Harvard’s settlement of an antisemitism lawsuit has sparked debate over campus free speech, prompting students to take action by launching Our CampUs United to combat antisemitism on college campuses.
Shabbos Kestenbaum, a recent Harvard graduate, sued his alma mater for failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.
The case was settled Jan. 21, partially on the condition that Harvard adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism — which includes “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” — when investigating complaints.
Many viewed this as a victory for Jewish students — not only at Harvard but nationwide.
Yonatan Manor, the former president of Boston University Students for Israel, said having a “concrete definition” can help universities take action against antisemitism but was disappointed with how Harvard came to that result.
“Harvard did adopt it, but they only adopted it because of pressure from this lawsuit,” Manor said. “It’s unfortunate that the university has to only adopt it once their hands are put on the stove.”
Manor said it is only a “matter of time” before BU finds itself in a similar position, unless it changes its policies.
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley said while “there have been conversations” about adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism, he “can’t speak to where it is right now.”
Violet Barron, a junior at Harvard who founded the student organization Jews for Palestine, said she thinks the newly-adopted definition is “prosecuting pro-Palestinian speech” while appearing to attempt combating antisemitism.
“Anytime an administration or institution is looking to curtail the content of speech rather than its time, place or manner like violations, that’s when you are entering the territory of killing speech,” Barron said.
While Barron said she agrees there has been an uptick in antisemitism since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War on Oct. 7, 2023, she said she doesn’t think “the rise has been nearly as large” or “widespread” as media outlets and Congress portray it to be.
“There’s been a rise in antisemitism,” Barron said. “There’s also been a rise in criticism of Israel. These two things are very different.”
Barron said one of her major issues with the IHRA definition is that “it doesn’t just conflate antisemitism and anti-Zionism, but Judaism and Zionism.”
“I can see a world in which I, a Jewish student, is prosecuted for speaking out against Israel, and under this new definition, I’m now subject to disciplinary action,” Barron said. “It doesn’t make Jewish students safer. All it does is prohibit necessary criticism of Israel.”
She said the IHRA definition of antisemitism has been criticized in the past by organizations, such as the United Nations, for including certain criticisms of Israel.
“It’s fair to push for a definition and want one, but … there are many others that are far less political but would still provide a framework for Harvard to be able to address claims of bigotry and harassment,” Barron said.
Following widespread acts of antisemitism at college campuses, students have taken action.
Recent Tulane graduate Yasmeen Ohebsion, Kestenbaum and other college students across the U.S., including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, launched Our CampUs United on Monday.
Our CampUs United is “a hub of step-by-step resource guides,” equipping students with tools to “respond to different incidents of antisemitism on campus,” said Ohebsion.
Ohebsion, who was on the board of Chabad at Tulane, said she created the website after becoming a “destination for questions and concerns” for students dealing with antisemitism following Oct. 7.
“This is something that we desperately all need that doesn’t exist,” Ohebsion said. “It’s not something that a lot of these larger Jewish legacy organizations offer.”
The website features templates for petitions, email campaigns and press releases.
“I personally know that when I was facing these incidents, I wished that the email to my professor was already written,” Ohebsion said. “I wish that I didn’t need to research my rights in all these different situations.”
Surveys conducted over the past two years revealed a sharp increase in antisemitic sentiment, especially within college campuses.
The American Jewish Committee’s 2024 report found that 32% of Jewish college students reported feeling unsafe on campus due to their identity — an increase from 18% in 2022.
Talia Khan, an MIT graduate student and one of the founding members of Our CampUs United, said university administrators enforce rules inconsistently between Zionist and anti-Zionist organizations, leaving Jewish students to handle instances of antisemitism on their own.
“You have administrators funding these really, really extremist talks and speakers on campus without providing even other perspectives from the other side,” Khan said. “It’s radicalizing students into thinking that that’s normal.”
