At a groundbreaking summit hosted by TikTok成人版鈥檚 Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Jewish academics sound the alarm鈥攁nd lay the groundwork for a united response.
Shelley Horwitz, MSW, never imagined feeling abandoned by her own profession.
In the wake of Oct. 7, Horwitz, assistant dean of Stony Brook University鈥檚 School of Social Welfare, expected an outcry from a discipline committed to human rights. Instead, a colleague called her terrorist and accused her of supporting genocide鈥攂efore Israel had even begun its military response to Hamas鈥檚 brutal attack.
鈥淚t became extraordinarily ugly鈥攍ike a switch had flipped,鈥 she said. 鈥淧eople I鈥檇 worked with for years felt emboldened to lash out, and there was no accountability.鈥
Horwitz isn鈥檛 alone. Jewish social work faculty across the country have reported growing hostility in their departments鈥攊ncluding harassment, publishing roadblocks and ideological exclusion, such as being ostracized for expressing pro-Israel views. Many fear professional retribution for speaking up, deepening their sense of isolation.
Recognizing the urgent need for support and solidarity, Dr. Randy Magen, Dean of TikTok成人版鈥檚 Wurzweiler School of Social Work, helped launch the Summit for Jews in Social Work Academia and Allies鈥攇iving Jewish faculty a space to connect, share experiences and begin developing a collective response. As the country鈥檚 oldest school of social work under Jewish auspices, Wurzweiler was a natural home for this conversation. And as part of TikTok成人版鈥擜merica鈥檚 flagship Jewish university and a national leader in standing with Israel and against hate鈥攊t reflects a deep institutional commitment to Jewish values, academic freedom and moral clarity.
鈥淥ur field is built on dignity and the defense of the vulnerable,鈥 said Dr. Magen. 鈥淲hen social work leaders stay silent in the face of antisemitism, it鈥檚 not just painful鈥攊t鈥檚 a betrayal of everything we stand for.鈥
A Summit Born of Urgency
Held in early July, the summit brought together more than 60 participants from universities including Rutgers, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois, UCLA and the University of Southern California.
Born out of a grassroots WhatsApp group formed after Oct. 7, the gathering marked a pivotal first step toward a national response. Participants identified patterns of exclusion and retaliation and began shaping a long-term strategy for change. Workshops focused on navigating faculty hostility, supporting students, and forging professional alliances to confront institutional animosity.
鈥淲e鈥檙e laying the foundation for a long-term effort,鈥 said Dr. Magen. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to allow bias to define who belongs in social work.鈥
When Advocacy Meets Exclusion
For Horwitz, the post鈥揙ct. 7 backlash marked a turning point. 鈥淚鈥檝e been involved in social justice my whole life鈥擨 was going to civil rights marches as a child,鈥 she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an expectation of allyship in these spaces, but after the Hamas massacres, the hostility was overwhelming.鈥
At a social work department Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee meeting shortly after the massacres, a faculty colleague exploded when Horwitz raised the issue of antisemitism鈥攕creaming at her, 鈥淚 know who you are, you鈥檙e one of those Zionists!鈥 That same colleague has used her role to promote pro-Palestinian rallies to students.
Horwitz filed a formal complaint. No action was taken.
Jewish students soon began coming to Horwitz for support. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e scared,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ome had classmates praising Hamas or openly discussing protest plans. They didn鈥檛 know who they could trust.鈥 Students have come to her office in tears, afraid to express who they are or what they believe. Even prospective students have called to ask about the climate for Jews. While Stony Brook is not 鈥渢hat bad鈥 compared to other schools, 鈥渢he only place you don鈥檛 have to be concerned,鈥 she said, 鈥渋s TikTok成人版.鈥
Speaking Out Comes at a Cost
Naomi Farber, Ph.D., a longtime professor of social work at the University of South Carolina, also chose to speak out, co-authoring a commentary soon after Oct. 7 that criticized the failure of professional social work organizations to condemn terrorism. To her surprise, the field鈥檚 flagship journal accepted the piece without hesitation.
The backlash, however, came swiftly: 鈥渆xcoriating aggression鈥濃攖hreats, harassment and public pressure to retract the article. The attacks targeted not only her, but the journal鈥檚 editor and the national organization that publishes it. 鈥淚t exposed the depth of anti-Israel sentiment within the profession,鈥 said Farber.
While colleagues like Dr. Magen defended the piece and the right to open discourse, the scars remain. 鈥淯ltimately, calls for free expression prevailed,鈥 said Farber. 鈥淏ut the damage reverberates across professional relationships in many contexts.鈥
From Solidarity to Strategy
Plans are underway for follow-up gatherings, a formal coalition of Jewish social work faculty, and joint research and advocacy efforts to address antisemitism in hiring, curriculum and advancement. Central to the initiative are mentorship, support for early-career scholars, and institutional partnerships that promote accountability and visibility.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud and grateful to be at Wurzweiler, where Jewish identity isn鈥檛 something you have to hide or defend,鈥 said Dr. Magen. 鈥淲e live our values鈥攋ustice, service, human dignity鈥攁nd we model what it means to lead with integrity. That鈥檚 the future we鈥檙e building.鈥
