'Antisemitism felt relentless' - Jewish students on life at UK universities

Like many campuses across the UK, Cardiff University has seen pro-Palestine protests in recent years and Oliver said he believed some behaviour he witnessed crossed the line from criticism of Israel into antisemitism.Holding Jewish people responsible for the actions of the Israeli government is a form of antisemitism, according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance."That first year was absolutely terrifying," he said."You go home and think, 'do I carry on? Do I try to go to the next day?'"Oliver said he stopped speaking Hebrew outside his home, and hid his Star of David pendant when on campus.Over the following three years, Oliver said the antisemitic abuse he experienced at university became "relentless"."I've been in clubs [or] just wandering around the uni and you hear these conversations and you see pamphlets being handed around where it's literally saying that your belief and your history is fake," he said."I've been at house parties where, when someone's found out I'm Jewish they started calling me Netanyahu behind my back."Like you found out my religion and you've decided I'm a bad person."Oliver said when he had reported antisemitic incidents that had happened to him and others, he had felt they had been often "swept under the rug" by the university.Although he said some positive action had been taken, he feels more needs to be done.Cardiff University said it was sorry that "any student felt unsafe" on campus and that it adopts a "zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination of all kinds".It said there was no place for antisemitism or hatred at the university and they have "robust procedures" in place for investigating allegations of antisemitism. Where it is found, the university said appropriate action would be taken.It said it had reached out to the university's Jewish Society and reminded students to report incidents to them.Daniel, the incoming Jewish Society vice-president at Manchester University, said Jewish students in the city had started "hiding their identity" after the 7 October attacks and later the Heaton Park attack in October 2025, when two Jewish people were killed after a car was driven into pedestrians outside a synagogue.He said antisemitic slogans and swastikas had been daubed on walls and a swastika drawn on a fridge at a house party after partygoers had discovered the host was Jewish. Daniel said he was aware a Jewish student wearing a kippah had also been warned by staff not to enter an academic building during protests for fear of their safety."To be Jewish at university is to have an identity that is inherently politicised by everyone around you," he said. "That becomes very exhausting because it's a very difficult place to navigate."A University of Manchester spokesperson said previous incidents of offensive graffiti on campus were removed promptly, with involvement from police.They said the unversity took antisemitism "extremely seriously" and investigated it, and that the university has worked closely with civic and faith leaders to promote dialogue and understanding between communities.They added: "We are working with Jewish students, staff and community representatives to strengthen our response to antisemitism."There is however more to do, and we are working with the Antisemitism Policy Trust and other universities to share learning, identify effective practice and strengthen our collective response to antisemitism."The president of Swansea University's Jewish Society said she had to alert local counter-terrorism officers when organising routine activities for the society."I don't think anyone running, say, the Manga [Japanese comic books] Society has to consider whether there's a hate crime risk from having a stall," said Aviva."I'm a 20-year-old just going about university life. Getting calls from the police to tell me there isn't a terrorism risk isn't a normal experience."Swansea University said it supports students through dedicated wellbeing, academic and faith services, and is maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and discrimination.A recent survey, external of 1,000 students commissioned by the Union of Jewish Students, conducted by JL Partners between January and February 2026, said Jewish students were being "isolated by their peers" because of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The poll suggested "apathy" towards antisemitism, with one in four (25%) students saying they did not care "very much" or "at all" if students are able to be open about their Jewish identity.