The Conversation - A century of being Jewish on campus

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For the past 13 months, U.S. colleges have been front and center in debates about the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism and free speech. Jewish students themselves have diverse views of the conflict and of Israel. 

No matter where they fall along political lines, many of them are feeling unsettled – and are wrestling with what it means to be Jewish on campus today. Those questions may feel new, but universities have long “been a testing ground for Jewish identity – and Americans’ acceptance of their Jewish compatriots,” writes Jonathan Krasner, a historian of Jewish education at Brandeis University.

In the early 20th century, for example, first- and second-generation Jewish Americans flocked to colleges, hoping higher education would be a ticket to the middle class. The institutions, however, were often far from welcoming, whether that manifested as antisemitic social snobbery or outright quotas.

In the decades that followed, some students downplayed their Jewishness, while others embraced it. In some ways, that’s similar to students’ experiences today, Krasner writes – but there are also some striking differences.

One last note: if you’re one of the many people trying out the BlueSky social platform, you can follow us there at @us.theconversation.com. You can also find us on Mastodon, Threads, Truth Social and Nostr.

Molly Jackson

Religion and Ethics Editor

Members of Mu Beta Chi, a Jewish fraternity, at the University of Minnesota in 1936. Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, University of Minnesota

Campuses are ground zero in debates about antisemitism − but that’s been true for 100 years

Jonathan Krasner, Brandeis University

Universities have an important role in Jewish American history – highlighting both deep-seated prejudice toward Jews and Jewish students’ paths toward acceptance and assimilation.

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