Anti-Israel and antisemitic protests on too many college campuses have included threats and harassment of Jewish students and faculty. This behavior is a clear violation of their civil rights and must stop immediately. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Jewish Federations of North America encourage anyone who thinks they’re a victim of such behavior to report it to both school officials and law enforcement. The Jewish Federation also calls on every college and university to: 

1. ensure their policies clearly prohibit such behavior, and if not, immediately add appropriate amendments to their code of conduct;
2. adopt a zero tolerance policy with appropriate punishment for violators, including expulsion and referrals to law enforcement; 
3. ensure that non-campus actors are excluded from all campus protest activity; and
4. prevent protests from targeting known Jewish locations, student groups, and individuals, including Jewish facilities such as Hillel and Chabad centers, Jewish Greek life buildings, and other locations where Jews congregate together as a community.  

In addition, the Jewish Federation calls on the United States Department of Education to immediately accelerate the review and decision on complaints related to antisemitism received by the Office of Civil Rights, and request that President Biden assist in directing all needed resources to the department to accomplish this goal.   

 
Finally, the Jewish Federation urges the United States Congress to quickly consider and adopt the Antisemitism Awareness Act, bipartisan legislation introduced in each house, that will make clear to all educational institutions what actions are antisemitic and therefore prohibited.  There can be no equivocation on these points.  As the school year draws to a close, and commencement activities begin, our campuses must be safe and welcoming for all students.  Those who seek to disrupt and intimidate must be dealt with swiftly and decisively.

If you have experienced, witnessed or know of antisemitism, report it at jewishphilly.org/report.

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Since 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has served as the hub of the region’s Jewish communities, providing an infrastructure of support for Jewish people and organizations in need. Through grants, emergency funding, restricted gifts, endowments, and our partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools, we invest more than $61 million each fiscal year to care for those in need, combat antisemitism and global crisis, and strengthen Jewish identity.

For more information, please visit: jewishphilly.org.  

For press inquiries, email phillyfed@redbanyan.com.