UC Berkeley to Pay $1M, Adopt IHRA Definition After Antisemitism Lawsuit

The university will also clarify policies on banning Zionists as a pretext for excluding Jews.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 6:48am

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The University of California, Berkeley, has agreed to pay $1 million and make changes to its policies on antisemitism after settling a lawsuit with the Brandeis Center. Under the settlement, UC Berkeley will prohibit discrimination and harassment based on religion, shared ancestry, ethnicity, and national origin, specifically Jewish or Israeli. The university will also adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and review whether the term 'Zionists' is used as a 'proxy' for Jews or Israelis.

Why it matters

The lawsuit alleged widespread antisemitic harassment of Jewish students at UC Berkeley, including incidents of physical attacks, vandalism, and disruption of events. The settlement aims to address these issues and strengthen the university's policies against antisemitism.

The details

The $1 million penalty will act as a reimbursement to the Brandeis Center for outside attorneys' fees. UC Berkeley has also agreed to clarify on its website that 'bans on Zionists have historically been used by some individuals and institutions as a pretext for excluding Jews.' The university noted that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recently described Jewish life at UC Berkeley as 'excellent' in its Campus Antisemitism Report Card, giving the school a 'B' grade.

  • The lawsuit was initially filed in 2023.
  • The settlement was reached in 2026.

The players

University of California, Berkeley

A public research university located in Berkeley, California.

Brandeis Center

A civil rights organization that filed the lawsuit against UC Berkeley.

Kenneth L. Marcus

The chairman of the Brandeis Center and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education who ran the Office for Civil Rights.

Paul Eckles

The senior litigation counsel at the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who signed an executive order aimed at combating antisemitism.

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What they’re saying

“What happened at Berkeley is a cautionary tale. Universities, unions, corporations, and political parties cannot create an anti-Zionist exception to their conduct codes. They cannot silence Jewish Americans on the pretext of advancing their own political agendas. As we have now seen time and again, if left unaddressed antisemitic bigotry, whether or not masked as anti-Zionism, only continues to expand.”

— Kenneth L. Marcus, Chairman of the Brandeis Center

“I think it was the power of their stories and just the clear impact that real tangible antisemitism had on them and their experience at the school that ultimately paved the way for the settlement and convinced UC Berkeley to adopt the reforms in the agreement.”

— Paul Eckles, Senior Litigation Counsel at the Brandeis Center

What’s next

The university will begin implementing the changes outlined in the settlement, including reviewing its policies and website to ensure they align with the IHRA definition of antisemitism and prohibit discrimination against Jewish and Israeli individuals.

The takeaway

This settlement represents a significant step in addressing the issue of antisemitism on college campuses, as it requires UC Berkeley to adopt concrete measures to protect Jewish and Israeli students and faculty from harassment and discrimination. It serves as a model for other universities to follow in addressing similar concerns.