously and holding any bad actors to account. We are proud to work alongside the Committee, as well as other members of Congress and their staff, to protect Jewish communities where they live and work.” Marcus was one of the first to expose this issue, publishing an op-ed in USA Today earlier this year recounting the egregious anti-Semitism running rampant in the mental health field. Since then, the Brandeis Center has worked with legislators – including this committee’s leadership – to call for accountability and progress in this space. The Brandeis Center co-hosted a Congressional briefing with JFNA in December 2024 focused on growing anti-Semitism in health care, where Marcus advocated for increased attention on the issue, including utilizing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and urged the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism. EEOC Promotes Brandeis Center Training in New Announcement Earlier this month, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the opening of the claims process following the establishment of Columbia University’s $21 million anti-Semitism settlement fund. As part of their announcement, the EEOC encouraged the public to review multiple resources to help educate employees and employers about how to address anti-Semitism the workplace. One of these resources is a training on combatting anti-Semitism in the workplace hosted by the Brandeis Center with Chair (then Commissioner) Andrea Lucas. The EEOC’s promotion of this critical training as a means of educating the public about Title VII underscores its continued value and impact. We are grateful for the EEOC’s ongoing commitment to addressing and preventing anti-Semitism and we are proud to support their efforts through our training and resources. Job Opportunities with the Brandeis Center The Brandeis Center continues to grow to meet the growing needs. If you or someone you know is interested in joining our mission to combat anti-Semitism and protect Jewish civil rights, check out our current openings in both legal and non-legal roles.