Center for Jewish History Launches Urgent New Exhibition: Between Antisemitism and Activism: The Jewish University Experience in Historical Perspective

New York, NY (October 01, 2024)

In response to the alarming rise in antisemitic harassment and attacks on Jewish college students last semester, the Center for Jewish History (CJH) is launching an urgent new exhibition, Between Antisemitism and Activism: The Jewish University Experience in Historical Perspective. Opening on September 30, 2024, at 7pm, this exhibition comes at a critical time as students are returning to campuses still reeling from recent unrest.

The exhibition opens at a moment of heightened tensions on college campuses, sparked by Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel October 7th, 2023. Protests and demonstrations have surged, bringing issues of antisemitism and activism to the forefront of public discourse. Between Antisemitism and Activism delves into the historical parallels, offering vital insights into how Jewish students and faculty have navigated similar challenges over the past century.

Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, President of the Center for Jewish History, emphasized the urgency of this exhibition, stating, "In light of recent events on college campuses, this exhibition could not be more timely.  Through its comparative historical narrative, the exhibition reminds us that the struggles and achievements of the past continue to resonate in today's academic and social climates."

The exhibition features five distinct historical vignettes, each highlighting key periods and experiences:

• Suffering under the Swastika– Examines the persecution faced by Jewish students and faculty in Nazi Germany.
• Antisemitism in the American Academy– Explores antisemitic quotas and discrimination in American universities during the 1930s and 1940s.
• Students, Signs, and Slogans – Profiles the significant role of Jewish students and faculty in the activist movement era of the 1960s.
• Affirming Jewishness on Campus – Chronicles the development of Jewish fraternities, sororities, and Hillel branches across the 20th century.
• Between Antisemitism and Activism – Looks at the Jewish experience on college campuses today.

A panel discussion will take place at 7:30pm followed by a reception. Panelists Eric Alterman (Brooklyn College), Rebecca Kobrin (Columbia University), Jodi Rudoren (editor-in-chief, The Forward), and Daniel Schwartz (George Washington University), will discuss the history and present-day reality of antisemitism at American universities since October 7th. The discussion will be moderated by CJH President Gavriel Rosenfeld.