Florida International University (FIU) has 3,500 undergraduate Jewish students, comprising 9% of the undergraduate student body, and 160 graduate Jewish students, comprising 1.6% of the graduate student population. There is a Hillel and Chabad, as well as Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In February 2023, an individual connected with the Groyper movement's campus campaign displayed a banner on a table that read "#YeIsRight."

Since October 2023, FIU’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) student organizations have hosted several events and protests.

In November 2023, a draft student body resolution was introduced that called for the FIU administration to condemn Israel in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. The resolution was revised several times but ultimately failed to pass.  During a protest organized by SJP and YDSA in response, a student was reportedly arrested for alleged battery against a law enforcement officer.

In January 2024, members of FIU’s SJP reportedly disrupted a screening of video footage of the October 7 attack which was hosted by the campus Hillel and the Consulate General of Israel. In March 2024, a Shabbat dinner hosted by Hillel at the Graham Center featuring two Israeli soldiers as guest speakers was disrupted by SJP.

University Policies and Responsive Action

Following October 7, FIU President Kenneth Jessell sent out University-wide communications condemning Hamas’ attack on Israel, and the FIU police department increased its patrol presence in areas frequented by Jewish students, including Hillel. Campus law enforcement removed students who were disrupting the screening event and Shabbat dinner described above.

In response to the November 2023 draft student body resolution, the University reaffirmed its commitment to fully support Israel’s right to defend and protect itself from terrorism.

FIU’s student body passed a resolution in August 2021 condemning antisemitism and adopting the IHRA Definition. FIU’s student body passed a subsequent resolution in February 2023 condemning antisemitism and calling for FIU to take appropriate measures to prevent and combat antisemitism.