Summit to address fighting campus antisemitism
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A Jewish man wears Israeli flags during a rally against campus antisemitism at George Washington University on May 2, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
A summit on battling antisemitism on college campuses is scheduled to begin Saturday in New York City amid a rise of antisemitic rhetoric and acts across the political spectrum.
Why it matters: The "Rise and Respond Global Student Summit Against Antisemitism" comes as President Trump threatens universities with funding cuts over antisemitism allegations, drawing criticism from free speech advocates.
The big picture: The summit is set to begin just hours after Columbia University agreed to some of the Trump administration's demands after some $400 million in federal grants and contracts were pulled from the university over allegations of antisemitism,
- That follows the detention of Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a legal resident and pro-Palestinian protester, as the Trump administration cracks down on immigrants who are part of campus demonstrations.
Zoom in: Around 400 people are expected for the summit organized by Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
- The summit will provide student leaders and future policymakers with new tools and seek to build a network dedicated to confronting hate through projects.
- It will also feature panels and workshops and demonstrations on a new app to share antisemitic experiences.
- U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Israeli Olympic silver medalist judoka Inbar Lanir and social media influencer Montana Tucker are scheduled to be featured speakers.
Zoom out: EJ Kimball, CAM's interfaith outreach and engagement director, tells Axios since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, U.S. colleges have seen an unprecedented rise in antisemitism.
- "The response by and large from universities has just not been at the level that it needs to be."
- As a result, organizers want to bring students together and equip them with ways to fight antisemitism and put pressure on colleges to do something about it.
The intrigue: CAM is expected to introduce its FACE (Fighting Antisemitism on Campuses Effectively) Initiative, a roadmap for a global student-led effort to fight hate and strengthen Jewish life on campuses.
- That plan calls for colleges to adopt mandatory educational programs on antisemitism for all students, faculty and staff.
- It also calls for clear disciplinary policies and public stances against boycotts, divestments and sanctions movements against Israel.
Yes, but: Not everyone is on board with such aggressive policies and some left-leaning Jewish groups say criticism of Israel and speaking in defense of the Palestinians itself isn't antisemitic.
- A group of Jewish leaders last year sent a letter to Harvard defending criticism of Israel from scholars and supporting the embattled co-chair of the school's task force on antisemitism.
- More than 60 Jewish leaders from across the country backed Derek Penslar in a letter arguing that attacks on similar scholars posed dangers.
- "It's true that there are some things that are being called out as antisemitic that are not," Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, a signee of the letter, told Axios at the time.
Bottom line: The debate over how to combat antisemitism is expected to continue as more college protests are expected as spring approaches.
