Jewish students in Europe living in ‘constant fear’, union leader says
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Emma Hallali, president of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), told the Guardian that Jewish students across the continent were feeling scared and that universities were largely ignoring concerns from Jewish student organisations.
In an interview in Brussels, Hallali said the EUJS had launched a survey of Jewish students across Europe and was hearing that some had begun having conversations in lower voices and hiding their magen davids.
They are just living in this constant fear that something can happen to them.
When Hamas declared a “day of rage” on 13 October, some Jewish students were advised not to show up to classes for their own safety, Hallali said.
She also described a recent incident at a Belgian university where students were granted permission to put up posters of hostages taken by Hamas, but then were told the university was recommending they not go ahead because it could not guarantee their safety.
The union president said that while she was not opposed to the idea of pro-Palestinian protests on campuses, Jewish students were concerned about violence that comes after demonstrations.
The organisation had plans before the war for a Jewish heritage week on campuses but “we have to cancel” because “if we organise these things it is going to put our students in danger”, she said.
And Jewish students feel that university administrations are not listening to their worries.
“We sent out more than 300 letters to universities, to more than 15 countries” in Europe outside the UK and France, Hallali said, adding that five or six universities had responded.
Jewish students, she said, felt “stuck” and “not heard” by universities.
