Statement on Growing Antisemitism and Outright Hatred Seen at College Protests

The Jewish Federation of Greater Raleigh denounces in the strongest terms the widespread use of antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-American hatred at recent protests on and off campuses in North Carolina and across the country.

The Jewish community and Israel are currently in a fight against hatred in Israel and around the world. While we strongly stand for the right of free speech and the right to gather in the great American tradition, we also strongly stand against the hate, intimidation and violence seen at recent anti-Israel protests.

A world in which Jewish students are too intimidated to walk across their own campuses is one which we cannot accept. When protestors bar students with differing views from campus spaces, vandalize buildings, and use language associated with past antisemitic violence, they are not creating an environment in which students can learn.

Jewish Federation thanks NC Hillel, Chabad on Campus, and the Jewish fraternities and sororities for providing spaces where students can find comfort and connection. We are in communication with NC Hillel about how we can best support their students, and we encourage all to fulfill NC Hillel’s requests on how to support students at this time.

Additionally, we thank UNC-CH’s Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts for working to create a safe environment on campus. We expect university administrators to enforce local laws, campus use policies, and student conduct policies. We call on campus administrators to continue to monitor the situation so that peaceful protests do not cross over into violence. We are in communication with local law enforcement to monitor any potential threats and offer our assistance on what constitutes blatant antisemitism.

For parents and teens, we recommend visiting BBYO’s website for a list of resources on dealing with antisemitism.

No one wants the war in Gaza to end more than the Jewish community with the return of the hostages and a laying down of arms. Jewish Federation joins thousands of Jews and Israelis calling for the return of the hostages taken by Hamas and an end to all violence. Efforts fueling hatred toward Israel or Jews will not bring a quicker resolution to the conflict nor do any good for anyone including the Palestinian people.