Supporting our Jewish Community
We recognize the experiences, beliefs, and cultural practices within Jewish communities are diverse, and we strive to honor the range of perspectives that contribute to our understanding of the community's cultures and traditions.
In alignment with this commitment, campus leaders at UC Davis have been participating in national and regional programming on antisemitism. Ongoing advisory structures—including the Advisory Council on Jewish Life and the Student Affairs Jewish Student Leaders Council—offer regular opportunities for input and collaboration with UC Davis leadership.
Addressing Antisemitism
Readings on Antisemitism Recommended by Jewish Studies Faculty
A Campus Guide to Identifying Antisemitism in a Time of Perplexity - Nexus Leadership Project
Home - Nexus Leadership Project - Combating Antisemitism and Protecting Free Speech
The following resources emerge from an ongoing and engaged process, rooted in conversations and relationships with members of our community. We believe that we are only as strong as the voices we hear and the partnerships we build. By engaging both academic scholarship and community perspectives, we strive to create spaces where everyone can feel heard and included. The more perspectives we invite into the conversation, the better we hope to become at finding common ground and addressing the challenges that face our Jewish Community.
We also invite you to explore the University of California's Combating Antisemitism page, which outlines UC’s systemwide efforts to address antisemitism through education, community engagement, and accountability. This resource complements our ongoing work at UC Davis to confront antisemitism, support Jewish students, staff, and faculty, and uphold our Principles of Community.
Understanding Antisemitism
The definitions of antisemitism provided below reflect a variety of perspectives, each contributing to a deeper understanding of the concept.
Working Definition of Antisemitism (American Jewish Committee)
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Definition
UC Davis Joins the Discussion
- Examples of Recent UC Davis Programming in Support of our Jewish Community
When Criticism Becomes Hateful: Defining Antisemitism with Professor Derek Penslar, presented by the Addressing Bias, Bigotry, and Discrimination at UC Davis Speaker Series (March 20, 2025)
Political Ideology, Racialization, and Antisemitism with Professor Jeffrey Sherman, presented by the Jewish Climate Advisory Council and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (February 25, 2025)
Arabization and Localization of Jewish Identity in the MENA Region (1517–1881) with Professor Bashkin, presented by the Jewish Studies Program and Middle East/South Asia Studies (February 25, 2025)
Jews, Muslims & the Challenges of Western Modernity with Professors Leora Batnitzky (Princeton University) and Anver Emon (University of Toronto), presented by the Departments of Middle East/South Asia Studies, Comparative Literature, French and Italian, Religious Studies, German and Russian, and the Jewish Studies Program (February 10, 2025)
Integration or Intolerance? Muslim-Jewish Convergence in the Zirid Kingdom of Granada with Dr. Brian Catlos, presented by the Department of Middle East/South Asia Studies and the Department of History (January 23, 2025)
Understanding Antisemitism as a Form of Hate with Kenneth Stern, Director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, presented by the Department of Internal Medicine as part of the Dynamic Discussions series (January 16, 2025) See also Addressing Bias, Bigotry and Discrimination at UC Davis: Open Internal Medicine launches new speaker series by Sarah Colwell, highlighting the Department of Internal Medicine’s launch of a new speaker series aimed at fostering respectful dialogue on issues such as antisemitism and broader forms of bias and discrimination (January 7, 2025)
Humanities Forum: Antisemitism and Islamophobia (HUM 001, 2 units), taught by Professors Sven-Erik Rose and Mairaj Syed. This Fall 2024 course comparatively examines Islamophobia and antisemitism as two forms of prejudice in various historical contexts. See also Bridging Divides Through Dialogue: UC Davis Scholars Tackle Antisemitism and Islamophobia by Mario Sestito, featuring Professors Sven-Erik Rose and Mairaj Syed's collaborative work on fostering understanding through academic dialogue (March 20, 2025)
Resisters: How Ordinary Jews Fought Persecution in Hitler's Germany with Professor Wolf Gruner, presented by the Jewish Studies Program, German Department and History Department (May 16, 2024)
Panel Discussion on Antisemitism and Islamophobia, co-sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program and Middle East/South Asia Studies (February 29, 2024)
Environmental Peacebuilding in Israel and Palestine, presented by the Jewish Studies Program and Middle East / South Asian Studies (February 22, 2024)
Countering Antisemitism, presented by the Countering Antisemitism Committee of the Congregation Bet Haverim, sponsored by the division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as part of the Campus Community Book Project (January 9, 2024)
Diversity in the Jewish Community, presented by the Hillel Student Board of Davis and Sacramento as part of 2023 Principles of Community Week, "Connecting as a Community" (March 1, 2023)
Antisemitism: How to Be an Ally Against Hate, presented by the Hillel Student Board of Davis and Sacramento (February 8, 2023)
"Between Race and Religion: Reflections on Jews, Race, and Antisemitism," presented by the UC Davis School of Law as part of its Racial Justice Speaker Series 2022-23 (March 1, 2023)
“Recovered Voices,” James Conlon, Artistic Director and Conductor, presented by the Mondavi Center, this was a unique Colburn School of Music program that encourages greater awareness and more frequent performances of music by composers whose careers and lives were disrupted—or worse—during the years of the Nazi regime in Europe (April 11, 2023)
International Holocaust Remembrance Day blog featuring the director at Hillel House commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 5, 2022)
Latino/Jewish Forum on Immigration, sponsored by The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region and the Jewish Community Relations Council (April 4, 2018)
Dialogue Series | UC Davis Health (Webinar Series on Antisemitism), which included talks on "Generational Effects of the Holocaust," and "Antisemitism in the United States"
- Additional Programming and Resources
Additional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming and resources
Additional Student Affairs programming and resources
Examples of additional Strategic Communications content
- News and Statements on Campus Climate
University of California President Michael V. Drake provided an Update to UC Campus Climate Efforts | August 2024
UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May issued a statement after students voluntarily removed the encampment. Chancellor's Statement: Status of the Encampment | June 2024
UC Davis Statement on Student Encampment and Statement from Chancellor Gary S. May on Encampment Set Up | May 2024
Checking In With Chancellor May: Standing on Our Principles | November 2023
Chancellor May Joins President Drake and UC Chancellors in Condemning Bigotry | November 2023
UC Davis Campus Leadership Reaffirms the Principles of Community | November 2023
Checking in with Chancellor May: Standing With You | October 2023
Checking in with Chancellor May: Freedom of Expression | September 2023
Chancellor May recognizes Jewish American Heritage Month | May 2023
Chancell-ing: Hate is the Virus We’re Fighting Now | February 2023
Standing Together Against Hate by Chancellor May | September 7, 2022
Joint Statement From Division of Student Affairs and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by Vice Chancellors Renetta G. Tull and Pablo Reguerín | February 17, 2022
UC Davis Chancellor May Condemns Antisemitic Graffiti Found in Residence Hall | October 2022
Davis Enterprise, “Davis leaders condemn white supremacist hate incident” | August 29, 2022
- External Resources
Antisemitism in our Midst: Past and Present - UC Berkeley Video charts the history of Antisemitism from its origins to today.
Antisemitism Spikes, And Many Jews Wonder: Where Are Our Allies? (All Things Considered | June 7, 2021)
Far more unites Black and Jewish Americans than divides them (CNN)
Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco
United States Holocaust Museum
Yad Vashem - The World Holocaust Remembrance Center
Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel (YouTube video introduction of the book)
JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. See their Resources section for guides on Shabbat, Rosh Hashana and Passover
Judaism Publications from the Pew Research Center
- We are grateful for the collaborative input on this page
- Sheri Atkinson, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Campus Community and Retention Services, UC Davis
Rachel Darling, Executive Director of the Hillel at Davis and Sacramento
Naomi Greenspan, Director, Improving the Campus Climate Initiative, Academic Engagement Network
Rivka Keith, President, Student Board, Hillel at Davis and Sacramento
Ari Kelman, Professor, Department of History, UC Davis
Carly Klinger, Student and member of Aggies for Israel, UC Davis
Dylan Marks, Graduate Student, UC Davis School of Law and member of Jewish Law Student Association
Arina Nisanova, Graduate Student, UC Davis School of Medicine and member of Jewish Medical Student Association
UC Davis Jewish Studies Program
Advisory councils and trainings related to Jewish heritage and addressing antisemitism
The UC Davis Advisory Council on Jewish Life meets quarterly with the Chancellor.
Jewish Student Leaders Council meets regularly with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The campus community is engaged in a series of national, regional, and local trainings that address antisemitism, and activities that celebrate Jewish heritage.
Thank you for removing the hyphen in antisemitism! See why here.
This page is a work in progress, and will be updated regularly. Last updated June 2025. Any additional requests for revisions or additions to this resource page will go through a review process in consultation with our UC Davis Jewish Studies program. Thank you for your interest.