Haverford College has a Hillel, Chabad, and the Haverford Jewish Student Union.

Litigation & Investigations

In May 2024, the Deborah Project filed a federal lawsuit alleging a hostile environment for Jewish students and violations of their civil rights. The complaint highlighted incidents of antisemitic behavior which had reportedly gone unaddressed by the administration. The lawsuit was later dismissed by a federal judge.

In September 2024, the Deborah Project submitted an amended complaint accusing the institution of failing to take allegations of antisemitism seriously. The Title VI lawsuit was rejected by the court in January 2025.

In May 2025, Haverford’s President Raymond testified during an Education and Workforce Committee hearing on campus antisemitism about the prevalence of antisemitism at the University and the administration’s efforts to address it.

In June 2025, the Education and Workforce Committee sent a letter to Haverford requesting additional information from the administration following the President’s testimony at the May 2025 Committee hearing.

In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Haverford College for allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act “amid credible reports that Haverford has failed to respond as required by law to multiple incidents of discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on its campus.”

What’s Happening on Campus?

In February 2024, at an anti-Israel rally organized by groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), protesters displayed signs with messages that included: “Decolonization is not a metaphor,” a slogan commonly used to support Hamas’ antisemitic October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. A protester also wore a shirt depicting the slogan, “Resistance is not terrorism” alongside a photo of Leila Khaled, a leader of the antisemitic U.S.-designated terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

In March 2024, Haverford College Students for Peace and SJP held a teach-in as part of Israel Apartheid Month. The event ‘investigated’ allegations concerning “Israel’s weaponization of COVID against Palestinians.” In April 2024, anti-Israel protestors launched an encampment on campus.

In August 2024, an incoming student at Haverford College was allegedly ridiculed by classmates and asked whether they are a "Zionist" after the classmates discovered that the student is Jewish.

In October 2024, an ADL Antisemitism 101 workshop for students, faculty, and staff was disrupted by anti-Zionist protestors, who shouted, banged on the windows of the room and prevented the attendees of the workshop from being able to engage with the session. The University did not condemn this incident.

In April 2025, posters promoting Jewish cultural, religious, and educational events at Haverford College were repeatedly torn down.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In response to the March 2024 teach-in, President Raymond addressed the event's original title, “Mass Death on All Fronts,” and remarked on its offensive nature, noting concerns about its similarities to antisemitic conspiracy theories.

In April 2024, President Raymond shared an email announcing the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression, Learning, and Community and noting that the College was organizing educational events featuring knowledgeable visitors such as Project Shema, which trains and supports the Jewish community and allies to understand and address contemporary antisemitism.

Additionally, the College initiated a program called Meeting the Moment: Community in Dialogue in Fall 2024. This program focused on workshops and discussions about antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other biases.

In April 2025, the College condemned “repeated instances of posters promoting Jewish cultural, religious, and educational events being removed from certain campus locations” and committed to publishing complaints and bias reports online to improve transparency and accountability.

In August 2025, the College held mandatory training sessions on antisemitism for senior staff. Incoming students were also provided with a voluntary anti-bias training at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year, which had a focus on antisemitism. Furthermore, voluntary workshops on antisemitism are being offered in collaboration with Project Shema.

The College is participating in Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), and President Raymond has also been conducting listening sessions with Jewish students, staff, and faculty on campus. The College is also organizing an Intragroup Day of Dialogue.

Haverford College has a Hillel, Chabad, and the Haverford Jewish Student Union.

Litigation & Investigations

In May 2024, the Deborah Project filed a federal lawsuit alleging a hostile environment for Jewish students and violations of their civil rights. The complaint highlighted incidents of antisemitic behavior which had reportedly gone unaddressed by the administration. The lawsuit was later dismissed by a federal judge.

In September 2024, the Deborah Project submitted an amended complaint accusing the institution of failing to take allegations of antisemitism seriously. The Title VI lawsuit was rejected by the court in January 2025.

In May 2025, Haverford’s President Raymond testified during an Education and Workforce Committee hearing on campus antisemitism about the prevalence of antisemitism at the University and the administration’s efforts to address it.

In June 2025, the Education and Workforce Committee sent a letter to Haverford requesting additional information from the administration following the President’s testimony at the May 2025 Committee hearing.

In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into Haverford College for allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act “amid credible reports that Haverford has failed to respond as required by law to multiple incidents of discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students on its campus.”

What’s Happening on Campus?

In February 2024, at an anti-Israel rally organized by groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), protesters displayed signs with messages that included: “Decolonization is not a metaphor,” a slogan commonly used to support Hamas’ antisemitic October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. A protester also wore a shirt depicting the slogan, “Resistance is not terrorism” alongside a photo of Leila Khaled, a leader of the antisemitic U.S.-designated terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

In March 2024, Haverford College Students for Peace and SJP held a teach-in as part of Israel Apartheid Month. The event ‘investigated’ allegations concerning “Israel’s weaponization of COVID against Palestinians.” In April 2024, anti-Israel protestors launched an encampment on campus.

In August 2024, an incoming student at Haverford College was allegedly ridiculed by classmates and asked whether they are a "Zionist" after the classmates discovered that the student is Jewish.

In October 2024, an ADL Antisemitism 101 workshop for students, faculty, and staff was disrupted by anti-Zionist protestors, who shouted, banged on the windows of the room and prevented the attendees of the workshop from being able to engage with the session. The University did not condemn this incident.

In April 2025, posters promoting Jewish cultural, religious, and educational events at Haverford College were repeatedly torn down.

University Policies and Responsive Action

In response to the March 2024 teach-in, President Raymond addressed the event's original title, “Mass Death on All Fronts,” and remarked on its offensive nature, noting concerns about its similarities to antisemitic conspiracy theories.

In April 2024, President Raymond shared an email announcing the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression, Learning, and Community and noting that the College was organizing educational events featuring knowledgeable visitors such as Project Shema, which trains and supports the Jewish community and allies to understand and address contemporary antisemitism.

Additionally, the College initiated a program called Meeting the Moment: Community in Dialogue in Fall 2024. This program focused on workshops and discussions about antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other biases.

In April 2025, the College condemned “repeated instances of posters promoting Jewish cultural, religious, and educational events being removed from certain campus locations” and committed to publishing complaints and bias reports online to improve transparency and accountability.

In August 2025, the College held mandatory training sessions on antisemitism for senior staff. Incoming students were also provided with a voluntary anti-bias training at the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year, which had a focus on antisemitism. Furthermore, voluntary workshops on antisemitism are being offered in collaboration with Project Shema.

The College is participating in Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative (CCI), and President Raymond has also been conducting listening sessions with Jewish students, staff, and faculty on campus. The College is also organizing an Intragroup Day of Dialogue.