Ohio State University’s “Jews On Campus”
A group of Jewish students at Ohio State University are using the Jewish New Year to raise awareness and grow their student group “Jews on Campus.”
Leaders of the group say they want to fight hate with positivity, with one of their goals to engage more students outside of the Jewish community. “I think Jewish love and light is important in times like this,” said Jews on Campus co-president Sophia Starr to a local newspaper.
This week, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, members of the group delivered baskets with apples and honey to administrators along with letters wishing them a happy and healthy new year. The group hopes to hold more events throughout the year to become a safe space for Jewish students and a place for non-Jews to show their support. “I think it’s been really difficult,” Starr said. “But there are so many students on this campus who are so supportive of the Jewish community. And I think that’s really important to highlight.”
American University Student Government
At American University, the Student Government’s Undergraduate Senate unanimously voted to approve a resolution titled “A Resolution to Prevent Antisemitic Hate.” The resolution affirms that the student government will continue to work with campus organizations to provide antisemitism training, offer educational programming, and ask the University to create a task force dedicated to countering antisemitism. The resolution also proposed changes to the university’s student code of conduct on discrimination, non-Title IX sexual misconduct, and harassment.
The resolution denounced antisemitism in all its forms, including instances in which political opinions invoke hate. The resolution also called out the rise of antisemitic hate crimes in 2023, the increase in antisemitic activity on college campuses, and the role that social media platforms have played in amplifying antisemitic content. Senator-at-large Connor Thompson, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, said he hopes the resolution will prevent future antisemitic acts on campus. Thompson also added the resolution “was a way to make amends with the Jewish community after the BDS resolution passed last April.”
