The government will appoint a universities anti-Semitism tsar and will introduce a “seal of quality” for institutions demonstrating they can effectively tackle anti-Jewish hatred on campus, a minister has revealed.
Mr. Halfon said the role would be filled by a senior academic who “commands respect in both universities and the Jewish community” and who would liaise between government and university heads.
Universities Have Turned a ‘Blind Eye’ to Anti-Semitism
Mr. Halfon said that the plans were necessary because of a failure of universities to deal with anti-Semitism.“There’s been at best the turning of a blind eye to anti-Semitism, and at worst appeasing it, and perhaps also not knowing how to deal with it. That’s not acceptable,” Mr. Halfon told the newspaper.
He continued: “It’s distressed me that I’ve had to have meetings with a number of vice chancellors and ask them to take action, whether it be over a hall of residence which Jewish students use and have to walk past posters saying Israel is committing genocide, whether it’s demonstrations with protesters saying ‘Zionists off campus,’ or whether it’s the awful intimidation of Jewish chaplains.
‘Horrific’ Intimidation and Threats Against University Jewish Chaplain
The education minister said that a Leeds University incident was a “watershed moment.”University of Leeds’s Jewish chaplain Rabbi Zechariah Deutsch and his family were forced into hiding after they received threats to their safety on Feb. 9. The university’s Hillel House, owned by the Union of Jewish Students, had also been daubed with graffiti.
Leeds University said in a statement published on Monday that it condemned the anti-Semitic abuse and threats directed towards Mr. Deutsch and his family. The institution said it was working with West Yorkshire Police in their investigations related to the Deutsches and the criminal act at Hillel House, which police are treating as a hate crime.
Mr. Halfon said he had met with Mr. Deutsch, his wife, and two children on Sunday, calling them “incredible people.” The minister said he had “listened to the recordings of the intimidation and the threats,” calling them “horrific.”
The government guidance, which will set out how policies against anti-Semitism should be enforced in higher education settings, will be issued following consultation with police and Jewish organisations such as the Community Security Trust (CST), the Union of Jewish Students, and the Jewish Chaplaincy Service.
Increase in Anti-Semitic Incidents at Universities and Schools
The minister’s announcement comes after the latest figures from the CST revealed in 2023 they had recorded the highest volume of anti-Semitic incidents in 40 years, 66 percent of which occurred on or after the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.The report’s authors said last year the CST recorded 182 anti-Semitic incidents in which the victims or offenders were students or academics, or otherwise associated with higher education such as student unions and societies. This was an increase of 203 percent from 60 incidents reported to the CST in 2022.
Of these incidents, 72 took place on campus or university property. Of the 182 incidents, 148 (81 percent) occurred following Hamas’s attack on Israel.
The charity recorded a further 325 cases of anti-Semitism that were school-related, which itself was a record for the charity. A total of 87 occurred at Jewish schools while 127 involved Jewish children or staff at non-faith schools. An additional 111 involved Jewish children away from school, often when making their way to or from school.
Of the total 325 incidents, 229 (70 percent) took place after Oct. 7, 2023.
