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Campus Antisemitism Documentary Seeks to Show Jewish Students as ‘Inspirational’ Heroes, Not Merely Victims

George Washington University student Sabrina Soffer talking on stage with Noa Tishby at a GWU event highlighted in “Blind Spot.” Photo: Screenshot

A film streaming online that focuses on American campus antisemitism is told from the viewpoint of Jewish college students who had firsthand experiences with antisemitic abuse and, instead of staying silent about their trauma, are at the forefront pushing for a better, more welcoming environment at their schools.

“Blind Spot” says it is the first and only film to exclusively spotlight the existence of campus antisemitism in the United States both before and after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel and the subsequent explosion of rabid, sometimes violent campus antisemitism following the massacre. It reveals how antisemitism on college and university campuses is a longstanding problem that started well before the Oct. 7 attack and explains what can be done to help students feel safer at their schools.

The movie is available for viewing on the YouTube pages of StandWithUs and the Jewish Broadcasting Service. It has surpassed 100,000 views on both channels since premiering less than a month ago. It was directed and co-produced by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger of Ironbound Films.

“Blind Spot” aims to show viewers that, while antisemitism has been on college campuses for years, people “didn’t realize it, didn’t see it, and they didn’t want to see it” before Oct. 7, said executive producer Lenny Gold, whose own son experienced antisemitism in school.

The film references the “blind spot” in the context of people and universities in favor of protecting every other minority group, except Jews. The film tries to highlight the “double standard” and “injustice” that Jews and pro-Israel supporters face on college campuses, Gold said.

“Why are other groups protected and not Jews?” Gold asked. “Jews are a protected group under [Title VI of] the Civil Rights Act. So why is the law not enforced? Why is society so out of step with what the law says and what American values it should be upholding.”

“On many college campuses, even people who are committed to the civil rights of every other group in this country, often have a blind spot when it comes to Jews,” Kenneth Marcus, founder and chairman of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights, said in the film. “While the problems have gotten worse and worse, young people are taking the initiative more and more, fighting antisemitism, taking charge themselves.”

Interviews with college students began in 2021, but “Blind Spot” does include footage from incidents dating back to 2019. Filming continued until well past the Oct. 7 attack in 2023. Gold said after the Hamas invasion, “we had to pivot from making a film to educate people about a problem that most people didn’t know about before, to basically making a film that says, ‘Well, we told you so. Now we’re gonna show you how we got here.’ When we looked back at the footage we shot before Oct. 7, we thought it was even greater now post-Oct. 7 because it was more impactful and relevant and familiar to people seeing it because they would now know on their own, that we have a serious problem on American campuses.”

More than two dozen students speak in the film about their personal experiences with antisemitism at their schools, including the University of Notre Dame; University of California, Berkeley, University of Vermont, George Washington University, Tulane University, University of Chicago, Tufts University, and Baruch College of the City University of New York (CUNY). The students discuss incidents that include verbal antisemitic abuse and threats – from both teachers and fellow students – physical violence, and being targeted in boycotts by anti-Israel students.

They also experienced emotional and mental trauma. A student at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice talked in “Blind Spot” about being harassed by fellow students in stairwells at the school and in the gym, breaking down crying in the library from the torment and taking time off from class to cope with her trauma. Another student, from the University of Vermont, ultimately decided to transfer to the University of Florida because of the vast number of antisemitic incidents at his first school, Gold revealed to The Algemeiner. The filmmakers had to persuade the student to push through his trauma and return to UVM to film a segment about the abuse he experienced at the college, Gold added. In 2023, the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights ruled that UVM administrators failed to respond to several complaints of antisemitism, as well as anti-Zionist harassment and discrimination, at the school.

“I’ve stayed in touch with a number of the students, and my sense is that many of them were significantly affected. There is a definite sadness that I sense,” Gold said.

“Blind Spot” highlights the heartbreaking experiences these Jewish students endured. But it also draws attention to their bravery and courage in standing up against antisemitism, pushing for a change at their schools to make them more inclusive and safer environments, if not for themselves then for future students on campus.

The featured students are not portrayed as victims but as the heroes in their own stories. They are seen taking action to make their schools more welcoming and safer for Jewish students in areas where too many school administrators allegedly failed to act. “Blind Spot” says such students “are on the front lines of a modern-day civil rights movement,” and they include Yasmeen Ohebsion from Tulane University.

When she first appeared in the film, the Israeli-Persian student admitted that she “couldn’t muster up the courage” to speak out against a professor who required students to read a writing by an antisemitic author, who promoted the narrative that Israel is a white supremacist and apartheid state. By the end of “Blind Spot,” Ohebsion is seen testifying in Washington, DC, in March 2024 in front of the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, urging policymakers to pressure school administrators to take action against anti-Israel hostility and violence on her campus and others. Ohebsion concluded her testimony by proclaiming “Am Israel Chai” (“Long Live Israel”).

“The first word that comes to my mind is: inspirational,” Gold said of Ohebsion and other students featured in “Blind Spot” during an interview with The Algemeiner. “I don’t know that I would’ve had what it took to do what they have done. I was just blown away by each and every one of them. Their pose, courage, brilliance, articulateness, and their decision to stand up rather than just keep their heads down and do nothing and say nothing. And without them, none of the other non-students in the film would be able to help them.”

As noted by Gold, “Blind Spot” also features interviews with many non-Jewish pro-Israel supporters who are allies of these students, including Forham University President Tania Tetlow, Tulane University student Raymell Green, US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), and Carly Gammill, director of legal policy at StandWithUs.

“Attorneys need clients. Without these students as clients, the attorneys would not be able to use the law as a tool to help the students,” Gold explained to The Algemeiner. “The students had to come forward first, and they had to do so knowing that their cases would likely not be resolved before they left school. These students knew they were doing it at best for students to come and not for themselves. And to have that kind of selflessness, at that age or any age, is just so inspirational to me and so notable. It just confirmed the wisdom of the conscious decision that we made from the beginning to tell this story through the eyes and voices of the students who were impacted by it.”

Others in the film who speak in support of the Jewish college students experiencing antisemitism is New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov; llya Bratman, executive director at the Hillel at Baruch College; Alyza Lewin, president of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights; Dr. Naya Lekht, a research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy; and Susan Tuchman, director of the Center for Law and Justice at the Zionist Organization of America.

“We went out of our way to show scenes of adults talking to students, to show the mentorship and the attention to address their feelings and comfort them, encourage them and support them,” Gold said. “We tried to show that these students do have some support. It’s not necessarily coming from the people it should, like school administrators, but other people are stepping in.”

Gold said he and the co-producers of the “Blind Spot” have been discussing making a film focused solely on campus antisemitism for four years, starting at a time when it was “not well-known in America, among Jews and non-Jews, but we knew it was a serious problem.”

“So, we decided to look for a way of telling the story to educate, re-educate, and inspire as many people as possible,” he added. He said throughout the making of “Blind Spot,” he and his team were determined to make a film “that was beholden to nothing but the truth and nobody but the students … the focus was on the students – first, last and always.”

“Blind Spot” not only highlights the struggles Jewish students face on college and university campuses but also calls attention to some achievements that schools have made, such as Fordham University becoming the first school in late 2016 to refuse to recognize the anti-Zionist group Students for Justice in Palestine, a move that was then later mimicked by several other schools. “Blind Spot” also features interviews with CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodríguez and CUNY Chairman of the Board of Trustees Bill Thompson in which they are boldly confronted about the rise of antisemitism on CUNY campuses and the lack of action taken to combat it. The facility among the CUNY schools includes two prominent anti-Zionist and anti-Israel professors who have made what critics have described as antisemitic remarks in the past – Peter Beinart and Marc Lamont Hill.

“The evil of indifference that seems to permeate this problem, is perhaps the most shocking,” Gold said, when talking about how he felt making “Blind Spot.”

“There’s hostility, but that’s been going on for ages. There’s ignorance, but that can fixed,” he added. “But in the 21st century America, after all we’ve been through – and I’m old enough to remember the civil rights movement and Jim Crow – here we are back in the Middle Ages when it comes to Jews. How can you be in favor of civil rights and social justice for all these other groups and not for one? When you explore that question, what we heard a lot from the students is about the evil of indifference … And when you consider that school officials, people who lead large and great universities committed to the ideals of open discussion and civil discourse, cannot recognize that one group is being subjected to a hostile learning environment and discrimination in and out of the classroom, it is shocking.”

Gold concluded by saying that “Blind Spot” is in part a call to action that hopefully will inspire other college students not to remain silent in the face of antisemitism at their schools.

“This film can show all the students, who can serve as role models for future generations of students, that you’re not alone if you’re facing this problem, and you can stand up to it,” ” Gold said. “Your Jewish identity is on the line. And if that’s important to you, these are the steps that you can take, this is what you might experience and there are resources available to you.”

Watch the trailer for “Blind Spot” below.

Note: The Algemeiner‘s campus correspondent, Dion J. Pierre, is featured in “Blind Spot.”



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French Foreign Minister Says Recognizing Palestinian State Defies Hamas, Despite Terror Group’s Praise

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot insisted on Friday that President Emmanuel Macron’s push to recognize a Palestinian state defies Hamas’s interests — even as the terrorist group welcomed the decision.

“Hamas has consistently rejected the two-state solution. By recognizing Palestine, France is rejecting the stance of this terrorist organization and affirming its support for peace over war,” the top French diplomat said in a post on X.

However, Hamas praised France’s latest announcement, calling it “a positive step in the right direction.”

France’s initiative is part of “a political development that reflects growing international conviction in the justice of the Palestinian cause and the failure of the Israeli occupation to distort facts or suppress the will of free nations,” said the Palestinian terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.

Hamas also said that such international steps “represent political and moral pressure” on Israel.

On Thursday, Macron announced that France will recognize a Palestinian state and issue a formal statement at the United Nations General Assembly in September as part of its “commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population,” the French leader said in a post on X.

Macron called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza.

He also stressed the need to demilitarize the Iran-backed terrorist group, rebuild the war-torn enclave, and create a Palestinian state that recognizes Israel and ensures regional security.

“The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is our responsibility — as French citizens, alongside Israelis, Palestinians, and our European and international partners — to prove that peace is possible,” the French leader wrote.

However, despite Macron’s continued efforts, his controversial diplomatic initiative to recognize a Palestinian state faces widespread public opposition, with nearly 80 percent of French citizens rejecting the move.

A recent survey conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) on behalf of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) — the main representative body of French Jews — found that 78 percent of respondents opposed a “hasty, immediate, and unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state.”

According to IFOP’s survey, nearly half of French people (47 percent) believe that recognition of a Palestinian state should only be considered after the release of the remaining hostages captured by Hamas during the group’s invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The survey also revealed deep concerns about the consequences of such a premature recognition, with 51 percent of respondents fearing a resurgence of antisemitism in France and 50 percent believing it could strengthen Hamas’s position in the Middle East.

France’s policy move comes after Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state last year, claiming that such a move would contribute to fostering a two-state solution and promote lasting peace in the region.

On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised France’s decision, calling it a “victory for the Palestinian cause.”

“This reflects France’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to their land and their homeland,” Abbas said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned France’s announcement, describing it as a “reward for terrorism.”

“Such a move … risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” the Israeli leader said in a post on X.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel. They seek a state instead of Israel,” he continued.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also denounced the move, calling it “reckless” and saying it “only serves Hamas propaganda.”

The post French Foreign Minister Says Recognizing Palestinian State Defies Hamas, Despite Terror Group’s Praise first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred

Part of an exhibit on the Holocaust supported by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Photo: courtesy of IHRA.

Costa Rica has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, becoming the sixth country in Latin America to do so as antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Jewish hatred continue to rise across the region.

Local authorities announced the decision following meetings with a delegation from the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs.

Among the Latin American countries that have already endorsed the IHRA definition are Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and Uruguay.

An intergovernmental organization comprising dozens of countries, including the United States and Israel, IHRA adopted the “working definition” of antisemitism in 2016.

Since its adoption, the definition has gained widespread support from Jewish organizations and lawmakers around the world, and is now used by hundreds of governmental bodies, including the European Union and the United Nations.

According to the definition, antisemitism “is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Beyond traditional antisemitic acts associated with the medieval period and Nazi Germany, the definition provides contemporary examples of antisemitism found in public life, media, education, workplaces, and religious settings — including Holocaust denial and modern forms targeting Israel, such as demonizing the Jewish state and denying its right to exist.

Jewish organizations hailed Costa Rica’s recent decision as a significant milestone in the global fight against Jew-hatred, amid a worldwide surge in antisemitism following the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“We are grateful that Costa Rica has joined the growing number of nations that view the IHRA definition as an essential guidepost to recognize antisemitism in its various forms so it can be properly addressed,” Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Institute for Latin American Affairs, said in a statement.

“We urge all nations to take this important step to protect their Jewish communities and uphold their Democratic values,” she continued.

Gilbert Meltzer, president of Costa Rica’s Jewish Community, commended the government’s decision to “support morality and combat discrimination.”

“The increase of hate speech and attacks on Jews all over the world, especially after Oct. 7, demands ethical decisions and firm actions as this one,” Meltzer said in a statement.

The European Jewish Congress also praised Costa Rica’s latest move, describing it as “a timely and courageous step” amid a rising climate of hostility against Jews.

“Defining hate is the first step to combating it. A principled move that must inspire others,” the statement read.

The post Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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‘Reckless Decision’: US Officials Blast France for Recognizing Palestinian State

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron react on the day of a press conference, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Feb. 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

US officials were quick to castigate France for its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, describing the policy as “reckless” and a move that undermines efforts to end the ongoing war in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced the decision on X, published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”

France, home to the third largest Jewish community in the world, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, after smaller nations more generally more critical of Israel did so last year.

Washington lambasted France’s announcement.

“The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on the X social media platform. “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”

Likewise, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee slammed France for moving to recognize a Palestinian state.

“How clever! If Macron can just ‘declare’ the existence of a state perhaps the UK can ‘declare’ France a British colony!” he said on X. “Macron’s unilateral ‘declaration’ of a ‘Palestinian’ state didn’t say WHERE it would be. I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called ‘Franc-en-Stine.’”

Huckabee has long opposed the recognition of a Palestinian state. In June, the ambassador said that he did not think that an independent Palestinian state remains a goal of US foreign policy.

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Macron’s plan, saying it won’t make a difference.

“What he says doesn’t matter,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “He’s a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight.”

Trump added, “”Look, he’s a different kind of a guy. He’s okay. He’s a team player, pretty much. But here’s the good news: What he says doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change anything.”

Israeli officials lambasted France’s plan as a “reward for terrorism,” arguing a Palestinian state at this time would become a hub for terrorism and likely a proxy of Iran, which has long backed the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Macron’s “absurd and unserious” decision that Paris will formally recognize a Palestinian state.

“A Palestinian state would be a Hamas state — just as the [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago led to Hamas’s takeover there,” he said in a statement posted on X.

“Israel’s attempt to base its security on Palestinian promises to fight terror failed entirely in the Oslo process,” he continued, referring to the 1990s peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians that sought a two-state solution. “Israel will no longer gamble with its security and its future.”

Israel maintains that Palestinian statehood should only come as the result of a negotiated peace agreement that ensures Israel’s security and recognition as a Jewish state.

The French announcement comes amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where Israeli military operations continue following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel.

Macron defended the decision to recognize a Palestinian state in a statement, saying that the proclamation underscores that France is “true to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he added.

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