As antisemitism continues to rise on university campuses, more than three-quarters of Jewish students around the world are afraid to share their identities publicly, a new study has found.
Some 78 percent of Jewish students now conceal their religious identity and 81% hide their Zionist identity on campus, according to a survey of 1,727 students in more than 60 countries conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS).
The findings are in line with others that have shown a growing culture of fear and intimidation in educational institutions since Hamas launched the Gaza war with its deadly attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. A recent survey by B’nai B’rith International and the European Union of Jewish Students found that antisemitic and anti-Israel narratives are becoming normalized on campuses across Europe. In the US, 83% of Jewish American college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism firsthand since October 7, ADL has found.
“We are distressed and disappointed by the results of this survey, but not at all surprised,” said WUJS president Josh Cohen. “Since October 7th, 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 survey found a global Jewish student population that is scared and isolated. One in three respondents said they knew Jewish peers who had been physically threatened, and nearly one in five knew peers who were physically attacked. Orthodox Jewish students reported double the rate of discrimination compared to others, while Jewish women were significantly more likely than men to conceal their identity.
Nearly one in three Jewish students (29%) said they experienced discrimination from their classmates, and 9% faced it from professors and other university employees, the survey found.
Illustrating the fear many students feel, the survey gave the example of an anti-Israel protest at the University of Vienna last year.
“There was an ‘Intifada Camp’ glorifying Hamas on campus, and our building already had antisemitic graffiti on it,” recalled Victoria B., a Jewish Studies student. “One day, I was terrified to attend a seminar — there were only 10 of us in the lecture hall, and there were rumors that camp participants would roam campus looking for ‘Zionists.’ We canceled the seminar and fled through the back exit. For a moment, I felt like it was the 1930s, and Jewish students were being chased from their universities.”
The report recommended that universities adopt and implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, as well as appointing designated coordinators for combating antisemitism and supporting Jewish and Israeli students, staff and faculty. They should also conduct campus climate research, implement peer-to-peer training programs, and offer clear and accessible accommodation policies for religious observances, the report said.
“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,” said Marina Rosenberg, ADL senior vice president of international affairs.
California, on May 1, 2024. (Etienne LAURENT / AFP)
As antisemitism continues to rise on university campuses, more than three-quarters of Jewish students around the world are afraid to share their identities publicly, a new study has found.
Some 78 percent of Jewish students now conceal their religious identity and 81% hide their Zionist identity on campus, according to a survey of 1,727 students in more than 60 countries conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS).
The findings are in line with others that have shown a growing culture of fear and intimidation in educational institutions since Hamas launched the Gaza war with its deadly attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. A recent survey by B’nai B’rith International and the European Union of Jewish Students found that antisemitic and anti-Israel narratives are becoming normalized on campuses across Europe. In the US, 83% of Jewish American college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism firsthand since October 7, ADL has found.
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“We are distressed and disappointed by the results of this survey, but not at all surprised,” said WUJS president Josh Cohen. “Since October 7th, 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 survey found a global Jewish student population that is scared and isolated. One in three respondents said they knew Jewish peers who had been physically threatened, and nearly one in five knew peers who were physically attacked. Orthodox Jewish students reported double the rate of discrimination compared to others, while Jewish women were significantly more likely than men to conceal their identity.
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Nearly one in three Jewish students (29%) said they experienced discrimination from their classmates, and 9% faced it from professors and other university employees, the survey found.
On the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught, anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters march in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, on the Los Angeles campus of the University of Southern California, October 7, 2024 in Los Angeles. (Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG, via JTA)
Illustrating the fear many students feel, the survey gave the example of an anti-Israel protest at the University of Vienna last year.
“There was an ‘Intifada Camp’ glorifying Hamas on campus, and our building already had antisemitic graffiti on it,” recalled Victoria B., a Jewish Studies student. “One day, I was terrified to attend a seminar — there were only 10 of us in the lecture hall, and there were rumors that camp participants would roam campus looking for ‘Zionists.’ We canceled the seminar and fled through the back exit. For a moment, I felt like it was the 1930s, and Jewish students were being chased from their universities.”
The report recommended that universities adopt and implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, as well as appointing designated coordinators for combating antisemitism and supporting Jewish and Israeli students, staff and faculty. They should also conduct campus climate research, implement peer-to-peer training programs, and offer clear and accessible accommodation policies for religious observances, the report said.
“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,” said Marina Rosenberg, ADL senior vice president of international affairs.
“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. As the academic year begins, this data provides essential insights to guide university leadership in addressing this campus crisis head-on.”
