In March, Wake Forest University earned a “B” grade in the Anti-Defamation League’s 2026 Campus Antisemitism Report Card, designating the University as “better than most.”
The ADL launched the Report Card in 2024 as part of its “Not On My Campus” campaign. They said they created this campaign in “direct response to the significant rise of antisemitic incidents” since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war.
The Report Card evaluates 150 colleges and universities nationwide, providing insight into current levels of antisemitism as well as support for Jewish students. The assessment is based on 32 criteria, grouped into three categories: “Publicly Disclosed Administrative Actions,” “Jewish Life on Campus,” and “Campus Conduct and Climate Concerns.”
The 2026 Report Card found that 58% of schools received “A” or “B” grades, which is an increase from 41% in 2025 and 23.5% in 2024.
Wake Forest University is one of 16 schools surveyed by the ADL D.C. Region team.
“What we are seeing in the D.C. region is broadly consistent with national trends,” the team said in an emailed statement. “Many schools are making improvements through stronger policies, more responsive leadership and greater awareness of the need to address antisemitism seriously and consistently. That progress matters deeply, and we are proud to celebrate them.”
Wake Forest’s overall B grade remained the same since the 2025 Report Card, which was the first year the University was included in the survey.
“I think the designation feels somewhat accurate, but also a bit reductive,” President of Chabad at Wake Forest Lila Goldstein said. “While Wake Forest may be doing better than many institutions in terms of structure, that doesn’t always capture the nuance of individual students’ experiences or the fluctuations in campus climate over time.”
In the category of administrative action, Wake Forest was designated as “Meeting Expectations.” However, within this category, Wake Forest earned a “Below Expectations’ rating in “Mandatory antisemitism education for students, faculty and staff” and “Conducts research to assess Jewish campus community experiences.”
“I would like to see more consistent dialogue and spaces where students can engage in difficult conversations respectfully, especially around topics like Israel and Zionism,” Goldstein said. “A lot of tension comes from misunderstanding, and creating structured opportunities for discussion could help reduce polarization.”
For Jewish campus life, the university received a designation of “Excellent.” The only criterion that did not earn an “Excellent” rating was “Kosher dining,” which received a “Satisfactory.”
“The Jewish community at Wake Forest feels close-knit and supportive, and there’s a strong effort to create inclusive spaces for people with different levels of observance and perspectives,” Goldstein said. “There’s a genuine sense of belonging that makes a big difference in the overall college experience.”
In the category of campus conduct and climate concerns, the university received a “Low to none” designation overall, but was rated a “Medium” in the specific criterion of “Level of hostile anti-Zionist student groups.”
“When tensions rise abroad, we have seen that Jewish students, staff and faculty can become targets here at home,” the ADL D.C. team said. “Political anger can spill over into antisemitic rhetoric, exclusionary behavior and hostility toward Jewish community members.”
