Campus Antisemitism Crisis Forces Jewish Parents to Reconsider University Options as Threat Escalates across the U.S.

The surge in anti-Israel and antisemitic demonstrations at top universities across America has forced Jewish parents like Anya Farber and Greg Schneider to reconsider whether they can send their children to these institutions where safety is no longer a given. “We are actually not looking at universities in the United States at all, period,” said Farber, who hosts the podcast TalkIsrael. She added that this situation was “absolutely absurd” as everyone should be able to study without fear of violence or oppression. This reversal follows a dark time in American history when certain groups were not allowed access to universities and their facilities because they faced systematic discrimination.
Farber explained why her son’s safety had become such an issue for Jewish parents today: “They are screaming, ‘I am Hamas,’ OK, Hamas and Hezbollah are ISIS, al Qaeda,” she said, noting that university administrations were negotiating with designated terror groups in America. While anti-Israel protests have caused much disturbance across multiple institutions recently (either encouraging Palestinians for ‘the River to the Sea’ slogan), students at Columbia University and others campuses protesting such calls are being accused of antisemitism, which is a serious issue that has been brewing on college campuses in America.
Farber said her son had experienced this firsthand: “My son has seen those side-by-side pictures of the Nazis blocking entrances to Jews next to what’s happening right now on college campuses in America,” she explained, adding that it was heartbreaking and upsetting for parents like herself. Her child is proudly Jewish; he wears a Star of David around his neck, which makes him an easy target if violence erupts at these institutions.
Schneider also expressed concerns about the safety of Jews on college campuses in America today: “Antisemitism has been rampant for quite some time,” said Schneierm who spoke with 100 Jewish leaders and rabbis across Division One universities to understand how safe it would be for his son. He explained that while antisemitic behavior had always existed, its prevalence was now more visible than ever before due to the current situation in Israel. “I think most Jewish parents right now are seeing this issue as opposed to merely hearing about secondhand,” he said.
Schneider’s child is interested in pursuing a music degree from his local university but doesn’t feel comfortable attending it because of its political climate, which has become hostile towards Jews. Instead, Schneierm suggests that the older student could spend time abroad: “I would actually recommend more gap year, if you will,” he said; students can benefit greatly by spending a few years in Israel to learn about their heritage and culture before they attend university back home where antisemitism is becoming increasingly common.
Schneider also expressed his concerns that the current situation could lead some Jews to hide or suppress their identity: “It’s hard, even though they’ve grown up with a strong Jewish identity,” he said; students want to fit in and be like everyone else on campus, but this should not mean compromising who you are. Schneider believes that the bad guys win when people mute their identities due to fear of persecution or violence: “That’s how they get away with it.”
The recent spike in antisemitic behavior at American universities has left many Jewish parents feeling disillusioned and heartbroken, including Farber who expressed her despair that America could fall back into dark times. Both mothers and fathers worry about their children being assaulted because of their heritage or identity: “Every single American,” she said, whether they are Jews themselves or not should be concerned if one such person gets attacked due to false allegations regarding Jewish identity.”
As the nationwide movement against Israel spreads across campuses like Columbia University and others (including Yale, MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Southern California, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, University of Virginia), many parents are struggling to decide whether it is safe for their children to attend these institutions. The situation has become so dire that some Jewish students have been forced to consider gap years abroad rather than facing potential hostility back home.
Parents agree unanimously about this state affair in college education across American soil – one with an increasingly dark history, which could potentially lead many young Jews down a path of self-suppression and mute their identity due to fear for safety or persecution from others who are not like them on campus. The current situation is reminiscent of the past when certain groups were excluded based solely upon prejudice against their beliefs: this, parents argue today could easily be an invitation that brings us back to a dark time in America’s history once again.