A new report by Judiska Ungdomsförbundet i Sverige (JUS) has revealed alarming levels of insecurity and antisemitism faced by Jewish students and staff at Swedish universities since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The findings paint a troubling picture of how academic spaces — meant to be safe environments for study and debate — are becoming places of fear and exclusion for members of the Jewish community.
The study shows that 88% of Jewish students and staff say their sense of safety on campus has worsened since October 7. Half of the respondents report that they have experienced or witnessed antisemitic incidents at their universities, ranging from verbal abuse to social exclusion. Equally concerning, 50% state that they have considered avoiding campus altogether out of fear or discomfort.
The report also highlights a perceived lack of institutional response. 91% of respondents feel that their universities are not taking sufficient action to counter antisemitism. Trust in wider society is equally low: 71% of Jewish students and staff express little confidence that institutions such as the police or schools would act to protect them if targeted.
These findings underline a growing sense of alienation. Many Jewish students report hiding their identity or refraining from participating fully in campus life, for fear of being singled out or harassed.
The report serves as a wake-up call for Swedish academia and society at large. Universities, as pillars of democracy and freedom of expression, bear a particular responsibility to ensure that antisemitism has no place on campus. The data suggests that urgent measures are needed to restore Jewish students’ trust in their institutions and to safeguard the principle of equality in higher education.
