Section 03
Respond & Call It Out
Practical scripts, a clear framework, and the reporting channels you need to respond effectively when antisemitism appears on your campus.
Framework
How to Call It Out
When you encounter antisemitism, having a clear, repeatable framework keeps you grounded and makes your response more effective. Follow these steps every time.
Stay Calm
Don't react emotionally. Take a breath. An emotional outburst is exactly what antagonists want — it lets them paint you as unreasonable. Your calm composure is your greatest strength. Measured responses win audiences; emotional reactions feed trolls.
Name It: "That's Antisemitic"
Be direct and clear. Say the word. Many people rely on ambiguity to avoid accountability. When you name it plainly — "That statement is antisemitic" — you force a reckoning. You don't need to be aggressive; just be unambiguous.
Explain Why (Connect to IHRA)
Briefly explain why the statement or action is antisemitic using the IHRA working definition. For example: "The IHRA definition, adopted by 43 countries and hundreds of institutions, specifically identifies comparing Israeli policy to the Nazis as an example of antisemitism." Having a recognized framework behind you strengthens your case.
Document Everything
Take photos and screenshots immediately. Note the date, time, location, and names of witnesses. Save social media posts before they can be deleted. Written documentation is your most powerful tool for reporting and escalation.
Report Through Proper Channels
File reports with your Dean of Students, Title VI coordinator, campus Hillel, and ADL. If the incident involves threats or violence, contact campus police and the FBI. See the reporting channels below for specifics.
Select a scenario above to see ready-to-use scripts.
The Zig
Reactionary Activism
Keyboard Warriors
Fighting antisemitism exclusively through angry social media posts that reach only the already-converted.
Outrage Cycles
Reacting to each incident with fresh outrage but no systematic documentation, follow-up, or institutional change.
Victimhood Framing
Presenting Jews solely as victims — which inadvertently reinforces the narrative that Jews lack agency and power.
Isolation
Attacking potential allies for imperfect solidarity instead of building bridges across difference.
Protest as Performance
Chanting and marching feels powerful but rarely changes policy, campus culture, or institutional behavior.
The Escalation Ladder
The Thought-Action Continuum
Antisemitism doesn't start with violence. It starts with words, stereotypes, and bias — and escalates when left unchecked. Understanding where an incident falls on this continuum determines your best response.
Biased comments, stereotypes, and microaggressions directed at Jewish students. These create an environment where more serious incidents become normalized.
Response: Educate
Respond with facts, share your experience, and help people understand why their words matter. Use one-on-one conversations when possible — public call-outs can backfire with people acting from ignorance rather than malice.
Exclusion from student organizations, harassment that creates a hostile environment, denial of Jewish student rights, and institutional failure to protect Jewish students.
Response: Report
Document everything meticulously — screenshots, dates, witnesses, locations. File reports with your Dean of Students, Title VI coordinator, and Hillel. If your university fails to act, escalate to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Physical threats, assault, vandalism of Jewish spaces (Hillel buildings, synagogues, mezuzahs), and hate crimes targeting Jewish students or property.
Response: Law Enforcement
Call campus police immediately. File a police report. Contact the FBI if it rises to the level of a hate crime. Notify ADL and your Hillel for support. Your physical safety is the top priority — do not attempt to de-escalate a violent situation alone.
Where to Report
Reporting Channels
Know where to report before an incident happens. Having these contacts saved and ready means you can act quickly when it matters most.
Campus Police & Dean of Students
Your first call for any incident on campus. Most universities have 24/7 campus police and an on-call Dean of Students for emergencies.
Find your campus non-emergency and emergency numbers. Save them in your phone now.
ADL Incident Report
The Anti-Defamation League tracks antisemitic incidents nationwide and can provide legal support, media response, and connections to law enforcement.
Report at adl.org/report-incident
FBI — Hate Crimes
For violent hate crimes, threats of violence, or patterns of targeted harassment, the FBI investigates violations of federal hate crime statutes.
Contact your local FBI field office or report tips at tips.fbi.gov
Hillel International
Hillel's Campus Climate Initiative provides crisis support, rapid response resources, and connections to campus professionals who can help.
Contact your campus Hillel director or visit hillel.org for crisis resources.
State & County Human Rights Commissions
Many states and counties have human rights commissions that investigate discrimination complaints and can mediate or enforce anti-discrimination laws.
Search "[your state] human rights commission" to find your local office.
University Title VI Coordinator
Every university receiving federal funds must have a Title VI coordinator. They are legally obligated to investigate complaints and take corrective action.
Find your Title VI coordinator through your university's Office of Civil Rights or Student Affairs.
Keep In Mind
Key Principles
Stay Calm
Emotional reactions feed trolls. Measured responses win audiences.
Use Facts
Verifiable claims are harder to dismiss than opinions.
Ask Questions
The Socratic method is more persuasive than lecturing.
Know When to Disengage
Not every battle needs to be fought. Pick your moments.
Document Everything
Screenshots and records protect you and build cases.
Find Allies
You don't have to respond alone. Build coalitions.
Half of Jewish college students have hidden their Jewish identity at least once to feel safe. Silence is not safety — it is surrender.
Anti-Defamation League & Hillel International, Campus Climate Survey, 2023–2024. adl.org.