New York, NY, April 30, 2025 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) welcomed the findings of the Harvard Presidential Task Force on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Bias and commended the administration for finally prioritizing this issue.
Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director, issued the following statement:
For years, antisemitism has been a persistent, systemic challenge at so many colleges and universities, and it worsened exponentially in the wake of the brutal massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. And yet, perhaps no situation has been more shocking and scandalous than the mayhem at Harvard University. For that reason, we commend the clear-eyed and brutally honest assessment of the Harvard Task Force on Combating Antisemitism.
The report released yesterday features truly stunning firsthand testimony from members of the Harvard community who experienced casual antisemitism, serial harassment and shocking violence. Each story is more appalling than the next. The report demolishes so many myths, such as the fantasy that antisemitism is not a serious problem on campus (it is); that calling for the destruction of the only Jewish country in the world is okay (it is not); and that anti-Jewish discrimination has not become embedded into the culture of certain fields of study (it has). Indeed, the report reveals that the crisis on campus was far more profound and far more serious than many even imagined. Credit goes to the brave Jewish and Israeli students who faced daily threats based on nothing other than their identities and yet persevered, every single day.
And yet, when you have a problem, the first step is to admit it.
For that reason, we appreciate the report’s focus on accountability and the open acknowledgement of the university’s many missteps; the identification of the various aspects of this problem, including through the voices of those who actually suffered; and the concrete recommendations to effectively protect Jewish students. Now, Harvard must take meaningful steps and meet the milestones outlined in its whole-of-campus approach to eliminating antisemitism.
ADL has been clear that the consistent and transparent enforcement of conduct rules is a critical predicate to creating a safe and welcoming campus climate. We are pleased that President Garber has committed to producing data-driven reports about complaints of discrimination and harassment. This, along with a commitment to reviewing all disciplinary policies and procedures, will go a long way to repairing the climate and restoring a sense of safety for Jewish members of the Harvard community and, ultimately, all stakeholders in the institution.
To be clear, more work needs to be done. Questions must be answered about the radicalism in some academic departments at Harvard. And the university must resist the temptation to equivocate and suggest that there are somehow two sides to a one-sided situation wherein Jewish students continuously, indisputably have suffered from a pattern of violative actions. Nonetheless, this report represents an important and overdue step in the right direction and can start the healing process that is so desperately needed, not just on campus, but across the country.
We hope that Harvard will become a leader in creating a campus climate that is safe for all members of its community, particularly its Jewish students, and we will hold it accountable when it falls short. We call on the Harvard president to follow the Task Force’s recommendations and announce a robust set of actions.
The government also must continue to ensure Harvard’s implementation and continued progress meet the levels required by Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Jews deserve equal treatment on campus, nothing more and nothing less. And yet we hope that the federal government will appreciate the importance of this report and recognize results as they are achieved so that it can reinstitute federal funding and resume the provision of other services that have been halted. The abrupt termination of federal support is a drastic measure that imperils the entire institution and sets a fraught precedent; this is an ideal opportunity to step back from the brink and help Harvard and all of higher education to get it right.
In the end, ADL stands ready to assist Harvard as it works to fulfill its legal obligations and moral responsibilities and to help the university emerge as a model that, not only supports its Jewish community, but one that sets the standard for universities in America and beyond.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.