Anti-Israel protesters march at McGill University on Oct. 7, 2025. Photo by Allen McInnis/Postmedia/File

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We have known for nearly three years now that antisemitism is rampant on Canadian university campuses, and this month two studies have confirmed it. The “Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences” report indicates that 96 per cent of Jewish students on Canadian campuses “experienced or witnessed at least one instance of antisemitism over the previous 12 months,” while retired Ontario Court of Appeal justice Mary Lou Benotto’s review of Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) found that “numerous students, faculty and staff stated that they no longer feel safe openly identifying as Jewish” on campus.

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Another thing many of us are quite sure of is that these reports won’t lead to any serious reforms. Of course, there will be official statements about doing better, and faux handwringing about how to stop the hate that is festering at our universities. But as with other recent studies of antisemitism in Canada, that is likely where the response, if you can call it that, will end. Indeed, TMU has established a task force to respond to campus antisemitism, but not until 2027 — and, as Michael Geist notes, “nearly half of the committee’s members have signed public petitions opposing some of the recommendations.”

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As usual, it is left to Canadian Jews and our allies to figure out what to do. So, here’s an idea: it’s time for a Canadian Jewish university.

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There is no need to reinvent the wheel here — only to adapt models that are already working elsewhere to our national landscape. Take, for example, Yeshiva University, which offers a dual Jewish and secular curriculum and is ranked in the top 100 best universities in the United States. Yeshiva has seen a significant increase in transfer demands since October 7. So many students are looking to move there, often from Ivy League and other prestige campuses, that the university is now offering accelerated pathways for students fleeing antisemitism at their current schools.

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Likewise, Touro University’s Lander Colleges have seen a 35 per cent rise in new students and a 60 per cent increase in transfers due to campus antisemitism.

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In contrast, Brandeis University, another historically “Jewish” school, has seen no increase in enrollment since October 7. Unlike Yeshiva and Touro, Brandeis is avowedly non-denominational, and while Students for Justice in Palestine is not allowed on campus, the Jewish Bund is, and has organized several pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

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There is already anecdotal evidence that some Canadians are looking to Jewish schools south of the border. In fact, the 2025 valedictorian at Touro’s Lander College for Men, is a Torontonian who chose the school because of its “rigorous academics alongside an environment that supported personal and ethical development.”

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While cost is undoubtedly a barrier for many Canadians considering Jewish schools in the U.S., there are other, potentially more cost-effective, options open to them in Israel. And the data suggests many are already considering Israeli universities, which are, in several cases, already adapting to the phenomenon.