Jewish students at Amsterdam university start anti-Semitism helpline
Jewish students at the University of Amsterdam have launched a new hotline for reporting anti-Semitism, called L’Chaim. Jewish students feel threatened, excluded, and lonely at the university, co-founder Avigail Asuss told the Telegraaf.
“I’m a third-year student. I've had one normal month at university. Then ‘October 7th’ happened, and after that, everything was different. The world has been turned upside down ever since,” Asuss said. “I thought I’d make a lot of new friends during my studies, but my circle of friends remains limited to other Jewish students.”
She listed examples of anti-Semitism she and her fellow Jewish students encountered. During a protest at the university’s Oudemanhuispoort complex, she received death threats after she was recognized as Jewish-Israeli. In the student group chat, she asked whether lectures were happening on a stormy day. The responses were all Palestinian flags, swastikas, and insults, the 23-year-old law student said.
Other Jewish students have had similar experiences. The hotline received several reports immediately after opening. “A sociology student was told her paper on anti-Semitism wouldn’t be graded because her lecturer didn’t consider anti-Semitism racism,” Asuss said as an example.
The hotline, L’Chaim, will collect complaints and reports and submit them to the university’s Executive Board. “We’re taking on some of the concerns of Jewish students who are confronted with anti-Semitism. Sometimes you’re in the middle of exams and don’t feel like reporting to a confidential counselor, a study advisor, the Executive Board, and so on. We collect everything and engage in dialogue. And if necessary, we will insist on strong measures.”
A spokesperson for the University of Amsterdam told the newspaper that the university has taken “concrete steps” to better protect Jewish students. “Such as addressing students or lecturers about unacceptable behavior, escalating the response to reports, and deploying support and security where necessary.” She urged students to continue reporting threats and hate speech. “We are doing everything in our power to take appropriate action.”
