Haverford College has a Hillel, Chabad and the Haverford Jewish Student Union.

What’s Happening on Campus?

In February 2024, at an anti-Israel rally organized by groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, protesters displayed signs with messages that included: “Decolonization is not a metaphor,” a slogan commonly used to support Hamas’ antisemitic October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. A protester also wore a shirt depicting the slogan, “Resistance is not terrorism” alongside a photo of Leila Khaled, a leader of the antisemitic U.S.-designated terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

In March 2024, Haverford College Students for Peace and SJP held a teach-in as part of Israel Apartheid Month. The event ‘investigated’ allegations concerning “Israel’s weaponization of COVID against Palestinians.” In April 2024, anti-Israel protestors launched an encampment on campus.

In May 2024, a Jewish organization at Haverford College filed a federal lawsuit alleging a hostile environment for Jewish students and violations of their civil rights. The complaint highlighted incidents of antisemitic behavior which had reportedly gone unaddressed by the administration. The lawsuit was later dismissed by a federal judge.

In August 2024, an incoming student at Haverford College was allegedly ridiculed by classmates and asked whether they are a "Zionist" after the classmates discovered that the student is Jewish.

In September 2024, The Deborah Project submitted an amended complaint to the federal lawsuit, accusing the institution of failing to take the allegations seriously and exacerbating the situation by awarding individuals named in the complaint and mocking Jewish concerns. The Title VI lawsuit was rejected by the court in January 2025.

In October 2024, an ADL Antisemitism 101 workshop for students, faculty, and staff was disrupted by anti-Zionist protestors, who shouted, banged on the windows of the room and prevented the attendees of the workshop from being able to engage with the session. The University did not condemn this incident.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In response to the March 2024 teach-in, President Raymond addressed the event's original title, “Mass Death on All Fronts,” and remarked on its offensive nature, noting concerns about its similarities to antisemitic conspiracy theories.

In April 2024, President Raymond shared an email announcing the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression, Learning, and Community and noting that the College was organizing educational events featuring knowledgeable visitors such as Project Shema, which trains and supports the Jewish community and allies to understand and address contemporary antisemitism.

Additionally, the college initiated a program called Meeting the Moment: Community in Dialogue in Fall 2024. This program focuses on workshops and discussions about antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other biases.