Eighteen Northwestern students traveled to Washington on Monday and Tuesday to meet with lawmakers and attend a press conference on antisemitism on college campuses.
The trip was organized by the Coalition Against Antisemitism at Northwestern — an advocacy and lobbying group of thousands of Jewish students, faculty, parents and other NU community members — in order to expose alleged antisemitism on campus.
“Antisemitism on campus is something I’ve experienced and something I feel passionately about,” Weinberg freshman Max Schlanger said. “When I was given the opportunity, I thought it would be a great way to share my voice and speak from my own experience, but also to advocate for something I believe in.”
Students met directly with several prominent lawmakers, including Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.). They also met with several lawmakers’ staff, including staff members for Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) and Tom Emmer (R-Minn.).
On Tuesday, students convened at the White House to meet with representatives from the Department of Education and Department of Justice — both of which are currently scrutinizing NU.
“I’m hoping that our representatives in government will act based on our input,” Schlanger said. “They’re not on campus, they can’t see what’s happening. All they have access to is our testimony.”
Schlanger said he appreciated the work the federal government has already done to protect Jewish students, but added “there’s still work to be done.”
Weinberg senior Jeanine Yuen said she attended because she has observed “rampant” antisemitism at NU, evidenced by the encampment last April, defaced Israeli flags last May, graffiti outside University Hall last month and “the lack of Jewish voices on campus,” she said.
“I appreciate (the lawmakers) pretty much all had a pro-Israel stance, so they were very receptive to the things that we wanted to tell them,” Yuen said. “And I’m glad we were able to walk in with personal stories and photos of events that have happened so that they really see a pressing need for some type of equal rights, equal protection under the law.”
In response to the trip, Yuen said she hopes the University will “grow a backbone” and protect Jewish students.
Several students on the trip attended a press conference hosted by Reps. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), Randy Fine (R-Fla.) and Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), all of whom are members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce. The Committee questioned University President Michael Schill about alleged antisemitism at NU in May 2024 amid backlash to his decision to negotiate with protesters. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) also spoke.
The lawmakers repeatedly threatened federal funding and endowments for universities that fail to protect students from antisemitism. Michael Kaminsky, a DePaul University junior who said he was attacked last November while showing support for Israel, said at the press conference that Jewish students still feel unsafe on his campus.
“Now is the time we finally hold our institutions accountable for festering Jew hatred and antisemitism on their campuses,” Kaminsky said.
On Thursday morning, the House Committee on Education and Workforce will hold a hearing titled “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses.” The presidents of Haverford College, DePaul University and California Polytechnic State University will testify.
“If antisemitism is allowed to happen without response, that normalizes it,” Schlanger said. “I think that’s the worst thing for Jewish students who just want to feel safe.”
Lily Ogburn contributed reporting.
Email: [email protected]
X: @IsaiahStei27
Bluesky: @isaiahsteinberg
Related Stories:
— The Daily Explains: Where Northwestern stands in federal antisemitism investigations
— NU touts 88% decrease in reports of antisemitism between 2024-2025
