Jewish advocacy group petitions DOJ to probe alleged antisemitism in NYC schools

The National Jewish Advocacy Center has formally urged the U.S. Department of Justice to use its Title IV school-desegregation authority to examine the New York City Department of Education for antisemitic discrimination. In a letter to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, CEO Mark Goldfeder argued that intimidation forcing Jewish students out of public schools amounts to segregation. The request coincides with a United Jewish Teachers study that recorded 250 antisemitic or anti-Israel incidents from October 2023 through July 2026, two-thirds of which were direct actions such as harassment, threats, vandalism or assaults.

United Jewish Teachers president Moshe Spern praised the DOJ request, emphasizing the right of Jewish children to learn without hostility. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened a separate Title VI investigation in April 2026. While the city does not track exact enrollment, the UJA-Federation estimates about 75,000 Jewish students attend public or non-Jewish private schools in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County.