- Harvard University ranked as top school for “assaults on Jewish identity” by AMCHA Initiative in 2021
- 25 incidents of anti-Semitism reported at Harvard in 2021, double the number at University of Chicago
- Anti-Semitism at Harvard categorized into redefinition, denigration, and suppression
- Redefinition refers to belief that Zionism and Judaism are unrelated and support for Israel is colonial
Harvard University has been ranked the top school for “assaults on Jewish identity” by the AMCHA Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to combating anti-Semitism, in its annual report for 2021.
The report recorded 25 incidents of anti-Semitism at Harvard, which is more than double the number reported at the University of Chicago, which ranked second with 13 incidents in 2021.
AMCHA’s report categorizes anti-Semitism into three categories: redefinition, denigration, and suppression.
Redefinition refers to the belief that Zionism and Judaism are unrelated and that support for Israel is a colonial political project that exploits Judaism.
Denigration involves vilifying those who support Israel or Jews as having undue privilege, power, or influence.
Suppression calls for boycotting, divesting from, or sometimes shutting down events, programs, or beliefs that are deemed Zionist. Many of the incidents at Harvard overlapped all three categories.
AMCHA Initiative is a non-profit organization that combats anti-Semitism on college and university campuses in the United States. It tracks incidents of anti-Semitism, provides resources and support to those affected by it, and educates the public about the issue. Some have criticized AMCHA for using a broad definition of anti-Semitism and for targeting pro-Palestinian activists and organizations.
