The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill has 1,000 undergraduate Jewish students, comprising 5% of the undergraduate student body, and 200 Jewish graduate students, comprising 2% of the graduate student population. There is a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

What’s Happening on Campus?

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a Title VI investigation into UNC Chapel Hill in December 2023.

There have been many recent antisemitic incidents on campus. In October, a faculty member justified Hamas's terror attack on Israel during class, calling the attack "spectacular." At an on-campus panel discussion event the following month, a speaker called the October 7 attack “a beautiful day” and called for the “eradication of Zionism.” In January, the Faculty Council at Chapel Hill postponed voting on a resolution that would have condemned such remarks.

Following October 7, the campus Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter posted imagery on social media featuring a paraglider and noose that the University provost concluded “represents a celebration of violence and murder.”

In April and May 2024, two pro-Palestinian encampments were established on the University campus, with the first ending in the detainment of 36 protestors. In May 2024, prior to commencement, protestors defaced a University building with red paint, including images of bloody hands and messages saying "UNC has blood on its hands."

University Policies and Responsive Action

UNC Chapel Hill committed to taking steps to address antisemitism after reaching a resolution with the federal government in 2019 following a Title VI investigation. UNC has hosted programming on antisemitism through the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies, and its anti-discrimination policies specifically call out antisemitism. In 2021, the University joined Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative.