For some Jewish applicants, the strength of a college’s Jewish community is an important factor in their college selection process — and understandably so. If a campus’ Jewish life is important to an applicant, it would behoove them to swing by Hillel on a Friday night to see if lots of students are there celebrating Shabbat. It would behoove them to chat with the rabbi, to engage with students by asking them questions about Jewish life on campus, and maybe even to attend services. Another way to gauge the Jewish student experience on campus is to read the student paper, local papers, and even national headlines as these sources might be rather informative. Case in point? Franklin & Marshall College.

Controversial Faculty Statement at Franklin & Marshall Sparks Backlash Over ’Jewish Supremacy’ Language

As Dion J. Pierre reports for The Algemeiner in a piece entitled “Franklin and Marshall Alumni Letter Backs Faculty Condemnation of Israel’s ’Jewish Supremacy’,” “A volley of community statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resumed Monday at Franklin & Marshall College (F&M), when over 130 alumni endorsed a hotly-debated faculty expression of ’solidarity with Palestine,’ criticizing university administrators’ response to it. The letter was written in support of a June 22 faculty statement that said in part, ’The brutal system that controls Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is ideologically founded upon Jewish supremacy, rules over the lives of Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel alike, and is practically committed to territorial theft from Palestinians who continue to resist physical removal and existential erasure.’”

The “brutal system” that controls the Middle East’s only democracy? “Jewish supremacy”? These statements sure do seem antisemitic if you ask us. The fact that a June Franklin & Marshall faculty statement used such verbiage speaks volumes about the experience for Jewish students on the F&M campus. As Pierre reports, “’The abhorrent and offensive language adopted by these faculty (many of whom we trusted as advisors, professors, and house deans) undermines our impactful work and flat-out jeopardizes the safety of Jewish students on this campus,’ wrote Hillel’s Religious Chair Sebastian Mayer.” We happen to agree. One can support Palestinians without using phrases such as “Jewish supremacy.” Shame on these professors for not being more circumspect with their language!

Is Franklin & Marshall Safe for Jewish Students?

Given this troubling turn of events at Franklin & Marshall, prospective Jewish applicants, quite understandably, might be left with a bad taste in their mouths. They might be wondering if this private liberal arts college located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is truly a place where the Jewish community can thrive. Fortunately, we need not guess as to whether this is the case. Hillel International has compiled a list of metrics by which we can measure F&M’s acceptance of Jewish life on campus. Let’s take a look at how this renowned Jewish campus organization rates F&M in the wake of recent antisemitic developments:

Jewish Experience Through Hillel at Franklin and Marshall

Served by Hillel	Yes
Religious Services Available	Yes
Hillel Rabbi/Senior Jewish Educator	No
Kosher Food Available	Yes
Birthright Israel Participation	Yes
Alt Break Participation	No
Israel Fellow	No
JLIC Educator	No
Hillel Mental Health/Wellness Staff	No
Campus Climate for Jewish Students
Hillel CCI Antisemitism Training Participant	No
Open Title VI Investigation	No
Anti-Israel Student Government or BDS Resolution	None

Source: Hillel International

It looks like F&M is a mixed bag for Jewish students. While it offers Jewish services on campus, serves Kosher food, and participates in Birthright Israel, it doesn’t have a Hillel Rabbi or participate in Hillel’s CCI Antisemitism Training. It’s up to every Jewish applicant to decide whether this scorecard amounts to a safe and tolerant environment where they will feel welcome. For what it’s worth, Franklin and Marshall boast 200 Jewish students, or 10.5% of the undergraduate population — a community that, while small in numbers, is likely close-knit and resilient in the face of campus antisemitism.

Ivy Coach salutes the Jewish students navigating stormy waters at places like Franklin & Marshall. Regardless of institutional mishaps and setbacks, Jewish students stand tall and proud at colleges across America, and nothing will ever change that.