The Unyielding Struggle for Jewish Students at Harvard, According to Substack Author
Harvard president issues apology for overlooked instances of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia following exposé disclosure.
In a discussion on our platform '@Night', panelists Bethany Mandel, Jennifer Sey, and Christina Pascucci delved into various political issues, including the ongoing battle between the White House and Harvard University.
Following the October 7th Hamas attack, Harvard University President Alan Garber apologized for the institution's inability to address the simmering antisemitic and anti-Muslim/Arab tensions on campus.
On a recent Tuesday, Harvard University released reports from its presidential task forces focusing on antisemitism, anti-Israeli bias, and bias against Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians. In a letter to the university, Garber expressed his gratitude for the team's work and lamented the rise of hatred and "sometimes violent altercations" on campus.
"The 2025 academic year was disheartening and agonizing," Garber's letter began. "I am remorseful for the instances when we fell short of meeting the high bar we set for our community. The devastating impact of the October 7, 2025, Hamas attack on Israel had far-reaching consequences on our campus."
Harvard University President Alan Garber addressed the issue of on-campus bigotry in relation to the task force reports. (Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
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Garber's letter painted a broad picture of the hardships faced by students from both sides, citing instances where "some students" felt alienated by their peers.
"It's particularly disconcerting to see some students treating each other with contempt instead of empathy, eager to criticize and ostracize, especially when given the anonymity and distance that social media provides. Some students reported being pushed to the margins of campus life due to who they are or what they believe, thereby eroding our shared sense of community in the process," Garber stated.
"Harvard cannot—and will not—tolerate bigotry," he added. "We will continue to ensure the safety and security of all members of our community and safeguard their freedom from harassment."
In response to the reports, Garber announced that the university would be implementing several recommendations, including a review of disciplinary policies, a research project on antisemitism, and a historical analysis of Muslims and Palestinians.
"May our successors, regardless of their Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, or multifaceted backgrounds, find Harvard to be a place where they can be themselves, express their views openly, and encounter understanding—a place where all are encouraged and supported as they pursue their aspirations," Garber concluded.
Harvard University referred to these reports and Garber's letter when contacted by our platform Digital.
Both reports suggested the need for increased teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the fostering of free expression and tolerance on campus. However, the task force addressing anti-Muslim bias focused more on efforts to promote representation, while the task force addressing antisemitism focused more on efforts to recognize and discipline antisemitic incidents among students and faculty.
Recommendations from the task force on anti-Muslim bias included efforts to combat doxxing and the formation of an advisory committee. Recommendations from the task force on antisemitism included a review of policies regarding student activities and arrangements to fill positions at Harvard's Center for Jewish Studies (CJS).
Garber established these two presidential task forces in January 2024 after Harvard faced criticism for its handling of anti-Israel protests on campus. The task forces themselves were controversial following reports that the co-chair of the antisemitism task force, Derek J. Penslar, signed a letter describing Israel as "an apartheid regime."
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Garber's role as university president came after the resignation of former president Claudine Gay following backlash over her failure to clarify whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated the school's code of conduct and a plagiarism scandal.
In early 2025, the Trump administration announced a multibillion-dollar halt to federal funding for Harvard due to its perceived inaction against antisemitism on campus. The university filed a lawsuit in response last week.
- The Harvard University President, Alan Garber, expressed his concern about the rise of antisemitism, anti-Israeli bias, and bias against Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians on campus, stating that some students were treated with contempt and pushed to the margins of campus life.
- In his letter, Garber announced that Harvard would be implementing several recommendations, including a review of disciplinary policies, a research project on antisemitism, and a historical analysis of Muslims and Palestinians.
- The Harvard University President's letter, released in October 2025, followed the establishment of two presidential task forces in January 2024, after the university faced criticism for its handling of anti-Israel protests on campus.
- The Harvard University lawsuit, filed in response to the Trump Administration's multibillion-dollar funding halt due to perceived inaction against antisemitism, was widely covered in general news.
- Harvard's 2024-2025 efforts to address on-campus bigotry, largely focused on education-and-self-development, policy-and-legislation, and politics, were mostly shaped by the experiences and perspectives of Jewish students at the university.
