In Support of Our Jewish Community 2024-25 Year In Review

Antisemitism is a persistent and evolving form of hatred that affects Jewish communities worldwide — and it is not absent from university campuses, including UC Davis. Acknowledging this reality is essential to addressing it. UC Davis is committed to fostering an environment where Jewish students, staff and faculty feel safe, respected and able to express their identity and culture without fear of discrimination or harassment.

Programs and Academic Engagement

The following programs took place during this reporting period:

• 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)
• 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.

These efforts reflect engagement across the UC Davis Jewish Studies Program, the UC Davis Department of Religious Studies, and multiple interdisciplinary academic units.

Community and Student Life

In addition to academic programming, the university continued engagement with:

• The UC Davis Advisory Council on Jewish Life, which meets quarterly with senior leadership.
• The Jewish Student Leaders Council, which meets regularly with the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
• Hillel House UC Davis and Sacramento

Campus guides and student-facing resources remained available, including:

• UC Davis - Hillel College Guide
• Guide to Jewish Student Organizations in Davis
• UC Davis Registered Student Organizations with a Jewish focus

These organizations contribute to a campus environment where Jewish identity, culture and scholarship are visible and supported.

Resources

In September 2024, UC Davis introduced Resources for Religious and Faith-Based Identity, further strengthening support for religious observance, inclusion and campus climate.

Throughout 2023–24, UC Davis continued maintaining and promoting:

• Hate Free Together and Hate Free UC Davis resources for local support and accountability
• Anti-Racism Resources, including guidance for understanding and taking local action at UC Davis Health
• Understanding Religious Differences in the Workplace, a Professional Education Course
• Free Speech Resources to support learning about the First Amendment at a public institution, how to exercise your rights within campus policies and ways to get supportBuilding Institutional Infrastructure: Dynamic Discussions

During 2024–25, UC Davis Inclusive Excellence advanced the Dynamic Discussions (formerly Crucial Conversations) initiative through competitive funding from the Addressing Bias and Bigotry initiative. This support enabled the university to establish durable infrastructure for dialogue across difference, including conversations related to antisemitism.

As part of this initiative, UC Davis:

• Launched a centralized Dynamic Discussions Hub
• Developed a 52-card Dynamic Discussions Deck of Conversation Cards, with 500 copies produced for classroom and campus use
• Created plans for a Masterclass Series and LinkedIn Certificate Program
• Built a coordinated storytelling and communications strategy

Dynamic Discussions now serves as a permanent campus resource.

News and Leadership Communications

As part of Dynamic Discussions, UC Davis Inclusive Excellence published articles amplifying scholarship and lived experience related to antisemitism, Islamophobia, inclusive dialogue and free expression.

Selected coverage included:

• UC Davis Faculty Highlight Nexus Guide to Understanding Antisemitism on Campus
• UC Shares New Systemwide Efforts to Address Antisemitism
• Bridging Divides Through Dialogue
• 80th Anniversary of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Creating Psychological Safety in Polarizing Times
• Building Bridges Through Compassion

These stories elevated faculty voices across Jewish Studies, Religious Studies, History, Law, Medicine and UC Davis Health, reinforcing a campus-wide, interdisciplinary approach to addressing bias.

Engagement and Impact

Between September 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, the Addressing Antisemitism webpage recorded:

• 1,499 views
• 940 users

During this same reporting period, Dynamic Discussions generated measurable engagement:

• 2,581 total views across its primary pages
• 1,273 views on the main hub page
• 565 unique users on the hub page
• Featured content pages averaged more than one minute of engagement time

Dynamic Discussions was also promoted through university communications channels:

• April Monthly Newsletter delivered to 4,713 recipients, with a 27.1% open rate (1,278 opens)
• Social posts averaged 1,300–1,600 views, with 70–80% of reach coming from non-followers
• LinkedIn promotions related to antisemitism and dialogue achieved engagement rates between 1.27% and 3.98%

These metrics demonstrate growing awareness and early traction for newly institutionalized resources, with more outreach work to be done.

Continued Commitment

Addressing antisemitism requires sustained attention, principled leadership and ongoing scholarly inquiry. This report documents the university’s efforts within this defined reporting period as part of a broader, multi-year commitment.