Anti-Defamation League Launches Confidential Reporting to Combat Campus Antisemitism in US Universities

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has introduced a confidential reporting system aimed at exposing and combating the growing antisemitism targeting Jewish and Israeli students within US higher education institutions. This initiative shifts the focus from public protests on campuses to the subtler, yet pervasive, presence of antisemitism embedded in lecture content, classroom discussions, and faculty networks. The program includes comprehensive reports, recommendations for college administrations, and a discreet platform enabling students, faculty, and staff to report incidents of hatred anonymously and receive support.

Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL's global CEO, emphasized that antisemitism is not limited to overt protests but can manifest in syllabi, lectures, seemingly innocuous remarks, or coordinated faculty efforts opposing Israel's existence. He highlighted the challenge of addressing antisemitism hidden behind closed classroom doors and within academic governance, stating universities cannot claim to seriously confront antisemitism while ignoring these internal issues.

Shira Goodman, ADL's Vice President for Public Affairs and Special Initiatives, explained that many antisemitic incidents go unreported due to unclear or inaccessible reporting channels. The new ADL platform aims to facilitate raising concerns and identifying patterns, ensuring that all campus community members can rely on institutional accountability and not face antisemitism alone.

Senior ADL Vice President Oren Segal pointed out that the hostile environment toward Jewish and Zionist students is driven by well-funded, organized networks seeking to influence academic institutions from within. He criticized faculty members who shield activists from accountability, calling it a failure to protect all students equally from hatred and harassment.

According to ADL data, there were 1,694 antisemitic incidents on US campuses in 2024 and 583 in 2025. While the number of highly publicized protests has declined, internal mechanisms continue to foster a hostile educational environment.