Leaders of more than 40 American colleges and universities will convene on April 11 and 12 in New York for the University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism. The summit is being presented by Hillel International and American Jewish Committee, in collaboration with the American Council on Education.
“As we confront the threat of rising antisemitism across America and around the world, Jewish students have been among the most visible targets of Jew-hatred in its various forms,” said David Harris, CEO of American Jewish Committee.
“University leaders are our most important allies in confronting antisemitism on campus, and we look forward to working even more closely with them to ensure Jewish students, like students of all other backgrounds and faiths, are able to pursue education free of fear or intimidation.”
The summit, to be hosted by NYU president Andrew Hamilton, will take place at the Center for Jewish History in New York and will give university presidents and other campus leaders opportunities to openly discuss campus antisemitism and develop actionable plans for responding to it. There will be presentations, workshops and confidential sessions for university administrators to discuss important issues in person. Three members of the US House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), and Grace Meng (D-NY) are expected to be in attendance on Monday evening.
Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, adds, “University presidents have a critical role to play in improving the campus climate for Jewish students and ensuring all students can live and study in environments free of hate and intolerance. This summit will give university administrators the tools and resources they need to speak out against antisemitism and take specific steps to make our campuses safer.”