City University of New York Brooklyn College has a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

Litigation & Investigations

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights entered into a resolution agreement with the CUNY system, outlining a series of actions that universities within the system must take to address antisemitism on campus.

Among other requirements, the resolution stated that CUNY must provide trainings for those investigating incidents and reopen or initiate investigations of reports alleging discrimination on the basis of national origin and provide OCR with the results of the investigations.

What's Happening on Campus?

There have been a few antisemitic incidents, including a May 2023 rally for the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba,” the Palestinian term for the events surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, that included a protest outside of the Hillel building on campus. An Instagram post promoting the rally also included "#ZionismOutofCUNY.”

During an on-campus vigil after the October 7 Hamas attack, students from Brooklyn College’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) reportedly started protesting and shouting at Jewish students.

A coalition of student organizations called for College President Michelle Anderson to resign in October 2023 for many reasons, including her support of Jewish students and Israel.

In November 2024, at an anti-Israel protest against a Brooklyn College Hillel event organized by Within Our Lifetime, CUNY 4 Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine, protesters chanted, ‘We don’t want no Zionists here.’

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, following an incident where a student and friend were physically assaulted and called “dirty Jews,” the College released a statement entitled “We Stand Against Antisemitism.”

Following the Hamas attack, Brooklyn College leadership has regularly met with Jewish students, including the group United for Israel, to address concerns. In addition to participating in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative, the College has also worked to educate its community on antisemitism by incorporating mandatory antisemitism awareness into several training programs.

Prior to the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year, the administration also reviewed and strengthened policies covering events, protests and demonstrations on campus; implemented a guidance memo for faculty on academic freedom, classroom conduct and faculty responsibilities under Title VI; and organized regular Emergency Response Team meetings to prepare in advance of campus events.

Additionally, the University developed a new orientation training on preventing discrimination, which addresses antisemitism, and includes the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

In September 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul, called on the CUNY system to implement recommendations developed by Judge Jonathan Lippman after more than 10 months of investigation into the school’s antisemitism and anti-discrimination policies.

Commendations

On October 30, 2024, ADL issued a commendation to CUNY Brooklyn College for the actions and policies implemented by the administration to combat antisemitism on campus in advance of the 2024 fall semester.

City University of New York Brooklyn College has a Hillel, Chabad and Jewish Greek life organizations.

Litigation & Investigations

In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights entered into a resolution agreement with the CUNY system, outlining a series of actions that universities within the system must take to address antisemitism on campus.

Among other requirements, the resolution stated that CUNY must provide trainings for those investigating incidents and reopen or initiate investigations of reports alleging discrimination on the basis of national origin and provide OCR with the results of the investigations.

What's Happening on Campus?

There have been a few antisemitic incidents, including a May 2023 rally for the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba,” the Palestinian term for the events surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, that included a protest outside of the Hillel building on campus. An Instagram post promoting the rally also included "#ZionismOutofCUNY.”

During an on-campus vigil after the October 7 Hamas attack, students from Brooklyn College’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) reportedly started protesting and shouting at Jewish students.

A coalition of student organizations called for College President Michelle Anderson to resign in October 2023 for many reasons, including her support of Jewish students and Israel.

In November 2024, at an anti-Israel protest against a Brooklyn College Hillel event organized by Within Our Lifetime, CUNY 4 Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine, protesters chanted, ‘We don’t want no Zionists here.’

University Policies and Responsive Action

In January 2022, following an incident where a student and friend were physically assaulted and called “dirty Jews,” the College released a statement entitled “We Stand Against Antisemitism.”

Following the Hamas attack, Brooklyn College leadership has regularly met with Jewish students, including the group United for Israel, to address concerns. In addition to participating in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative, the College has also worked to educate its community on antisemitism by incorporating mandatory antisemitism awareness into several training programs.

Prior to the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year, the administration also reviewed and strengthened policies covering events, protests and demonstrations on campus; implemented a guidance memo for faculty on academic freedom, classroom conduct and faculty responsibilities under Title VI; and organized regular Emergency Response Team meetings to prepare in advance of campus events.

Additionally, the University developed a new orientation training on preventing discrimination, which addresses antisemitism, and includes the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

In September 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul, called on the CUNY system to implement recommendations developed by Judge Jonathan Lippman after more than 10 months of investigation into the school’s antisemitism and anti-discrimination policies.

Commendations

On October 30, 2024, ADL issued a commendation to CUNY Brooklyn College for the actions and policies implemented by the administration to combat antisemitism on campus in advance of the 2024 fall semester.