Combating Campus Anti-Semitism Through Legal Means

Brandeis Center Announces Formation of First Law Student Chapters

Brandeis Center Announces Formation of First Law Student Chapters October 30, 2013

“The Brandeis Center is launching a nationwide network of chapters for students at select law schools,” said President Kenneth L. Marcus. “This is a critical step towards ensuring that the next generation of legal advocates can recognize anti-Semitism in all of its forms and fight back through legal means.”

Law students who join a campus chapter will have the opportunity to receive education and training on legal methods to combat campus anti-Semitism. Chapters will address harassment of Jewish college students and examine legal aspects of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement’s anti-Israel campaign. Throughout the year, select speakers will visit each campus and chapter leaders will have an opportunity to take part in the Brandeis Center’s annual National Leadership Conference.

“This is a terrific opportunity to put our legal training to work for real, substantive change,” said UCLA Chapter President Shuki Greer. “As law students, we put our skills forward in order to foster a warm and accepting atmosphere for Jewish students and students of all backgrounds.”

Greer’s sentiments were echoed by American University Chapter President Ben Lichtman, who said “The Brandeis Center has been at the cutting edge of the fight against anti-Semitism on campus. We hope to bring greater attention to the this problem and do our part to reverse course.”

Regular programming for campus chapters will focus on Jewish civil rights advocacy, campus anti-Semitism, international human rights law, pro-Israel legal advocacy and counterterrorism legal policies. Law students of all backgrounds and faiths are welcomed to become members.

Campus Anti-Semitism

Over 40% of Jewish American college students report that they have experienced or are aware of anti-Semitism on their campuses.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has announced that campus anti-Semitism “is a serious problem which warrants further attention.”

Campus anti-Semitism can include subjecting Jewish students to different treatment, harassment, violence or a hostile environment.

In some cases, campus anti-Semitism is related to anti-Israel sentiment. In other cases, it is not.

For most purposes, we define anti-Semitism according to the EUMC Working Definition of Anti-Semitism, as endorsed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and U.S. Department of State.