Harvard Acknowledges Deep Antisemitism Crisis Following Scathing Internal Report

[Social Media]

 

Harvard Acknowledges Deep Antisemitism Crisis Following Scathing Internal Report

 

Harvard University has released a long-awaited internal report exposing what it describes as a deeply hostile climate for Jewish and Israeli students on its campus, both before and after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. The findings prompted an apology from the university’s interim president and a slate of proposed reforms amid growing political and legal pressure, including a high-profile clash with the Trump administration.

 

The 311-page report paints a disturbing portrait of campus life for Jewish students, revealing that many experienced harassment, social ostracism, and pressure to disassociate from their identity. “I am sorry for the moments when we failed to meet the high expectations we rightfully set for our community,” said interim president Alan Garber, acknowledging the university’s shortcomings in protecting students from bias and discrimination.

 

Jewish students, especially those from Israel, were reportedly shunned, bullied, and subjected to intense scrutiny based on their heritage and political associations. The report opens with a striking anecdote: a Jewish student was discouraged from sharing a story about his Holocaust survivor grandfather who found refuge in Israel. Organizers told him the narrative was not “tasteful” and laughed at him when he expressed confusion.

 

 

According to the report’s authors, such incidents reflected a broader pattern in which being Jewish or Israeli had become “triggering” and politicized. “Perhaps the best way to describe the existence of many Jewish and Israeli students at Harvard in the 2023-24 academic year is that their presence had become triggering, or the subject of political controversy,” the report stated. It emphasized that these students had been placed “on the wrong side of a political binary that provided no room for the complexity of history or current politics.”

 

“No other group was constantly told that their history was a sham, that they or their co-religionists or coethnics were supremacists and oppressors, and that they had no right to the protections offered by antibias norms,” the report noted. Jewish students reportedly concealed their identities, declined admission offers, left academia, or withdrew from campus life altogether. Social circles fractured, and some students were pressured to sever ties with Israelis purely because of their nationality. Others were told they must denounce Israel to prove they were “one of the good ones.” At times, even Israeli Muslims and Christians were snubbed solely for being from Israel.

 

The report documents several inflammatory incidents, including student groups circulating an antisemitic cartoon showing a Star of David-marked hand placing nooses around the necks of a Black man and an Arab man. Graduation ceremonies were not immune: one speaker allegedly echoed conspiracy theories about Jews, money, and power, while another blamed Israel for genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hostage posters were defaced with antisemitic slogans, and Israeli students were excluded from student clubs.

 

The situation escalated dramatically after the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, when 33 student organizations issued a letter blaming Israel for the attack. The report says this response “appeared to be blaming the victims, whose blood was not yet dry, for their own deaths.” This moment of profound grief and shock for Jewish students and faculty quickly transformed into one of isolation and anger.

 

Student experiences underscore the shift. “Before October 7th, being Jewish was largely irrelevant. It was not a barrier. I was proud to be Jewish,” one student recalled. “After October 7th, I experienced the following in this order: first there was pressure, then there was chaos, then hostility, and in certain spaces, the normalization of subtle discrimination.” Another student lamented, “The anti-normalization idea is that Jews on campus with ties to Israel must be anti-Zionist to be welcomed. I’ve lost friends who abandoned me.”

 

The report was published as Harvard continues a tense standoff with the Trump administration, which has frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding and demanded changes the government says are necessary to combat antisemitism. Harvard has filed a lawsuit in response, in a case that could reshape the landscape of campus activism and administrative oversight across American higher education.

 

In response to the report’s findings, Harvard issued a set of proposed reforms, including revisions to admissions procedures, greater oversight of student organizations, new academic programs on Jewish history, antisemitism, the Holocaust, and Israel, and enhanced complaint and support mechanisms. The university also committed to ensuring applicants are evaluated for their willingness to engage with diverse perspectives, demonstrate empathy, and participate in respectful discourse.

 

The report offers a sobering account of how political and social tensions on campus have isolated and targeted a specific community, and it marks a pivotal moment in the university’s efforts to reconcile its values with its practices.

 

Related Topics:

Harvard’s Shift: How Islamist Influence Took Root on Campus

Harvard Advisor Resigns Amid Accusations of Aiding Hamas Operations in Gaza

Harvard Becomes Resistance HQ in Trump’s Campus Culture War

Biden's Surprise Visit to Harvard Marred by Protests, Gaffes, and Ice Cream Slip

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from AP News | TOI  2025-05-01

 

 

[parallelman]

'...ensuring applicants are evaluated for their willingness to engage with diverse perspectives..,' Shouldn't applicants be evaluated for the willingness to study hard and ignore external 'pressures'.

[WDSmart]

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

[RuamRudy]

6 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

 

Gaza is an Israeli outrage, not a Jewish outrage. To blame all Jews for the crimes of Israel is to ignore the many Jewish people who bravely stand up for decency and humanity. 

 

People should be free to demonstrate peacefully against the crimes of Israel but it's wholly unacceptable that people of the Jewish faith be made accountable for Israel's actions regardless of their affiliations. 

[WDSmart]

11 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

Gaza is an Israeli outrage, not a Jewish outrage. To blame all Jews for the crimes of Israel is to ignore the many Jewish people who bravely stand up for decency and humanity. 

 

People should be free to demonstrate peacefully against the crimes of Israel but it's wholly unacceptable that people of the Jewish faith be made accountable for Israel's actions regardless of their affiliations. 

Thanks. I agree with everything you've said above. It is unacceptable to me if protestors break the rules of the school or laws when demonstrating or actually harass Jewish students. It's okay with me if they demonstrate against a country or a religion. 

[ericbj]

"Semitic people or Semites is a term for an ethnic, cultural or racial group associated with people of the Middle East, including Arabs, Jews, Akkadians, and Phoenicians."

 

Does Harvard promote ignorance of the English language?

[johng]

3 hours ago, parallelman said:

'...ensuring applicants are evaluated for their willingness to engage with diverse perspectives..,' Shouldn't applicants be evaluated for the willingness to study hard and ignore external 'pressures'.

 

We saw during the "pandemic"  that applicants have been selected for their willingness to go along with the "excepted narrative"  follow orders and not cause a fuss  otherwise all those hard years at medical school will have all been for nought  when they remove the "license to practice"

[Nick Carter icp]

22 minutes ago, ericbj said:

"Semitic people or Semites is a term for an ethnic, cultural or racial group associated with people of the Middle East, including Arabs, Jews, Akkadians, and Phoenicians."

 

Does Harvard promote ignorance of the English language?

 

   That is the word "semitic"

Now look up the word *Antisemite"

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

Thanks. I agree with everything you've said above. It is unacceptable to me if protestors break the rules of the school or laws when demonstrating or actually harass Jewish students. It's okay with me if they demonstrate against a country or a religion. 

 

  So , you would allow the White supremacists/KKK  to protest against Black people on campus and harass Black students for being Black  ?

[ericbj]

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   That is the word "semitic"

Now look up the word *Antisemite"

 

No need to look it up.  Because I know what they mean.  They and others are seeking to obfuscate the meaning of anti-Zionism to make it appear as anti-Jewish.  Despite the opposition of many Jews, particularly amongst the Orthodox, to the Zionist political agenda.

 

Bear in mind that at its inception Zionism was actually opposed to Judaism and sought cultural assimilation into European cultures.  (But that did not work out)

[connda]

There is something that is broken beyond repair within modern society.  Which is one reason I broke free from all of the Abrahamic religions decades ago.  Everyone is killing each other in the name of the same god.  It would be humorous if it wasn't so inhumanly and pathetically evil. 

Hence the retreat to Buddhism - nobody I have ever met who is a true Buddhist condones waging war and engaging in the killing of others based on their ethnicity or religion. Abrahamic religions pay lip service to "Thy shall not kill," except when their god tells them it's time to wipe everyone else out "in His name" of course.  So you have all three Abrahamic religions and their offshoots killing the other members of their Abrahamic religions, all uttering the name of the same god on their lips as they wage war and engage in killing. 

Can nobody else see the perverse irony it that?  There's the sad state of human-kind, but as a Buddhist, we explicitly acknowledge the reality we exist in - yep, this never-ending strife, conflict, killing, and destruction - in the name of god of course - is the reality into which we were born.  So you use that knowledge to transcend above the fray with compassion for those anchored in endless war and suffering. 

It's the state of this world - it will never change.  If you're smart, you look for the path out.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

 

  So  Israel should just accept being attacked & murdered by an enemy and not respond and Jews should accept being attacked on USA campuses  .

   So, Israelis and Jews should just accept being attacked and not respond ?

[AgMech Cowboy]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

Maybe the Gazans (or more specifically Hamas) should have thought about the retaliation before they attacked on October 7th and the women, children and old men of Gaza celebrated in the streets.  The only solution after all the incursions from Hamas since 1948 is the annihilation of Hamas.  Israel has warned the Palestinians each time prior to their attacks. Maybe you should be questioning why Egypt won't allow the Palestinians through the Rafah crossing to safety.

[Nick Carter icp]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

 

  As an American citizen what did your Country do in Iraq and Afghanistan ?

(Not to mention Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia )

[Yagoda]

2 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

Id be all in favour of any Jewish kid who pumped a round into the chest of any Hamas supporter. Arguably self defense.

 

However, am totally against what Israel is doing in  Gaza today. They should withdraw, and we should give 24 hours for our hostage to be released. If not, send in the B52s and turn the place into a smoking hole. That way they cowardly little satanic baby raping murderous terrorist scumbags cant scream Genocide at Israel any more.

[phetphet]

Jews and Arabs in general don't get along due to recent history. More so lately due to Gaza. Putting them together in any university or situation where they are together is going to create strife. Rules, legislation and threats of expulsion can be made to try and stop it, but it won't change the personal animosity. Only keep it suppressed inside.

 

 

[Yagoda]

9 minutes ago, ericbj said:

Despite the opposition of many Jews, particularly amongst the Orthodox, to the Zionist political agenda.

There is no opposition among Jews to killing terrorists.

[ericbj]

4 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

There is no opposition among Jews to killing terrorists.

 

You mean no opposition to killing members of the IDF?

[ericbj]

8 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  As an American citizen what did your Country do in Iraq and Afghanistan ?

(Not to mention Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia )

 And what was your country doing in those places?

 

[connda]

Harvard Acknowledges Deep Antisemitism Crisis Following Scathing Internal Report

 

Harvard published what they needed to publish in order to get their Federal funding back.

There - fixed it! 

[Yagoda]

22 minutes ago, ericbj said:

 

You mean no opposition to killing members of the IDF?

Why do you bother, you were outed months ago.

20 minutes ago, ericbj said:

 And what was your country doing in those places?

 

Spending our blood and treasure to make the world what it is. Freedom for guys like you to spew sick nonsens.

 

But, Im sure that you are on the other side of freedom.

[WDSmart]

47 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  So , you would allow the White supremacists/KKK  to protest against Black people on campus and harass Black students for being Black  ?

Yes, I would allow anyone to speak out against some other racial group anywhere, but not to harass members of that group.

That's called "Freedom of Speech" in our 1st Amendment. 

[ericbj]

36 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Jews and Arabs in general don't get along due to recent history. More so lately due to Gaza. Putting them together in any university or situation where they are together is going to create strife. Rules, legislation and threats of expulsion can be made to try and stop it, but it won't change the personal animosity. Only keep it suppressed inside.

 

 

The inter-ethnic hatred in Palestine began to develop from the time of mass Jewish immigration, but particularly (for obvious reasons) post WW2.  Prior to that, in both Palestine and Arab-run countries, Jews were accepted and, religion aside, culturally assimilated.

 

About a year ago I listened to an interview of an elderly Jewish gentleman born and raised in Iraq, but now living in Israel.  According to him it became the deliberate policy of the newly-created government of Israel to foster distrust of Arabs throughout the Middle East towards their hitherto well-accepted Jewish citizens.  This scheme was effective in causing the latter to migrate to Israel.

p.s.
"The Palestine Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that was formed in 1942. During the Second World War, the regiment was deployed to Egypt and Cyrenaica, but most of their work consisted of guard duty. Some Palestine Regiment members were killed in Benghazi, where they fought heavy battles against the Germans. Until its reformation in 1944, the Palestine Regiment consisted of Jews and Palestinian Arabs, recruited from Mandatory Palestine."

 

"The Palestine Regiment was formed in 1942 with the Palestine Infantry Companies that were attached to the Buffs forming the bulk of the new formation. The regiment was divided into separate Jewish and Arab battalions. According to historian Ashley Jackson the regiment initially consisted of 1,600 Jews and 1,200 Arabs and by 1942 the ranks filled to 10,000 Jews and 4,000 Arabs in the British armed forces."

[WDSmart]

40 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

3 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

 

  So  Israel should just accept being attacked & murdered by an enemy and not respond and Jews should accept being attacked on USA campuses  .

   So, Israelis and Jews should just accept being attacked and not respond ?

No, I don't think that either Israelis, Jews, Palestinians, or Muslims should accept being attacked and murdered by anyone and not respond. I do think, however, that a response, if violent, should be somewhat proportional to the attack on them. After the response, there should be discussions on how to solve whatever problem exists and stop the violence.

(And, just to jog your memory, both sides have been attacking and killing each other, fighting over land, for many years.)

[Nick Carter icp]

6 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

Yes, I would allow anyone to speak out against some other racial group anywhere, but not to harass members of that group.

That's called "Freedom of Speech" in our 1st Amendment. 

 

  Yes, but no one anywhere has been stopped from saying anything .

You seem to be deceptively using freedom of speech rights to allow abuse .

   No ones rights of free speech have been stopped

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

No, I don't think that either Israelis, Jews, Palestinians, or Muslims should accept being attacked and murdered by anyone and not respond. I do think, however, that a response, if violent, should be somewhat proportional to the attack on them. After the response, there should be discussions on how to solve whatever problem exists and stop the violence.

(And, just to jog your memory, both sides have been attacking and killing each other, fighting over land, for many years.)

 

   Brining the group who carried out the Oct 7 th terror attack to justice is indeed a proportional response  .

   Once Hamas have been bought to justice , then the war can end

[WDSmart]

48 minutes ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Maybe the Gazans (or more specifically Hamas) should have thought about the retaliation before they attacked on October 7th and the women, children and old men of Gaza celebrated in the streets.  The only solution after all the incursions from Hamas since 1948 is the annihilation of Hamas.  Israel has warned the Palestinians each time prior to their attacks. Maybe you should be questioning why Egypt won't allow the Palestinians through the Rafah crossing to safety.

I don't agree with everything you said about Israelis warning Palestinians before any attack, but I do agree that this fighting over territory has gone on since 1947/1948. If you take a look at how the map of Palestine/Israel has changed over that time, you'll see the Israelis have taken most of the land that used to be Palestinian. This is the origin of the problem, and, IMO, it won't go away unless other countries step in and enforce the 1947/1948 land distribution.

[WDSmart]

49 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  As an American citizen what did your Country do in Iraq and Afghanistan ?

(Not to mention Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia )

I don't know why all you pro-right conservatives, when accused of doing something wrong, always point back to someone else's wrongdoing.

What the USA did in Iraq and Afghanistan (and a lot of other places) was wrong IMO, but that doesn't mean when some other country now does a similar thing that it's okay. It was wrong then; it's wrong now. 

[ericbj]

19 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Why do you bother, you were outed months ago.

Spending our blood and treasure to make the world what it is. Freedom for guys like you to spew sick nonsens.

 

But, Im sure that you are on the other side of freedom.

 

You need to study what your wars were really about.  It's a long study of a not very edifying subject.

But you can get a quick glimpse by listening to what the much-decorated Marine Corps officer, Maj.-Gen. Smedley-Butler once said.

Things have not changed that much over the years.  But simply got worse.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

3 hours ago, WDSmart said:

What do they expect after what they've been doing in Gaza? 

 

It's weird that they are able to judge others, but refuse to be judged, themselves.

By themselves, I mean Israel, only.

 

Completely illogical.

But, they do not care about logic or morality, obviously.