Georgetown has a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Several incidents of swastika vandalism have been reported at Georgetown, including in January and September 2023. Swastika graffiti was also reported on campus in November 2022.

In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks, the campus Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) chapter released a statement condoning the violence, stating “As Jews, we believe our faith, tradition and values teach us to support liberation, resistance against oppression, and self-determination for all people.”

In October 2023, a Georgetown Faculty statement on the situation in Gaza rejected the Jewish connection to Israel and failed to mention Hamas or the massacre  committed against Israeli civilians. A statement by a group called Georgetown Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine released in January 2024 accused Israel of settler-colonialism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.

In November 2023, a Georgetown staff member posted on social media: “You know why I call them Zionist B*****s because they’re dogs.”

In February 2024, more than 100 students, faculty and staff held a walkout on campus, calling for Georgetown to divest from companies that invest in technology used by the Israeli military. The walkout was organized by several groups, including the Georgetown Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and JVP chapters. That same month, JVP led a protest against a panel featuring Israeli Defense Forces soldiers.

In October 2024, anti-Israel graffiti was located on campus that included an inverted red triangle, a symbol that first appeared in Hamas propaganda videos.

University Policies and Responsive Action

Georgetown placed the staff member who made the social media posts on leave. The University has also increased police patrols and security at sacred spaces, including the Makom (the home for Jewish Life) and the Masjid (the home for Muslim Life).

In Spring 2023, an external antisemitism briefing was organized for a group of administrators, including University Counsel, Office of Emergency Management, Student Equity and Inclusion and others that advise the President.

Since October 2023, senior academic and administrative leaders across Georgetown’s campuses have met regularly with Jewish students, faculty, and staff to discuss ways in which the University can strengthen Jewish life on campus and prevent and address antisemitism, which has led to the development and introduction of new programs, trainings, and the Community in Diversity public awareness campaign against antisemitism, Islamophobia and all types of hate.

In January 2025, Georgetown launched mandatory educational training for more than 500 leaders of campus student organizations regarding understanding and preventing discrimination and harassment based on protected categories, including antisemitism.

Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) has developed extensive resources to help faculty promote civil discourse and facilitate difficult discussions in the classroom. In addition, Georgetown has recently launched the Georgetown Dialogues Initiative (GDI) that seeks to give all Georgetown students exposure to and personal experiences in respectful dialogue between those with opposing viewpoints. 

Georgetown has a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Several incidents of swastika vandalism have been reported at Georgetown, including in January and September 2023. Swastika graffiti was also reported on campus in November 2022.

In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attacks, the campus Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) chapter released a statement condoning the violence, stating “As Jews, we believe our faith, tradition and values teach us to support liberation, resistance against oppression, and self-determination for all people.”

In October 2023, a Georgetown Faculty statement on the situation in Gaza rejected the Jewish connection to Israel and failed to mention Hamas or the massacre  committed against Israeli civilians. A statement by a group called Georgetown Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine released in January 2024 accused Israel of settler-colonialism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.

In November 2023, a Georgetown staff member posted on social media: “You know why I call them Zionist B*****s because they’re dogs.”

In February 2024, more than 100 students, faculty and staff held a walkout on campus, calling for Georgetown to divest from companies that invest in technology used by the Israeli military. The walkout was organized by several groups, including the Georgetown Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and JVP chapters. That same month, JVP led a protest against a panel featuring Israeli Defense Forces soldiers.

In October 2024, anti-Israel graffiti was located on campus that included an inverted red triangle, a symbol that first appeared in Hamas propaganda videos.

University Policies and Responsive Action

Georgetown placed the staff member who made the social media posts on leave. The University has also increased police patrols and security at sacred spaces, including the Makom (the home for Jewish Life) and the Masjid (the home for Muslim Life).

In Spring 2023, an external antisemitism briefing was organized for a group of administrators, including University Counsel, Office of Emergency Management, Student Equity and Inclusion and others that advise the President.

Since October 2023, senior academic and administrative leaders across Georgetown’s campuses have met regularly with Jewish students, faculty, and staff to discuss ways in which the University can strengthen Jewish life on campus and prevent and address antisemitism, which has led to the development and introduction of new programs, trainings, and the Community in Diversity public awareness campaign against antisemitism, Islamophobia and all types of hate.

In January 2025, Georgetown launched mandatory educational training for more than 500 leaders of campus student organizations regarding understanding and preventing discrimination and harassment based on protected categories, including antisemitism.

Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) has developed extensive resources to help faculty promote civil discourse and facilitate difficult discussions in the classroom. In addition, Georgetown has recently launched the Georgetown Dialogues Initiative (GDI) that seeks to give all Georgetown students exposure to and personal experiences in respectful dialogue between those with opposing viewpoints.