UC Berkeley to Pay $1 Million Over Anti-Semitism Lawsuit

In a recent settlement, the University of California, Berkeley will pay $1 million and revise its anti-Semitism policies after reaching an agreement with the Brandeis Center. This sum will mainly cover external attorney fees incurred by the Brandeis Center.

As part of the agreement, UC Berkeley will no longer tolerate discrimination or harassment based on an individual’s actual or perceived religion or ethnic origins, with a specific emphasis on Jewish and Israeli identities. Furthermore, the university has committed to adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

Interestingly, UC Berkeley expressed that it already had an “existing practice” of considering the IHRA definition when handling anti-Semitism complaints, though it remains to be seen how this will play out in practice.

Additionally, the settlement mandates that the university clearly state on its Office of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) website that terms like “Zionist ban” have been misused by some groups to marginalize Jewish individuals. This includes evaluating if the term “Zionism” or its derivatives are used to target Jews or Israelis.

A statement from UC Berkeley pointed out that the settlement aligns with its dedication to combatting unacceptable expressions of anti-Semitism on campus. They added that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recently rated Jewish life at the university as “excellent,” giving it a “B” on its 2026 Campus Anti-Semitism Report Card, an improvement from the previous “C” and “D” grades in earlier years.

“What transpired at Berkeley serves as a wake-up call. Institutions, whether educational or political, can’t cloak anti-Zionist sentiments under their codes of conduct. They must not silence Jewish individuals while pursuing their own agendas. History shows us that unchecked anti-Semitic sentiments can escalate, regardless of whether they disguise themselves as anti-Zionism,” remarked Kenneth L. Marcus, president of the Brandeis Center.

Paul Eccles, a senior litigation attorney with the Brandeis Center, noted that while this settlement marks “a significant step” against anti-Semitism, it isn’t the final destination.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, detailed claims of systemic anti-Semitic harassment faced by Jewish students at UC Berkeley in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. It highlighted various troubling incidents during which students endured anti-Semitic hostility on campus.

One example from the lawsuit revealed that a UC Berkeley student wrapped in an Israeli flag was struck in the head with a metal bottle by two protestors. In another instance, a Jewish graduate student found a trespassing note reading, “Jews, liberate Palestine from the river to the sea.” The lawsuit stated that many Jewish students felt unsafe attending classes.

Additionally, the complaint detailed incidents where protestors aggressively blocked Jewish students and hurled ethnic slurs during confrontations. These actions often occurred if protestors were aware of the students’ Jewish backgrounds or if they were wearing identifiable symbols such as Stars of David or yarmulkes.

Eccles praised the courage of Jewish students who shared their accounts of anti-Semitic experiences, many of which went unacknowledged by university officials.

“What truly resonated were their stories showing the tangible impact of anti-Semitism on their lives, which helped pave the way for this settlement,” Eccles added.

The lawsuit also included accounts from two Jewish professors. One professor received a threatening email calling for violence, while another faced vandalism branding him a terrorist.

Moreover, it documented efforts by the student group Bears for Palestine to cancel a planned speaking event for Jewish students, resulting in a “violent mob” disrupting the gathering.

In light of rising anti-Semitic incidents, President Donald Trump had signed an executive order focused on combating such attitudes in educational institutions. Additionally, a task force dedicated to addressing anti-Semitism was established by the Department of Justice in February 2025, led by Leo Terrell, a senior advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.