A new poll by Hillel Ontario found that a significant majority of Jewish students had refrained from expressing their pro-Israel believes in public for fear of being criticized and slightly more than half had downplayed their Jewishness in social settings.
Hillel Ontario, which describes itself as the largest regional Hillel in the world with a combined Jewish student population of 14,000 across nine universities, released the findings from the “student pulse check survey” after polling nearly 500 Jewish students between November 2022 and January 2023.
The survey found that 61 percent of students refrained from “expressing their opinion on Israel or Israeli policies in public or social settings” because they were afraid of being ostracized.
Jewish identity was “central or very important” to most students, with 75 percent agreeing that it was crucial to their overall identity.
But over half of respondents (56 percent) downplayed their Jewish identity in “interpersonal interactions” out of concern for antisemitism.
On the subject of antisemitism, most students were most concerned about the activities of student unions and groups and discrimination on social media, the poll found.
When asked whether being part of a Jewish community was “central or very important” to their identity as Jews, 64 percent indicated in the affirmative, with 75 percent agreeing that Hillel was the most important voice in speaking for Jewish students on campus. Hillel was also described by 68 percent of students as their “go to” for Jewish experiences at university.
When it came to being connected to their campus Jewish community, 33 percent said they were “very connected” and 39 percent said they were “somewhat connected,” for a total of 72 percent.
Almost 75 percent of students had an attachment to Israel, with approximately 70 percent of respondents having been to Israel, and 80 percent being "likely, very likely or extremely likely" to visit again.
“Through this pulse check, we confirmed what we have known to be true for some time – students are struggling with career prospects, mental health, and antisemitism,” Bev Shimansky, Chief Campus & Culture Officer for Hillel Ontario, said. “At the same time, students are looking for ways to connect with Jewish community and Israel on campus. The data derived from this survey will help guide our programming, and inform our organizational planning and priorities going forward.”
Jay Solomon, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer for Hillel Ontario, added: “With almost 500 respondents participating, this is one of the most comprehensive surveys of Jewish students ever conducted in Ontario. We have always believed that Hillel’s role was central to the Jewish campus experience. This survey underscores the importance of our mandate, and the value of our efforts. The work of Hillel has never been more important than it is today.”
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)