Response to the ADL's "D" rating of UIUC

We were recently interviewed as part of the Daily Illini's coverage of the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) lowering its "antisemitism scorecard" grade for UIUC to a "D" (down from its previous "C" last year).

We're appreciative of the Daily Illini reaching out for their article, and here is the statement we provided them in its entirety:

We condemn antisemitism and believe that Jewish students have a right to free practice of religion and culture on campus. The ADL, however, is an unreliable narrator with a history of conflating antisemitism, criticism of the state of Israel, and anti-Zionism in ways that are both confusing and dangerous (for more information on why this conflation is an issue, see here: https://ucjfc.org/fighting-antisemitism-means-defending-free-speech and here: https://ucjfc.org/antisemitism). The ADL's current "D"-rating of the University engages in these exact conflations: mixing in actual cases of antisemitism with legitimate criticisms of the state of Israel. In addition, in recent years, the ADL has engaged in racist and Islamophobic actions (e.g., https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/14/adl-mamdani-antisemitism-nexus-project).

We, U-C Jews for Ceasefire, are of course deeply concerned with antisemitism, and some of our members are engaged in dialogue with the Title VI office to ensure that Jewish students are protected under their shared heritage. We also know that the university has previously used anti-Zionist protest, such as the encampments of Spring 2024, to pass retrograde policies concerning political action, free speech, and the right to gather. These policies have had a chilling effect on campus activism in ways which we feel make Jews less safe, rather than more. We believe Jews are safest in a pluralistic, democratic society in which such ideals are upheld and protected. We would therefore urge the university to not use this grade as an excuse to further restrict free expression on campus.