Three-quarters of Jewish students hide identity on campus, global survey warns
UJS says findings reflect UK reality, with antisemitism now “normalised” in university spaces
Three-quarters of Jewish students worldwide say they hide their identity on campus, in what the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) has called a sobering reflection of life in Britain’s universities.
A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) surveyed 1,727 students in more than 60 countries during the last academic year. It found that 78 percent conceal their Jewish identity and 81 percent hide their Zionist identity in university settings.
UJS president Louis Danker told Jewish News the findings mirror the experiences of students across the UK: “The recent WUJS survey findings are distressing, but sadly familiar. At UJS, we know many Jewish students shy away from campus spaces where antisemitism has become normalised. However, Jewish Societies around the country continue to provide a place where Jewish students can express their identity with pride.
“This year, UJS will be supporting Jewish students to showcase Jewish campus life to their peers, from interfaith work to our flagship ‘Jewish Experience Week’ in February. We will also continue to advocate strongly to universities, student unions and government, to ensure that Jewish students no longer have to hide their identity.”
The global study also revealed widespread fear and isolation: one in three respondents said they knew Jewish peers who had been physically threatened, and nearly one in five knew students who had been attacked. Orthodox students faced twice the rate of discrimination compared to others, while Jewish women were significantly more likely than men to conceal their identity.
WUJS president Josh Cohen said: ‘Since 7 October, Jewish students around the world have been speaking to the rise in antisemitism and ostracization in their regions. This survey only further highlights how striking the treatment of Jewish students is on campus.”
The report recommended that universities adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, appoint coordinators to support Jewish and Israeli students, and implement clear accommodation policies for religious observance.
ADL senior vice president of international affairs, Marina Rosenberg, added: “This survey exposes a devastating reality: Jewish students across the globe are being forced to hide fundamental aspects of their identity just to feel safe on campus. When over three-quarters of Jewish students feel they must conceal their religious and Zionist identity for their own safety, the situation is nothing short of dire.”
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