David Schwimmer, the actor renowned for his role as Ross Geller on the TV show "Friends", sounded the alarm on a worrying surge in antisemitism across American college campuses.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Schwimmer described the current climate for Jewish students as fraught with “pervasive harassment, intimidation, segregation, hate speech, threats, and acts of real violence.” He stated that Jewish students are experiencing “the worst attacks on their rights, dignity, and safety in my lifetime.”
Schwimmer, who has been vocal about his Jewish heritage and the fight against antisemitism, called for immediate action, noting that if a similar level of discrimination were directed at any other minority group, the response would be immediate and forceful.
“If this were any other minority group, the response would have been immediate outrage and action,” he said to his more than 8 million followers.
Supporting Jewish students
Schwimmer’s plea was for people to speak up and show their support for Jewish students who face growing hostility on campus.
“Please show your support for your Jewish neighbors, friends, and colleagues,” he urged. His message contained a crucial warning: “Silence is complicity.”
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The backdrop to Schwimmer’s comments involves a series of troubling events on college campuses.
Eden Yadegar, president of Columbia University’s chapter of Students Supporting Israel, spoke at a recent congressional roundtable on campus antisemitism, sharing her experience of the harassment and intimidation faced by Jewish students at Columbia.
She accused the university’s administration of standing by while antisemitism “flooded every aspect of campus life,” leading to a sense of isolation for Jewish students.
The growing unrest has been fueled by organized protests and encampments led by anti-Israel groups on campuses nationwide. Groups like National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) have called for universities to adopt Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions policies and have threatened to “seize” campuses to force their agendas.
These developments add to the challenging environment for Jewish students, reinforcing Schwimmer’s call to action.