Jewish students at Montclair State University, like those at many colleges and universities, have been faced with anti-Israeli and often antisemitic demonstrations by pro-Palestinian groups since the terrorist attack on Israel last year by Hamas.

In response the university has updated and revised and then re updated revisions to its expressive activity policies in an effort to stop disruptions of campus activities while preserving free speech.

Yet, demonstrations from those both supporting Israel and those opposing it have continued.

A rally takes place almost every Tuesday by MSU for Palestine (MSUP), a group not officially recognized as a university organization, that draws about 10 students and faculty, but is generally peaceful, according to MetroWest Hillel Director Rebekah Adelson. The group is organized by Dr. Fawzia Afzal-Khan, an English professor and university distinguished scholar.

“They are not loud,” she said. “They are just there to spread disinformation. The current one is that Israel has murdered thousands of children. We know Gazans have died but we don’t believe they were murdered. We believe they are victims of war.”

That pushed an outside group of Israel supporters from the surrounding area to come to campus on Oct. 9 for a large demonstration that included members of Mothers Against College Antisemitism. MSUP brought out more of its supporters to counter-rally.

“It was quite frankly a mess,” said Adelson, adding that Jewish students are navigating hostile demonstrations by groups such as MSUP or Students for Justice in Palestine that she noted are clearly being helped to organize events by outside organizations.

It baffles Adelson because the protests have drawn students with no connection to the conflict—they are not Arab, Palestinian or Muslim. She attributes much of it to misinformation and added, “This has gotten so nasty and hard and it’s hard to understand why it’s gone in that direction.”

Adelson described the university’s Hillel as being “Israel forward,” and said its main goal is to provide a safe space where students can participate in Jewish activities and be proud Jews. Just last week Hillel took students to New York for Hillel International’s Yallapoolooza, featuring Matisyahu and other Jewish artists. There are also holiday celebrations and Hillel has hosted Artists4Israel.

“They [students] are being so inundated with what is going on on campus that they don’t really even have a word for it,” explained Adelson. “They say they are afraid to say they are Jewish, but what I think they mean is that they are uncomfortable. They can’t enter the Center for Faith and Spirituality because they feel uncomfortable because it’s been taken over by Muslim students.”

And unlike the main campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, there is no building for these students to gather in. Hillel has asked for its own space, but the university has not provided one, despite the fact that Hillel has maintained a good relationship with the administration, which Adelson said continuously provides her with updates and a heads-up on any events or incidents of concern.

An event held on Nov. 5 by the Muslim Student Association (MSA) featured Sheik Ismail Hamdi, who has praised slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh as a “great leader” and as a martyr, drew about 40 peaceful demonstrators from several grassroots organizations, including the MetroWest Israel Action Committee (MWIAC). The event was billed as a charity auction for Islamic Relief.

Adelson said Hillel did not organize a protest because it already knew the event fell under the university’s free speech requirements and would not be canceled.

However, Moshe Glick, co-founder of the MWIAC, said demonstrators were disappointed when campus police forced them from in front of the student center where the event was being held to an area about two-tenths to three-tenths of a mile away.

“Why should Montclair State University, a publicly-funded university, host an imam who praises martyrdom and praises Haniyeh but Jews are put in a far-off location and somehow that’s okay,” said Glick. “It seems arbitrary. And we can’t stand idly by.”

He said his group felt it could not do nothing “while we allow antisemites to speak” and noted that martyrdom “is just another word for jihad.”

Glick said his group felt it was imperative to stand up and make their voices heard when such events take place.

“Our response to the university is: If you are so open to free speech would you allow Osama Bin Laden on campus? Why is this any different? And where is the money going? If they were raising money for ISIS would that be okay?”

Like many colleges and universities, Montclair has had a difficult time navigating regulating pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

University spokesperson Andrew Mees said in a statement to The Jewish Link that Hamdi was invited by a recognized student organization and wasn’t an invited  guest of the school. He noted the university had publicly condemned Oct. 7 as a terrorist attack and “strongly disagrees” with Hamdi’s prior statements supporting the leader of Hamas and the glorification of martyrdom.

“His remarks at a student-organized event should not be considered any form of implicit or explicit support for his views or speech by the university,” he wrote, but as a public higher education institution “we cannot silence speech on the basis of the viewpoints expressed. This is both a legal obligation and a principled commitment, as free expression is a cornerstone of American democracy and the academic enterprise, regardless of how disagreeable some of the ideas expressed may be. This freedom also allows vigorous and thoughtful rebuttal, which is the most powerful response.”

Mees said that prior to the event the university communicated with the state Attorney General’s office and took steps to ensure a safe campus environment.

He noted that the Expressive Activity Policy states that any members of the public or external individuals or groups not recognized by the university can only demonstrate in one designated location on campus, the Amphitheater, which is where protesters were asked to remain by officials.

Although the university has had an expressive activity policy for years it was updated last November in response to the “volume” of rallies and vigils that were taking place on the school’s quad, which had “become disruptive to teaching and learning.”

All such events were moved to the university’s amphitheater to allow safe expression in an area that is accessible but lessens the impact on instruction, “especially during this critical time in the semester.”

However, after complaints that the new regulations were too restrictive, they were revised last month. Days later they were revised again after complaints that they were still too restrictive and violated limiting silent activities like holding signs and wearing “symbolic clothing” such as keffiyehs.

However, despite university attempts to straddle the fine line between free speech, tamping down harassment and allowing campus activities to continue normally, Adelson said problems still exist with pro-Palestinian protesters, noting, “They are not abiding by the new rules.”

Debra Rubin has had a long career in journalism writing for secular weekly and daily newspapers and Jewish publications. She most recently served as Middlesex/Monmouth bureau chief for the New Jersey Jewish News. She also worked with the media at several nonprofits, including serving as assistant public relations director of HIAS and assistant director of media relations at Yeshiva University.