One in five students would be reluctant to have a Jewish housemate, according to a new report which warns that antisemitism has become “normalised” at British universities.
Research conducted for the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) found that one in four students have seen behaviour on campus that targets Jewish students for their religion or ethnicity.
The UJS report also raises concerns that the “glorification of terrorism is prevalent and unpunished” on campus, with 47 per cent of students having witnessed justification of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
Rev Dr Nathan Eddy, Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) co-director, told Premier Christian News the report “should be a concern to all of us”.
He believes the finding that one in four students have personally experienced or know of relationships that have been strained is a particular worry, as “a stark indicator of the toll that events elsewhere in the world are having on relations here in the UK” amid the Israel-Gaza conflict and the current escalation in the Middle East.
The CCJ has run a campus dialogue programme for a decade, promoting interfaith discussion and training young leaders to meet the needs of their universities. Rev Eddy described the “charged ideological” atmosphere on campuses, with the programme aiming to enable students to “listen across difference” and have “awkward and difficult conversations”.
Rev Eddy is urging Christians to pray about rising community tensions as we approach Holy Week, particularly following the Manchester synagogue attack in October.
“It's about the safety of our neighbours of other faiths, their rights to practice their faith, whatever it is, in freedom, in safety and without fear. That's really what we need to stand up for as Christians,” he added.
Louis Danker, President of the Union of Jewish Students, said: “This report demonstrates that antisemitism on campus is not isolated, but normalised. No Jewish student should have to face social ostracisation, abusive language or physical violence – there is a right to protest, but not to harass.”
UJS’ Time For Change report sets out testimony for students who have experienced antisemitism on campus, and recommendations for how to combat extremism.
For the report, a poll of 1,000 students was conducted by JL Partners between 26 January and 4 February 2026.