Tufts has 1,000 Jewish undergraduate students, comprising 15% of the undergraduate student population. There are approximately 500 Jewish graduate students at Tufts.  There is a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek organizations.  

What’s Happening on Campus?
Tufts has a history of BDS campaigns on campus. In March 2022, Tufts SJP launched a BDS campaign calling for the boycott of Sabra and Pillsbury products, as well as calling for students to “refuse to join groups or projects that normalize or benefit [I]srael.”  In March 2024, three BDS resolutions were adopted by the Tufts Community Union: one called for the administration to divest from companies tied to Israel; one called for university dining to end the sale of any Israeli products; and one called on the University to recognize a “Palestinian genocide,” to apologize for Tufts President Sunil Kumar’s statements on the Israel-Hamas conflict, and to hold a meeting between Kumar, the deans, and the Coalition for Palestinian Liberation at Tufts.

In June 2022, Tufts SJP promoted the Boston Mapping Project, a website that contains an interactive map pinpointing locations of many Boston-area Jewish communal and other organizations that the anonymous creators charge with the “colonization of Palestine.”

In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks, student groups including Tufts SJP and Tufts Revolutionary Marxists made comments celebrating Hamas’ attack on Israel. Rallies featured anti-Zionist rhetoric, and in November, a lawn sign was spotted on campus that read "Homeland or death" above a Palestinian flag. During part of the debate over the 2024 BDS resolutions, Jewish students were spat on and “subjected to stomach-churning antisemitic taunts and jeering from their peers,” according to the Hillel director.

The Tufts ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ lasted almost a month, with no major incidents reported, before protestors voluntarily disbanded following a trespassing order issued by the administration. During a May 2024 graduation ceremony, around 100 students walked out of, and chanted near, the ceremony in protest.

University Policies and Responsive Action
In 2021, the University conducted a comprehensive study to address the growth of antisemitism on campus, which informed its 2023 response. University leadership developed a plan to address antisemitism on campus, including introducing anti-bias content, more resources to promote healthier dialogue, and potential changes to how the University recognizes and funds student organizations.

Since October 7, the University has hosted community dialogues about the conflict, and the University Chaplaincy has held weekly multifaith gatherings for students. Additionally, Tufts recently established a Coordinated Response Team and Tufts Talks Openly, which offers training opportunities for faculty, students and staff, including sessions on “Understanding Antisemitism.”

Tufts established an Israel-Hamas War webpage which includes resources for students. The FAQ section notes that individuals or organizations calling for the genocide of Jews would be in violation of University policy.