In a major settlement following allegations that it failed to protect Jewish students during a wave of campus protests, UCLA has agreed to pay 6.5 million to affected students and to Jewish organizations, including the local Chabad on Campus.

By Anash.org reporter

UCLA has agreed to a major settlement following allegations that it failed to protect Jewish students during a wave of campus protests. As a result, the university will pay millions of dollars in compensation to affected students and Jewish organizations – including the local Chabad on Campus.

The lawsuit stems from a violent pro-Palestinian encampment set up last year on UCLA’s central campus, which barred Jewish students from accessing key areas such as lecture halls and the heart of the campus. During the unrest, objects were hurled, irritants sprayed, and fireworks tossed, creating a chaotic and dangerous environment that lasted for hours before police intervened. UCLA and law enforcement faced harsh criticism for their delayed response and failure to promptly stop the violence.

The students who filed suit described UCLA as a “hotbed of antisemitism” with a “rampant anti-Jewish environment,” accusing the university of enabling a “Jew Exclusion Zone” that restricted Jewish students’ access to campus. They further alleged a “cowardly abdication” by UCLA of its responsibility to guarantee equal access to education and safety.

“In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith,” Federal Judge Mark Scarsi said.

UCLA shliach, Rabbi Dovid Gurevich, was personally subject to antisemitic harassment as well. While filming a pro-Palestinian protest, a protester knocked his phone out of his hand, told him to “go back to Poland,” and made threatening statements. Protesters also aggressively confronted Jewish students nearby. Despite the clear hostility and threats, campus police did not make any arrests, instead advising Gurevich to file a report at the station.

The university’s position worsened following the 2024 presidential election, as the Trump administration increased pressure on educational institutions over antisemitism. The U.S. Department of Justice formally supported the plaintiffs, stating that UCLA had attempted to evade liability and calling the exclusion of Jewish students “abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.”

As part of the $6.45 million settlement, each of the four Jewish students who sued UCLA will receive $50,000. Eight Jewish organizations, including Chabad, Hillel, the Orthodox Union, and the ADL, will share $2.33 million to support campus programs. UCLA will also contribute $320,000 to expand its Initiative to Combat Antisemitism. The remaining funds will cover legal fees. The agreement includes a binding court order lasting 15 years that bars the university from excluding Jewish students or faculty based on religion or Zionist beliefs.