Jewish students are in an increasingly vulnerable position on American college campuses today. In the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attacks, Jewish students are contending with concerns about their safety and well-being, hostile protests that devolve into hate speech or violence, and concerning remarks in the classroom. These challenges are often compounded by the absence of clear channels of support or understanding from university administrators, faculty, and even their own peers.
Alumni and donors have significant roles to play in ensuring that antisemitism is appropriately addressed by university leaders. American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, has created this concise action plan containing steps you can take to advocate for change as an alum and engage productively with your alma mater. AJC experts routinely work in partnership with schools to help build an atmosphere more resilient against rising Jewish hate, and we may be working with your school currently or looking to engage with them in the near future.
Here are five things you can do to help:
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Make your voice heard. Alumni can be incredibly influential in getting university administrators to recognize and address antisemitism on campus. Vocal alumni can get their message across through direct engagement with university administrators and the board of trustees, as well as alumni relations and development offices. You can specifically encourage your school to take proactive steps outlined in AJC’s Action Plan for Confronting Campus Antisemitism which include:
- Adopting and using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.
- Increase enforcement of the University’s Code of Conduct and prioritizing campus safety for Jewish students.
- Strengthening programming that recenters the conversation about the Middle East back to a place of fact-based exchange.
- Convening a task force to combat antisemitism with an actionable list of initiatives and a clear timeline for implementation.
- Engage with other alumni. Universities have multiple opportunities for alumni engagement that can be used to raise concerns and elevate pertinent issues. Participate in Alumni Weekend events, connect with the Alumni Association, and be active on social media groups and message boards for university alumni. Encourage others to join you in raising issues of antisemitism and Jewish student safety with university officials.
- Launch a petition campaign. It is important for university leaders to understand that many alumni are concerned about this issue and are looking for the university to take action. Craft a letter to the university president and board of trustees and encourage others to sign as a way of adding force to your efforts. Various websites and software platforms are available to collect signatures and deliver petitions to university leaders.
- Consider specifying your gift. If you are a university donor, consider directing your gift to programs or services that specifically address Jewish student life, productive dialogue on the Middle East, or other initiatives that align with your values. Clearly communicate to the University development office that you are choosing these programs because of your concerns about antisemitism and the safety of Jewish students.
- Support Jewish life on campus. Many schools have programs designed to specifically support Jewish life on campus, but these programs may be overwhelmed currently. Consider offering your time or support to these efforts so they can help more students. You can sponsor Shabbat or holiday meals, create an internship program, or assist students in addressing antisemitism with university administrators. You can also let the current Jewish student community of your alma mater know that you are there to offer your time, support, and advocacy. AJC’s Campus Global Board can help connect you with a current student or students at your institution to help foster a conversation about your school, and suggest ways to move Jewish advocacy forward.
