Campus Crossroads: Non-Jewish Student Perceptions of Jews and Israel

KEY POINTS

• Study basis: Survey of 1,007 U.S. non‑Jewish undergraduates, fielded Jan–Feb 2026; schools span all 50 states + D.C. The sample was drawn from College Pulse's American College Student Panel™️.
• Visibility of anti‑Jewish behavior: 48.3% reported witnessing or experiencing anti‑Jewish behavior on campus or in campus‑related digital spaces in the past year.
• Perceived prevalence: 52.1% said anti‑Jewish prejudice is at least “a little” prevalent at their school.
• Training gap: Only 5.3% reported receiving antisemitism‑specific training.
• Anti‑Jewish attitudes (uneven): 47.6% endorsed ≥1 anti‑Jewish attitude; 19.2% endorsed ≥3.
• Israel-related perceptions (mixed): 18.1% expressed greater sympathy for Hamas than Israel; 69% affirm Jews’ right to an independent country.
• Support for action: 85% support university action to address anti‑Jewish behavior.

Executive Summary

This report analyzes how non-Jewish college students perceive Jews and Israel, based on a January-February 2026 survey of 1,007 U.S. undergraduates. Students came from both private (26.3%) and public (73.7%) institutions, with schools spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

The findings show that anti-Jewish bias is widely visible on campus, but also that most students support institutional action and inclusion – creating both risks and opportunities for universities. 

Nearly half (48.3%) of non-Jewish students reported witnessing or experiencing anti-Jewish behavior on campus or in digital campus-related spaces in the past year, and a slight majority (52.1%) perceive such prejudice as at least “a little” prevalent. Yet campuses are not consistently preparing students to respond: only 5.3% reported receiving antisemitism-specific training.

Problematic beliefs are common but unevenly distributed. About 47.6% of students endorsed at least one anti-Jewish attitude, though more entrenched views are concentrated in a smaller subset (19.2% holding three or more). Notably, this represents nearly one in five students indicating agreement with half or more of the tested attitudes, underscoring the scale of more entrenched views. This pattern suggests that, for a meaningful minority, these attitudes are not isolated responses but form a more consistent cluster of anti-Jewish beliefs, which may have greater implications for campus climate and targeted interventions. Attitudes toward Israel are similarly mixed: while 18.1% expressed greater sympathy for Hamas than Israel, most students (69%) affirm Jews’ right to an independent country and large majorities are comfortable with Israeli academic participation.

Importantly, 85% of students support university action to address anti-Jewish behavior, though support is lower among those holding anti-Jewish beliefs. Many students believe peers would defend Jewish classmates, yet most also think expressing support for Israel carries social risk – highlighting tensions in campus climate.

Overall, the data point to a campus environment where anti-Jewish behaviors are visible and sometimes normalized, but where a broad base of students remains open to education and institutional leadership. The report concludes that proactive, mandatory antisemitism education – paired with clear policies and consistent enforcement – is the most effective path to strengthening campus inclusion and preventing further normalization of anti-Jewish bias. Closing the gap between the very small minority who report exposure to education specifically addressing antisemitism and the many who report encountering anti-Jewish behavior across campus settings is critical. This can be done through coordinated action aligned with ADL’s Six Asks, including visible leadership, strengthened Title VI infrastructure, consistent policy enforcement, expanded antisemitism-focused education and dialogue, regular climate assessment, and reaffirmed faculty responsibilities.