78 percent of Jewish students conceal religion amid rising anti-Semitism on campuses, report finds
A new global survey by the ADL and WUJS found that over three-quarters of Jewish students hide their religious or Zionist identity on campus, with many reporting threats or assaults.
Additional studies from Hillel and Stop Antisemitism show anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. campuses are reaching record highs, with DEI programs often excluding Jews.
A study released on Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) reveals that Jewish students worldwide face escalating anti-Semitism on campus, with many hiding their identities for safety.
The survey collected responses from 1,727 Jewish students across more than 60 countries during the 2024–2025 academic year.
The findings show 78 percent of Jewish students conceal their religious identity and 81 percent hide their Zionist identity. Nearly one in five reported knowing peers who were physically attacked in the past year, while more than a third said fellow students were threatened.
Orthodox students reported particularly high levels of discrimination, and Jewish women were more likely than men to conceal their identity.
ADL’s Marina Rosenberg warned, “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.”
“This survey only further highlights how striking the treatment of Jewish students is on campus,” WUJS President Josh Cohen added.
One Jewish student recalled, “There was an ‘Intifada Camp’ glorifying Hamas on campus, and our building already had antisemitic graffiti on it.” She described canceling a seminar and fleeing through a back exit, comparing the fear to the 1930s, when Jewish students were driven from universities.
ADL’s study is not the first to highlight the trend of anti-Semitism on college campuses following Hamas’s attack against Israel.
Last year, for instance, Stop Antisemitism reported a “jaw-dropping 3,000% rise in antisemitic tips and submissions,” blaming universities for failing to protect Jewish students. Over half experienced anti-Semitism, 40 percent hid their identity, and nearly 70 percent said DEI initiatives excluded Jews.
One study from Hillel International observed that anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. campuses numbered 2,334 in 2024–2025, a record high and tenfold increase since 2022–2023. The report warned this surge created an environment where Jewish students “often feel scared and uncertain.”
This month, a different ADL report found Jewish professors face growing campus hostility, often from colleagues and faculty groups. Over 73 percent witnessed anti-Semitic remarks, 44 percent reported Faculty for Justice in Palestine chapters, and professors described unchecked anti-Semitic events.
Relatedly, in February, an Hillel survey found 33 percent of Jewish students said professors promoted anti-Semitism or fostered hostility toward Jews. The report also revealed most young Jews feel less secure, with many concealing their identity in public.
Campus Reform has contacted Hillel International for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
