AVIVA-BERLIN.de im Oktober 2025 - Beitrag vom 22.09.2025


78% of Jewish Students Hide Their Religious Identity on Campuses Worldwide, ADL-WUJS Study Reveals
AVIVA-Redaktion

More than 80% of Jewish students worldwide also hide their Zionist identity, while one in five know Jewish peers who were physically assaulted on campus this past year. Jewish women hide their identity more: Women are more likely than men to hide their Jewish identity (82% vs 73%) and their Zionist identity (85% vs 75%).

New York, NY, September 16, 2025

As the new academic year begins, a global survey by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) and WUJS (the World Union of Jewish Students) reveals that more than three-quarters of Jewish university students worldwide conceal their religious identity (78%) and their Zionist identity (81%).

This survey marks the first comprehensive global study of its kind examining Jewish student experiences worldwide. Conducted over the 2024-2025 academic year, it engaged 1,727 Jewish students from over 60 countries across six continents, complementing ADL´s robust US-based research with critical international perspectives.

"This survey exposes a devastating reality: Jewish students across the globe are being forced to hide fundamental aspects of their identity just to feel safe on campus," said Marina Rosenberg, SVP of International Affairs at ADL. "When over three-quarters of Jewish students feel they must conceal their religious and Zionist identity for their own safety, the situation is nothing short of dire. As the academic year begins, this data provides essential insights to guide university leadership in addressing this campus crisis head-on.

Victoria, a Jewish Studies student at the University of Vienna, shared: "There was an ´Intifada Camp´ glorifying Hamas on campus, and our building already had antisemitic graffiti on it. One day, I was terrified to attend a seminar – there were only ten of us in the lecture hall, and there were rumors that camp participants would roam campus looking for ´Zionists.´ We canceled the seminar and fled through the back exit. For a moment, I felt like it was the 1930s, and Jewish students were being chased from their universities."

Additional key findings include:

Threats and attacks: Over the past year, one in three (34%) respondents know Jewish peers who were physically threatened, and one in five (19%) know Jewish peers who were physically attacked.
Orthodox Jewish students experience higher levels of discrimination: Orthodox students are twice as likely than other Jewish students to be discriminated against.
Lack of religious accommodations: Nearly 30% of Jewish students requesting academic accommodations for religious observances are denied or only sometimes granted them. This problem is the most severe in Europe, where religious accommodation denials are twice as high as the rest of the world (44% vs. 20%).
Jewish women hide their identity more: Women are more likely than men to hide their Jewish identity (82% vs 73%) and their Zionist identity (85% vs 75%).
Fellow students drive most discrimination: Nearly one in three Jewish students (29%) experience discrimination from their classmates, compared to just 9% who face it from professors and other university employees.

"As the World Union of Jewish Students, we are distressed and disappointed by the results of this survey, but not at all surprised. Since October 7th, Jewish students around the world have been speaking to the rise in antisemitism and ostracization in their regions. This survey only further highlights how striking the treatment of Jewish students is on campus," said Josh Cohen, President of WUJS. "We call on universities to work in close partnership with their local Jewish student unions, who best understand the needs of their communities, to ensure that campuses are places where Jewish students can feel safe, respected and able to thrive."

To combat this issue, universities should adopt and implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance´s Working Definition of Antisemitism and appoint designated coordinators for combating antisemitism and supporting Jewish and Israeli students, staff and faculty. They should also conduct regular campus climate research and implement peer-to-peer training programs and offer a clear and accessible accommodations policy for religious observances. By taking decisive action, universities can guarantee that their campuses are safe and welcoming environments for Jewish and Israeli students, staff, and faculty.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.

More at: www.adl.org

The World Union of Jewish Students is the central, global, democratically elected Jewish Student leadership network, led by students for students. WUJS serves as an umbrella organization, uniting and representing independent Jewish student organizations in over 45 countries around the world.

Source: ADL, September 16, 2025