Avi Benlolo: Jewish students need to come prepared for antisemitism on campuses this fall

Anti-Israel protesters gather on McGill University's campus in Montreal on the two-year anniversary of October 7. Photo credit: Terry Newman / National Post

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Jewish students and their parents must prepare themselves for shock and awe this fall on college and university campuses. The latest statistics coming from a report commissioned by the Department of Canadian Heritage are alarming. The report found that 95.7 per cent of the 900 students interviewed experienced some sort of antisemitism, while 84 per cent considered antisemitism a serious matter on campus.

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This is not alarmism. There is now concrete evidence showing that 7 in 10 Jewish respondents in the study felt their universities were not taking antisemitism seriously. Seventy-two per cent said they limit what they say in class about being Jewish. Fifty-seven per cent avoid wearing or displaying Jewish symbols because of safety concerns. Sixty-eight per cent said their campus is not a safe and inclusive place for Jewish students.

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It’s been 21 years since I attended the first “Israeli Apartheid Week” at the University of Toronto. Since then, I have been on the frontlines witnessing countless demonstrations, anti-Israel speakers and even the now infamous ‘boycott, divestment and sanctions’ campaigns promulgating hate against the Jewish state and Jewish students. The situation has only gotten worse for our children.

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Who would have thought that the Palestinian flag would make an acceptable appearance at some graduation ceremonies this past spring?

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The consequences of these sobering statistics are transforming how Jewish students live and learn as they and their parents worry for their safety, given the report’s finding that 22 per cent have experienced some sort form of physical violence.

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One student described a kippah-wearing friend being chased from a university building by people shouting, “There’s a Jew — let’s get him.”

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In another survey commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies, positive opinions of Judaism fell from 49 to 40 per cent over 15 months, while negative opinions rose from 25 to 32 per cent.

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The question for us all is whether universities are just factories for turning out anti-Jewish bigots who are now forming our nation’s social fabric.

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Jewish students entering university this fall will be on the frontlines of Jew-hate and they must come prepared, especially if they are entering their first year. Here are some of my suggestions:

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First, I recommend they develop a safety and support plan, even before classes begin. Aside from identifying campus security contacts and emergency numbers, they can connect with aligned and trusted faculty (even if not their own), join Jewish student groups like Hillel and Chabad and foster a strong social protective network. They must never confront organized anti-Israel hostility alone.