December 21, 2012

(JTA) — Jewish students at Edinburgh University are forced to hide their identity because of “a toxic atmosphere,” according to community leaders.

Members of the Scottish Jewish Student Chaplaincy and the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities told the university that students were concealing signs of their religion amid rising hostility on its campuses, according to a report in the Scotsman. 

Jewish students were quitting courses “in despair” after anti-Israel demonstrations at Edinburgh, the paper reported on Dec. 15. 

Jewish leaders accused the university of a lack of urgency in tackling the problem, the report said. An unnamed community spokesman is quoted as saying: “The university needs to be aware of the international damage that is being done not only to Edinburgh’s reputation, but also to that of other Scottish universities and to the wider nation.”

University bosses insisted they wanted all their students to feel safe. A spokesman for the university told the Scotsman: “We work closely and collaboratively with students to foster good relations and we want all of our students to feel safe and supported.”

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