Jewish student numbers will ‘plummet’ if universities fail to tackle antisemitism says UJS

"For others, this marked the point at which our loved ones were kidnapped and taken hostage. Yet, for all of us, this marked the point at which an unimaginable escalation in campus antisemitism began.

“On October 7th, antisemitism once again became a permissible form of hatred.”

On campus, the letter claims, there has been an “unprecedented surge” in antisemitism over the past eight months.

It reads: "Emboldened by Hamas’ brutality, our peers declared open season on Jewish students. As we were punched, spat on, and sent death threats, we became increasingly fearful to be openly Jewish on campus.

"Our kippot were covered by baseball caps and our Magen David necklaces were tucked under our tops.”

Swastikas have been drawn in university toilets, graffiti written on "our homes", while lecturers "justified the unjustifiable" by defending Palestinian terrorism, it claims.

The letter concludes by stating: “And so, after eight months of this hate, we tell you that we’ve simply had enough. We’ve had enough of being society’s punching bag, absorbing its anger and hatred. We’ve had enough of constantly feeling on edge as we walk through our campuses.

"And we’ve had enough of our university leaders equivocating, unable to condemn the pervasive bigotry in the institutions that they govern.

“The future of Jewish life on campus is up to you. It is imperative that you understand, you condemn, and you act against antisemitism. Now.”

UJS President Edward Isaacs said the union would continue to speak directly to university leaders to set out the steps they could to protect Jewish students.

"If universities fail to act, the numbers of Jewish students on campuses with a reputation for inadequate responses to antisemitism will plummet,” he said. “We have seen it before and we will see it again.”

The UJS will provide particular assistance to Jewish Societies on campuses where particular spikes of antisemitism have been seen, he said.

Isaacs added: “Universities must take swift and decisive action to ensure that Jewish life continues to thrive on their campuses for years to come."

The open letter to university bosses has now been signed by over 2,500 current and former Jewish students, including former education minister Robert Halfon.

While it is light on specific demands to attract as large as possible a number of signatories, measures the UJS wish to see implemented were set out by Isaacs following a Number 10 roundtable on campus antisemitism. 

Speaking to the press on Downing Street earlier this month, he said universities must condemn Jew hate clearly, facilitate UJS antisemitism training, and crack down on calls to “globalise the intifada”.

He added: “Regarding red lines and the current encampment situation across UK campuses, let me be clear. While we respect the right to protest, where there are instances of criminality universities must draw upon their relations with police to ensure students see the consequences of their actions.

“We are also aware that many external non-student nefarious actors are seeking to gain access to campus to cause trouble and harass Jewish students. These individuals must be denied access to campus.”

Jewish students have reported a sharp rise in the prejudice they have experienced on campus following the October 7 attack and the launch of Israel’s war against Hamas.

According to the Communities Security Trust, there was a 203 per cent increase in university-related antisemitic incidents between 2022 and 2023.

Earlier this month, Rishi Sunak, said: “Universities should be places of rigorous debate but also bastions of tolerance and respect for every member of their community.

“A vocal minority on our campuses are disrupting the lives and studies of their fellow students and, in some cases, propagating outright harassment and antisemitic abuse. That has to stop.”