Elon University has 800 Jewish students, comprising 13% of the undergraduate student population, and 40 Jewish graduate students, making up 5% of the graduate student population. There is a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In early 2023, a swastika was drawn on the shirt of a student during a fraternity party. In April 2024, an anti-Israel advocate who promotes BDS and has said that he 'refuse(s) to join the demonization of Hamas' was invited to speak on campus by the Ad Hoc Conflict in the Middle East Programming Committee.

University Policies and Responsive Action

Elon participated in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative in 2021, and in March 2023, Elon Hillel hosted an Antisemitism Awareness Training for students, faculty and staff. Elon’s 2022-2023 Multifaith Strategic Planning Committee Report noted a specific commitment to “Support education and training on specific forms of bias, including Islamophobia and antisemitism.” Elon also has an ongoing working group that has engaged members of the Jewish Studies and Jewish Life departments and continues to advance efforts to address antisemitism.

After October 7, Elon highlighted opportunities to learn more about the attack and encouraged occasions for dialogue, including an event entitled “Contextualizing the Conflict: Conversations about the Middle East,” which was attended by over 200 students, faculty and staff.