Jewish Americans are increasingly vocal about their complex views on Israel, the ongoing war in Gaza, and rising antisemitism on college campuses, all while navigating a contentious political landscape shaped by the Trump administration’s actions. Over the past several months, an increasing number of Jews have refused to stand idly by. Like their ancestors, who fled oppression just like what they faced in the U.S., they are resisting what they view as repression.
This increased activism speaks to a growing concern among Jewish Americans about the proliferation of antisemitism, as well as to the emotional connections Jewish Americans have with Israel. As a recent J Street poll found, the overwhelming majority of Jewish Americans report feeling worry or fear over antisemitism—with older respondents especially fearful. These dynamics play out against a backdrop of protests, letters to legislators, and public denunciations aimed at ensuring diverse Jewish perspectives on Israel are heard.
The Complexity of Jewish American Perspectives
Sending a clearer message Jewish Americans have varied but strong views about Israel’s actions in Gaza and their implications. Millions of Americans share a deep emotional connection to Israel. Simultaneously, they wrestle with the consequences of anti-Zionism and its relationship to antisemitism. Given this complexity, any conversations about these topics are fraught, particularly in an atmosphere that some argue chills free speech and open discussion.
Joel Swanson, a Jewish studies professor at Sarah Lawrence College, is one of many who have highlighted the effect of this repression of chilling academic spaces and discourse. He argues that it stifles the ability to have critical conversations with students, adding that “censorship renders classroom discourse untenable.”
Already, new research has begun to showcase the challenges of wading through these discussions. The authors of one study argue for “a need for nuanced discussions about Israel, antisemitism, and Jewish identity that respect generational differences and diverse perspectives.” As this call for thoughtful discourse implies, there is a much larger issue at stake here. Jewish faculty and students worry that their voices have been pushed to the margins in the ongoing debate over antisemitism.
“Jewish people came to America to escape generations of similar predations.” – Jewish faculty and students at Haverford College
Mobilizing Against Repression
As we respond to expanding repression, Jewish Americans are convening both nationally and locally to organize along all these intersecting fronts. During this time, protests and advocacy efforts have increased. Countless people are working to advance efforts that fight to include these important Jewish views on Israel. Our movement is based on the same struggles against oppression that many of our ancestors, as Jewish Americans, experienced.
A right-wing Israeli think tank’s finding that one-third of American Jews believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza underscores the urgency of these discussions. Additionally, poll after poll has shown that 64% of Jewish Americans oppose Trump’s policies to fight antisemitism. Here is how people are speaking out against the administration’s ongoing harmful and unlawful actions. We all know these actions are a smokescreen for the real goal—to launch greater attacks on higher education.
“The repression has been growing, but so has the resistance.” – Marianne Hirsch
Marianne Hirsch, a Columbia scholar, has noted a cross-generational mobilization among Jewish faculty, students, and community members against prevailing narratives related to Israel and antisemitism. This collective response aims to address what many perceive as an alarming trend toward authoritarianism within academic institutions.
The Impact of Political Climate on Campus Life
The political climate with the Trump administration has only added fuel to the fire of confusion over antisemitism and pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses. As many Jewish faculty and students have pointed out, these dynamics have a corrosive effect on both academic freedom and student safety. Further, they contend that policies that specifically suppress pro-Palestinian protests create a broader atmosphere where antisemitism is allowed to fester.
Recent incidents have highlighted these tensions. A Turkish Tufts University student, Rümeysa Öztürk, was detained over an op-ed critical of Israel, prompting Jewish groups and synagogues to file a court briefing in her support. The pictures accompanying her arrest are redolent of those memories, oppression experienced by Jewish immigrants escaping violent authoritarian governments.
“Yet the images of Özturk’s arrest in twenty-first century Massachusetts evoke the oppressive tactics employed by the authoritarian regimes that many ancestors of [our] members left behind in Odessa, Kishinev, and Warsaw.” – Jewish faculty and students at Haverford College
The students have created coalitions between different immigrant communities to push for a deeper and wider understanding of their struggles. One Jewish student remarked on the responsibility felt by her peers: “We have a particular duty to show up as Jews because we are not being actively targeted in the way that Palestinian students, Muslim students and Arab students are.”
That belief is shared by other leaders who want to use their office to fight for justice. It’s our responsibility to use our privilege as Jewish students to weaponise this privilege,” said another student.