Hostility is common, but students are not cowed
THERE IS no question that a significant number of Jewish students encounter anti-Israel sentiment and hostility on campus. Particularly in the realm of student politics, it appears to be disturbingly common. And even for those who choose not to engage politically, anti-Israel ideas can find a way into their lives via stalls at freshers’ fairs or from lecturers in university classrooms.
Many of the students I met for the JPR research project are not cowered by this. The politically engaged, in particular, can be trusted to fight for what they believe in, and to do so, with pride and vigour. But it can take its toll — several students reported feeling upset, angry or even frightened by their experiences, and cautious, on occasion, about revealing their Jewish identity in public, and particularly their connections to Israel.
Nevertheless, none of this dominates or overwhelms the university experience for Jewish students today. On the contrary, most said they had rarely, if ever, experienced any antisemitism on campus. In the vast majority of cases, they described their fellow non-Jewish students as tolerant and accepting, and, their non-Jewish friends as interested, and even eager to be included in some way in Jewish life. The general picture they painted of university life is positive and upbeat — as exciting, eye-opening and challenging as it has always been.
Most importantly, they want Jewish community. They like meeting up with Jewish friends, for Friday night dinner, to celebrate festivals, socialise, and even, on occasion, to learn something. They want a Jewish life that is vibrant, engaging and non-judgmental, that meets their Jewish needs and sparks their Jewish interests. They want different Jewish organisations to cooperate with one another and work together to empower students to create Jewish life for themselves. To build our community’s future, that’s what we should invest in. Jonathan Boyd is Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research