A Crossroads for American Universities

If the current unrest on college campuses comes as a surprise to you, you haven’t been paying attention.

The escalating antisemitism we’re seeing on full display at our nation’s most prestigious institutions has existed for years. It has been slowly growing in a petri dish of hostility that universities have not been forced to confront until now.

The October 7 attack by Hamas has emboldened those with long-held anti-Zionist sentiments to unite in their collective disdain for Israel — the only Jewish state and America’s only true democratic ally in the Middle East. This means a stark increase in antisemitic incidents at some of America’s most esteemed universities.

During my tenure with Campus Reform, I often reported on the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and its growth on campuses like Columbia and NYU.

As a self-described “Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice, and equality,” BDS quickly gained traction, compelling student government associations to adopt resolutions pushing their schools to break ties with Israeli-based companies. I can recall very few — if any — colleges and universities taking this seriously. 

Omar Barghouti, the founder of BDS, claims it is “a non-violent human rights movement.” But the current wave of protests, allegedly driven by the same goal of divestment, is anything but peaceful. 

As Jews like me gather to celebrate Passover, one of our most sacred periods, the sense of fear and uncertainty has reached a tipping point. At more than 50 campuses across the country, Jewish students have been confronted with protesters screaming their support for terror with chants such as “We are Hamas,” “Al-Qassam you make us proud, kill another soldier now!” and, of course, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Jewish students have been blocked by protesters, taunted as “Yehudim,” told to “go back to Poland,” and assaulted. At Columbia, protesters screamed at a group of Jewish students, “Remember the 7th of October? That will happen not one more time, not five more times… but 10,000 more times!”  

We’ve arrived at a crossroads, where the actions university administrators take will be marked and judged by history.

Will universities uphold their commitment to ensuring a safe, respectful environment for all students? Or will they allow groups who can’t bring themselves to denounce the actions of a terrorist organization to perpetuate the hatred and bigotry reminiscent of 1930s Germany?

Will universities uphold their commitment to ensuring a safe, respectful environment for all students?

Or will they allow groups who can’t bring themselves to denounce the actions of a terrorist organization to perpetuate the hatred and bigotry reminiscent of 1930s Germany?

The Anti-Defamation League reports a staggering 360% rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. following Hamas’ attack on Israel — a disturbing trend that can’t be ignored.  

The responsibility now lies with our nation’s academic institutions to take a stand against this hate, and be on the right side of history.

As the world watches, the actions — or inactions — of these universities will not only define their legacy but will test our collective resolve to uphold justice and equality in the face of rising hate.

As the world watches, the actions — or inactions — of these universities will not only define their legacy but test our collective resolve to uphold justice and equality in the face of rising hate. 

If you have a child at university right now, I urge you to be an active part of this conversation. If you don’t have a child at university, I urge the same.

Andrew Lawrence is a graduate of the George Washington University and founder of the Georgia Jewish Heritage Fund. He resides in Arlington, Virginia.