New Jersey district lacks ‘moral leadership’ by failing to denounce antisemitism, commentary warns

A New Jersey district has drawn criticism for not honoring settlement terms over a Jewish family’s lawsuit alleging antisemitic attacks against a high school student.

“By refusing to send out the statement about antisemitism in the same way it routinely communicates about all kinds of issues, the district sends a message that the safety and well-being of Jewish students and families are not its priority,” write Susan B. Tuchman and Jeffrey Schreiber in a commentary published by the Courier-Post.

“This message is especially damaging given the current climate of hate targeting Jews. The Anti-Defamation League recently reported that New Jersey has the third-highest number of antisemitic incidents in the country, and the problem is scarily escalating elsewhere.”

Tuchman, director of the Zionist Organization of America’s Center for Law and Justice, and Schreiber, a partner at Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC, blamed Cherry Hill Public Schools (CHPS) for choosing “avoidance and inaction” over “moral clarity and leadership.”

“The district is showing that it will do whatever it can to avoid educating its students about antisemitism,” they write, “publicly condemning hatred of Jews and sending a forceful message that antisemitism will not be tolerated.”

‘Jews are not safe here’

After Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, a group of CHPS students threatened violence against a Jewish high-schooler, according to a June 2025 federal lawsuit against the district.

“Just days later, two students allegedly cornered him in a school bathroom, told him that ‘Jews are not safe here,’ and threatened to beat him ‘unconscious’ if he posted anything in support of Israel on social media,” the commentary explains.

However, district leaders targeted the victim instead of taking steps to condemn such threats, according to Tuchman and Schreiber.

“The parents’ lawsuit claims that the district failed to protect their son and instead retaliated against him. They say he was unfairly disciplined, while his attackers’ actions were minimized or ignored entirely.”

As part of the settlement terms, the district was required to issue a statement condemning antisemitism on its website.

“Although the statement was technically posted online, the district buried it in an obscure section of the district’s website and mislabeled it as a ‘Statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day,’” the commentary notes. “The label made no mention of antisemitism, making it unlikely that community members would recognize its relevance.”

Such a lackluster response stands in stark contrast to other statements condemning Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate and other discriminatory behaviors, Tuchman and Schreiber argue.

“More troubling still, in violation of the settlement agreement, the district has refused to issue the statement to families and students — but not because the district cannot do so or because issuing the statement would violate standard district practices. The district frequently sends emails and letters to the community regarding topics such as Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, summer programs, building renaming ceremonies, registration for workshops and seminars and other reminders.”

The district serves over 10,000 students in southern New Jersey.

‘Standing up against hate’

Antisemitic attacks have been rising in recent years, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reporting the highest number on record in 2024 since beginning to track these in 1979.

Public schools in other states such as Massachusetts have also come under fire for failing to address antisemitism.

In Bedford, parents criticized an atmosphere of “silence and inaction” from school officials even as Jewish students were exposed to swastikas, Nazi salutes and verbal threats from fellow classmates.

“Leadership in education includes standing up against hate, protecting vulnerable students and fostering a safe and inclusive environment,” Tuchman and Schreiber conclude. “When a district fails to speak out clearly and consistently against bigotry, it fails all its students.”