‘We were attacked as bad Jews’: Columbia faculty who supported Gaza protests file claims with Trump’s antisemitism fund

Key Points:

• Columbia University settled with the Trump administration last year, creating a $21 million fund to compensate Jewish employees alleging a hostile work environment due to protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, with claims filed through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• Several Jewish faculty members filed claims arguing that the hostility they experienced stemmed from their support for Palestinian rights and protests, criticizing Columbia for equating all Jewish identity with support for Israel and suppressing pro-Palestinian speech in the name of Jewish safety.
• Faculty reported harassment including doxing, threats, and investigations linked to their advocacy, while some accused the university of enabling a hostile climate and unfairly targeting Jews who dissent from pro-Israel views.
• The EEOC fund, based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, aims to address antisemitic harassment but has been criticized for potentially politicizing the legislation; Columbia has not publicly responded to these recent claims.
• Some claimants expressed skepticism about the EEOC’s recognition of their experiences but used the filing process to challenge prevailing narratives, with a few pledging any settlement money toward efforts supporting peace in Israel/Palestine.