In Haverford, Pennsylvania, College Settles Antisemitism Lawsuit as Debate Over Zionism Definition Continues

Campus protests against Israel rose notably after the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and the conflict in Gaza that followed. According to one report, the United States has seen a significant wave of such demonstrations since then. The protests have prompted a surge of antisemitism complaints on college campuses, which in turn led to numerous lawsuits and federal civil rights investigations.

Haverford College, a small liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania, recently settled a lawsuit concerning its handling of antisemitism allegations. The reports do not describe the terms of the settlement.

On August 7, Haverford President Wendy Raymond affirmed the college’s commitment to inclusivity. According to one report, she stated that all students are welcome and have equal access to the College, including those who identify as Jewish or Israeli and those who support Zionism. The other report says Haverford’s administration affirmed its commitment to protecting students who support Zionism and stated that harassment or discrimination against Zionists is prohibited. Both accounts describe the college’s assurances in similar terms, though they differ slightly in wording and attribution.

Haverford defines Zionism primarily as the belief in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and statehood in Israel. Critics, as described in one report, say this definition is overly narrow and overlooks the complexity and diversity of Zionist thought. The dispute over how the term should be defined sits at the center of the debate over how colleges respond to both antisemitism and criticism of Israel. Speaking truthfully about a contested term, in love, is the kind of care such a dispute calls for (Ephesians 4:15).

A March 2025 survey by the Jewish Federations of North America, cited in one report, found that nearly 90 percent of American Jews support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state. The same survey found that only about a third of American Jews identify as Zionists.