Yale University students at the corner of Grove and College Streets in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S., April 22, 2024. Photo: Melanie Stengel via Reuters Connect.

We are witnessing an alarming moral erosion across North America as antisemitism continues its steep and brazen ascent. This is not the subtle “dog whistle” antisemitism of past decades. It is overt. It is violent. It is organized. And it is often masquerading as “activism” under the guise of anti-Zionism or anti-Israel sentiment.

The growing chorus of hatred is not merely about Israel’s policies — it is about Jews, period.

In city streets, on college campuses, in media and political discourse, antisemitic rhetoric has become normalized and even celebrated. As a Jewish activist, journalist, and advisor working on the frontlines of Jewish advocacy, I can no longer temper my condemnation: our governments are failing us. Our cities are complicit through inaction. And too many voices of reason have been muted by fear or ignorance.

Anti-Zionist, anti-Israel, and anti-Jewish sentiments directed against our entire movement, people, and country are, in fact, antisemitism.

Being against Israeli policies, specific individuals, or specific actions is one thing.  Being against an entire movement, country, or people is another thing.

Hate in the Streets, on Campuses, and in Political Discourse

Let us start with the public sphere, where antisemitism no longer hides.

Just last week, Washington, D.C., was rocked by a violent terror attack targeting a Jewish gathering and murdering two young people because they attended a Jewish gathering in a Jewish building. This followed a string of violent incidents in both the United States and Canada, from vandalism of synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses to death threats at “Israel Day” events in Toronto, Montreal, and New York City. It also followed murders and attempted murders that targeted Jews across America.

One unsettling battleground is the university campus, which reflects exactly what we are witnessing on city streets, as performative activism and “catchy” slogans are used to justify anti-Jewish racism, bigotry, and hatred.

According to a sweeping 2024 study conducted by Hillel International and the Anti-Defamation League, 73% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism since October 7, 2023. Even more disturbingly, 41% report concealing their Jewish identity due to safety concerns

At UCLA, Jewish students were blocked from entering campus spaces unless they denounced Israel’s right to exist. In 2024, a Federal court ruled in their favor, underscoring the university’s gross failure to uphold basic rights. At McGill University in Canada, protesters called for the destruction of Israel with chants of “Long live the intifada,” while intimidating Jewish students with hateful signage and harassment. The encampments are not peace protests — they are theaters of intimidation and hate.

The Digital Engine of Antisemitic Hate

This surge of hate is not organic. It is algorithmically amplified. The digital sphere — particularly social media platforms — has become the central artery through which antisemitic content spreads.

According to CyberWell’s analysis of the 2025 Canadian federal election, 72.1% of antisemitic content tracked was posted to X (formerly Twitter), often mixing Holocaust denial, dehumanizing slurs, and calls for violence with the language of political activism. Other platforms — TikTok, Instagram, YouTube — are also culpable. This is not free speech; this is the incitement and proliferation of hate speech, and it has very real offline consequences.

The Unholy Alliance: Islamism and the Far-Left

What is perhaps most insidious is the strategic manipulation of far-left ideologies by Islamist movements that are fundamentally opposed to liberal democracy. These Islamist entities have perfected the art of linguistic appropriation — using terms like “decolonization,” “social justice,” and “intersectionality” — to disguise antisemitism as a virtue. And too many progressive institutions, including our universities and civic spaces, have bought this lie.

The placard-waving crowds chanting for “liberation” are often parroting slogans that call for the elimination of Jews and Israel.

This is not solidarity — it is sinister exploitation. These ideologues weaponize moral language to deceive well-meaning, uninformed minds. What begins as ignorance metastasizes into hate. The results are playing out in real time, in both physical attacks and the chilling erasure of Jewish identity in public life.

The Path Forward: The Stakes for Everyone

Let me be clear: when Jews are targeted, the foundational values of the entire nation are under assault.

Antisemitism is the canary in the coal mine. History teaches us that societies that allow hatred against Jews to fester will eventually turn on themselves. If you want to protect the soul of America or Canada, you must protect your Jewish citizens.

What can be done? Everything. Everyone must act.

• For citizens: Speak out when you see hate. Do not allow bigotry to masquerade as activism in your community or workplace. Educate yourself beyond social media slogans.
• For politicians: Condemn antisemitism without conditions or “context.” Pass legislation that defines and prosecutes antisemitic hate crimes. Fund security for vulnerable communities.
• For universities: Enforce codes of conduct. Protect Jewish students. Restore academic integrity by removing ideologically extreme professors who promote hate under the banner of scholarship.
• For tech companies: Ban antisemitic content. Enforce your own policies. The digital space must not be a breeding ground for violent ideology.

A Final Word

I refuse to be silent as hatred spreads like wildfire. I refuse to downplay antisemitism as just another political opinion. It is not. It is the world’s oldest hatred, and it has been rebranded and repurposed in our modern era with terrifying efficiency.

As Jews, we carry the burden of survival — and the responsibility to fight forward, not back. As citizens of democratic nations, we all share the obligation to confront hate wherever it appears. This is not a Jewish problem; this is a North American crisis. And the time to act is now.

Yuval David is an Emmy Award–winning journalist, filmmaker, and actor, and an internationally recognized advocate for Jewish and LGBTQ rights. He serves as a strategic advisor to diplomatic missions, international NGOs, and multilateral organizations, focusing on human rights, pluralism, and cultural diplomacy. With extensive experience in global media and public engagement, Yuval contributes to leading international news outlets and frequently speaks at diplomatic forums, policy conferences, and intergovernmental gatherings. His work fosters cross-cultural understanding, combats antisemitism and hate, and promotes democratic values and inclusive societies. Instagram.com/Yuval_David_ X.com/YuvalDavid Facebook.com/YuvalDavid YouTube.com/YuvalDavid Tiktok.com/@yuval.david