Nazi salutes and WhatsApp abuse: Jewish students vow to fight antisemitism as cases on campus 'significantly higher' after October 7

Jewish graduates have told LBC students don't need to suffer in silence after experiencing vile instances of antisemitism at university. Reports of antisemitic abuse against university students and staff have risen sharply since 2023, when Hamas’ October 7 attack nearly three years ago triggered the onset of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Speaking to LBC, The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) said those who experience antisemitism should not have to “suffer alone”, after a 14% increase recorded in the past year.

Levona Zarum, 22, who joined The University of Aberdeen to study philosophy once the conflict had already begun, said she was one of few Jewish students on campus. She said there were moments where she felt “uncomfortable” and “less safe” after experiencing “quite a few” instances of antisemitic abuse. At the more severe end, Levona said she was “followed around and Nazi saluted at in a bar” after a partygoer overheard her talking about her background with a nightclub bouncer.

Read more: Anti-Semitism at UK universities 'significantly higher' than before October 7 attacks Read more: NHS nurse ‘given Nazi salute’ after colleague learned she was Jewish among series of anti-Semitism allegations in health service She was also said that some people tried to “ostracise” her from social events when they found out about her Jewish identity during her final year. “It makes me quite worried that we're at a place where some people feel that they can do that quite comfortably, and that people don't do this with much fear.

It makes me quite upset,” the recent graduate said. An Aberdeen University spokesperson said: "We met regularly with Lenova when she led the University’s Jewish students’ society and are shocked and saddened by these reports. "We continue to work with the society and with the National Union of Jewish Students and Jewish community leaders in support of our students. “Discrimination, harassment or prejudice is wholly unacceptable, and anyone experiencing issues should contact Student Support services or use our confidential online reporting tool.

"Antisemitism will not be tolerated.” Raphi Leon, 22, UJS spokesperson and recent philosophy graduate from The University of Warwick, said he witnessed antisemitism as early on as his freshers week. He had just been out with a group of Jewish students to a pub for a get-to-know-you event when the group returned home to find some distressing WhatsApp messages. It emerged that the Jewish Society group was “infiltrated by people who started to spur some quite distasteful and uncomfortable comments:” “That dampened the atmosphere of what was supposed to be an exciting and buzzing start to the year for the Jewish Society,” Raphi said.

He added: "It was a challenging start, but also actually one that we really overcame and grew from.” A Warwick University spokesperson said: “We took this incident very seriously. The posts shared with us were not in keeping with the University’s values and behaviours, as set out in our Dignity at Warwick policy. "Our Student Discipline and Resolution team investigated the incident and found no link between the WhatsApp posts shared with them and any students at the University.

We also shared information about our support services with those who came forward to report it”. It comes as the Community Security Trust (CST) said it received 83 reports of antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish students, academics, university staff or campus organisations in the UK during the 2024/25 academic year and 95 reports in 2025/26 – a 14% increase in the past year. In 2022/23 – the last academic year before the attacks on Israel on October 7 2023 and subsequent conflict in Gaza – there were 53 antisemitic incidents reported at UK universities.

The “baseline level of antisemitism that is significantly higher” than before October 7 2023, the report said. Commenting on the report, Raphi said: “There will definitely be students who are afraid or nervous as a result of this report, and we want to reassure them that we are there for them at UJS. “The CST is there for them, and if they do experience antisemitism in their time at university, they shouldn't feel like they need to suffer that alone.

“They're not alone, and we and the CST are here to support them and guide them through dealing with that, both from a welfare perspective and terms of taking action where necessary. He added: “This report highlights that we can't be complacent that the challenge of campus antisemitism has gone away, and we need to keep holding the feet to the fire of government and universities to ensure that action is taken.”