Advocates for Faith & Freedom is standing alongside Jewish and Israeli students in a federal lawsuit against The George Washington University alleging a pervasive culture of antisemitic harassment, intimidation, retaliation, and exclusion on campus. The lawsuit asserts that following the October 7 Hamas attacks, university officials failed to protect Jewish students from escalating hostility tied to anti-Israel encampments, faculty conduct, and university-sponsored programming, while failing to enforce their own anti-discrimination policies. The case seeks institutional reforms and injunctive relief to ensure Jewish and Israeli students can safely and equally participate in campus life without fear of discrimination or intimidation.
JEWISH STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE FEDERAL FIGHT AGAINST GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OVER ALLEGED CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO AT
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Washington, D.C. — Advocates for Faith & Freedom will continue pursuing federal claims against George Washington University on behalf of former Jewish student Sabrina Soffer and CAPE-Ed.
The lawsuit alleges that GWU failed to adequately address a years-long pattern of antisemitism directed at Jewish students, which intensified following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom entered the case after the original complaint had already been filed, replacing prior counsel for Soffer and CAPE-Ed.
In a July 31 memorandum order, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed the original complaint without prejudice due to the length. The Court did not dismiss the lawsuit on its merits. Instead, it granted the plaintiffs 30 days to file an amended complaint and continue the litigation.
Significantly, the Court acknowledged both the gravity of the allegations and the complaint’s account of conditions at GWU, stating that it “paints a dark picture” of the university’s treatment of Jewish students and its handling of campus antisemitism. The amended complaint is due August 31, 2026.
“This case is far from over,” said Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Court did not reject our clients’ allegations or absolve George Washington University of responsibility. In fact, the Court recognized that the complaint paints a dark picture of what Jewish students experienced on campus. We stepped into this case after the original complaint was filed, and we are now preparing a more concise amended complaint focused on the serious allegations of antisemitism and the university’s failure to protect Jewish students.”
The original complaint describes an alleged multi-year pattern of unaddressed antisemitism, including events surrounding the university’s Middle East studies programming and the campus encampment following October 7. Plaintiffs seek damages and injunctive relief intended to protect Jewish students and hold the university accountable under federal law.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom is preparing the amended complaint and remains committed to pursuing meaningful relief for the plaintiffs and the students they represent.
“Universities do not get a free pass when hostility toward Jewish students becomes embedded in campus life,” Oster added. “We intend to move this case forward and ensure that the substance of these allegations receives the serious judicial review it deserves.”
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About Advocates for Faith & Freedom (www.faith-freedom.com): Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
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