A version of this letter appears in print on March 12, 2015 in The New York Times.
March 11, 2015
Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
To the Editor:
The alarming story of anti-Semitism against a student at U.C.L.A. deserves the attention you gave it. It was indeed reminiscent of the kind of exclusion of Jews that goes back decades.
What’s so stark about this case, however, was how unusual it was. The shock of it was exactly because we thought that this kind of prejudice was long gone in America. And so while it deserved the strongest condemnation, it also needs to be said that it was uncharacteristic of campus life for Jews in this country. It was also uncharacteristic of campus life for Jews at U.C.L.A., and was rightly condemned by students and the administration alike.
Life for Jews on campuses in America has challenges, most regarding anti-Israel activity. Activities like Israel Apartheid Week and boycott, divestment and sanctions resolutions are making Jewish students on some campuses more uncomfortable than in some time. These activities must be countered by information, education and leadership by university officials.
Still, for most Jewish students on campus, life is normal. This needs to be said, because mounting hysteria from some quarters on the subject of anti-Semitism on campus is simply not helpful to Jewish students and their families.
Sincerely,
Amanda Susskind
Director, Pacific Southwest Region