Jewish students at the University of Amsterdam have started a new helpline, L’Chaim, to give their peers a place to report anti-Semitism and seek support. The initiative was born out of a
growing sense of fear, isolation, and exclusion on campus, co-founder and law student Avigail Asuss told De Telegraaf.
“I’m in my third year, and honestly, I only had one normal month at university,” Asuss said. “Then October 7th happened, and everything changed. Since then, the world has felt upside down.”
She explained that while she had hoped to make new friends during her studies, her social circle has largely been limited to other Jewish students. “It’s hard to connect with people when you constantly feel unsafe or judged for who you are.”
Asuss described some of the incidents that pushed her and others to act. During a protest at the university’s Oudemanhuispoort complex, she said she was recognized as Jewish-Israeli and received death threats. In a student group chat, a simple question about whether classes were still on during a storm was met with a flood of Palestinian flags, swastikas, and hateful insults.
Other students have reported similar experiences. The hotline received multiple complaints right after it launched. One sociology student, for example, was told by her lecturer that her paper on anti-Semitism wouldn’t be graded—because he didn’t consider anti-Semitism a form of racism.
Through L’Chaim, students can share their experiences without having to navigate multiple layers of university bureaucracy. The helpline gathers reports and presents them directly to the university’s Executive Board. “We’re taking on some of that burden for Jewish students,” Asuss explained. “When you’re in the middle of exams, you don’t always have the energy to report something to a counselor, an advisor, and then the board. We do that for them, and when needed, we’ll push for stronger measures.”
The University of Amsterdam says it is taking the matter seriously. A spokesperson told De Telegraaf that concrete steps are being taken to protect Jewish students, including addressing unacceptable behavior by staff and students, escalating responses to reports, and offering extra security and support. The spokesperson urged students to continue coming forward: “We are doing everything we can to take appropriate action against threats and hate speech.” Photo by Jvhertum, Wikimedia commons.