News
Jewish social work news, updates, and developments from across the helping professions and the Jewish Social Work Consortium.
Antisemitism, Antizionism and Accreditation: What the APA Recommendation Means for Social Work
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2026
On September 24th, a federal advisory committee recommended that the U.S. Department of Education suspend its recognition of the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Commission on Accreditation for 12 months.
During the proceedings, concerns were raised about the APA Commission on Accreditation’s failure to identify and respond to reported antisemitism within an accredited clinical psychology program. Mental health professionals and others also testified about broader concerns regarding antisemitism within psychology and professional training.
The recommendation is not yet a final decision, but social work should be paying close attention.
Social work emphasizes human dignity, social justice and cultural humility. Those principles must extend to Jews, a minority group with a long history of persecution and oppression. That means recognizing and addressing antisemitism and antizionism when they occur, including within our own schools, professional organizations and institutions.
We are not preparing social workers to do that. Social work students receive little to no education about Jewish identity, Jewish peoplehood or contemporary antisemitism. Without that foundation, how can we expect faculty, administrators or accreditation reviewers to recognize and address antisemitism and antizionism when they encounter them?
In 2025, Jewish Social Work Consortium co-founders, Andrea Yudell and Jennifer Kogan published Antisemitism in Social Work: A Report on the State of the Profession. The report documents accounts from Jewish social workers and students describing antisemitism and antizionism in social work education, professional organizations and practice settings. These included hostility and exclusion directed at Jews, as well as experiences in which concerns about antisemitism and antizionism were dismissed or minimized.
This is the contradiction social work needs to confront: a profession deeply committed to fighting oppression fails to adequately recognize antisemitism and antizionism as a form of oppression.
Our accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), commissioned and published Understanding Antisemitism: A Teaching Guide for Social Work Education written by Jewish Social Work Consortium members Carole Cox and Dana Marlowe. The guide itself states that schools of social work have historically tended to ignore antisemitism.
Despite the wealth of knowledge it imparts, the guide remains a supplemental resource. Accredited programs are not required to use it or to provide students with education about antisemitism or antizionism.
Four weeks ago, the Jewish Social Work Consortium wrote to CSWE leadership with concerns about how the antisemitism guide was presented regarding CSWE’s decision to develop a separate Teaching Guide on Palestine.
We asked why the announcement of the long awaited antisemitism guide was immediately followed by an announcement of a forthcoming guide on Palestine, while other CSWE curricular guides were allowed to stand on their own. We also asked CSWE to explain the criteria for developing a teaching guide focused on a particular geopolitical region when its other curricular guides generally focus on populations, areas of practice or interventions.
A month later, we have yet to receive a reply from CSWE.
When Jewish social workers raise concerns about Jew hatred with the organization responsible for accrediting social work education, those concerns deserve acknowledgment and a substantive response.
What is happening with APA accreditation should be a warning to social work. Antisemitism and antizionism within our own profession has already been documented, yet social work has failed to adequately recognize or address it.
Social work needs accreditation standards that explicitly address antisemitism and antizionism. Students, faculty and accreditation reviewers need to be able to recognize contemporary antisemitism, and Jewish students and professionals need meaningful ways to report discrimination and have those concerns addressed.
Publishing a teaching guide is a start, but it’s not enough. Our accrediting body has a responsibility not only to educate the profession about antisemitism and antizionism, but to respond when Jewish social workers raise concerns about it. Social work cannot claim a commitment to fighting discrimination while failing to address discrimination against Jews within its own institutions.
The APA proceedings demonstrate what happens when concerns about antisemitism and antizionism within professional education are not adequately addressed. Social work has been given ample reason to confront this problem. Our profession and its accrediting body must act.
New Peer-Reviewed Paper Examines Antisemitism in Social Work
A new peer-reviewed narrative review by Hedy S. Wald and Steven Roth examines antisemitism across the health professions and identifies social work as one of the fields in which antisemitism has been particularly documented.
Published in August 2026, Anatomy of Antisemitism in Health Professions Education and Practice reviews evidence from medicine, nursing, psychology and social work. In its section on social work, the authors describe antisemitic comments from peers and colleagues, the minimization of Jewish experiences because Jews are perceived as “white and privileged,” and the intersection of antisemitism and antizionism in social work settings.
The authors also highlight the lack of education about Judaism, Jewish identity and antisemitism and antizionism within diversity and inclusion initiatives and point to research finding that these topics are rarely included in social work education or diversity and inclusion programs.
The review cites the Jewish Social Work Consortium’s 2025 report, Antisemitism in Social Work: A Report on the State of the Profession, by JSWC co-founders Jennifer Kogan and Andrea Yudell, including its documentation of antisemitism in social work education and professional spaces and the experiences of Jewish social-work students and practitioners.
Wald and Roth argue that these findings present a troubling contradiction for professions committed to combating discrimination and oppression. Their review adds to a growing body of research documenting antisemitism and antizionism within social work and reinforces the need for Jewish identity, antisemitism and antizionism education to be incorporated into social work curricula and professional training.
The Shofar Awakens Us: A Call for Ethics in Social Work
September 8, 2026
by Jen Kogan
As Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, 5787 approaches, everything feels loaded. The fringe has become mainstream and inversions are so commonplace we’re rarely surprised by the latest outlandish headline. As the school year begins, our newest generation of social workers will learn about the dignity and worth of every person, self-determination, nondiscrimination, and the responsibility helping professionals have to examine their own biases.
But they’ll also be on the receiving end of frameworks that have been commandeering social work education: antiracist and anti-oppressive practice, decolonial approaches and abolitionist social work, to name a few.
Some of these approaches leave Jews completely out when addressing minority identity and oppression. Others go further, providing cover to dehumanize and discriminate against Jews by recasting us as “colonizers” and “oppressors.”
None should get an automatic pass simply because they employ the language of social justice.
Read the Full Article
This post was originally published on The Times of Israel Blogs. Photo: Jaffa Port, Tel-Aviv-Jaffa by Susan Hess
September 3, 2026
by Susie Hess
As October approaches, so do two significant observances: the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre and Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the United States. Following the death of feminist leader Gloria Steinem, the convergence of these moments has me thinking about what happens when women communicate violence or warn of danger and are not believed.
Steinem’s work helped transform how the United States understands violence against women. In December 2023, while too many feminist voices remained silent, she joined women’s-rights leaders in condemning the sexual violence perpetrated during the October 7 massacre. Their statement affirmed the right of every woman and girl, regardless of nationality, religion, or community, to live free from rape and sexual assault.
Read the Full Article
JSWC's Jodi Taub authors new book, "More Than A Patient"
The Jewish Social Work Consortium is proud to announce the publication of committee member Jodi Taub’s new book, More Than a Patient.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, have been living with illness for years, or are supporting someone you love, you do not have to navigate this alone. You did not choose to be sick, but you can choose what to do with it. The right relationships can transform your experience. This book will help you build them.
Inside, you will find guidance for navigating: 
Dating with discernment
Cultivate friendships, old and new
Medical trauma and adjustment to medical illness
Supporting caregiving relationships
Grief, loss, identity shifts, and creating a meaningful life
Caring for your mental health
Nuture secure attachments with long term partners.
Work collaboratively with doctors and medical teams
Learn more!
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Strand Books
August 21, 2026
Jewish Social Work Consortium Joins International Gaza GenoLIE Initiative
The Jewish Social Work Consortium has joined the international Gaza GenoLIE initiative, a global educational campaign challenging claims that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and examining how these claims are being advanced by antizionist and antisemitic networks.
Our participation reflects JSWC’s commitment to addressing antisemitism and antizionism, promoting accurate and responsible discourse, and bringing greater attention to the impact these narratives can have within social work, mental health, academic, and professional spaces.
We are pleased to join organizations from around the world in supporting this educational effort.
Learn more about the Gaza GenoLIE initiative.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2026
Biased Curriculum and Harassment Reported at University of Illinois Chicago
The Jewish Social Work Consortium, Gesher Community Care (GCC), Trauma Informed Learning Alliance, the Chicagoland Jewish Therapists Group, and the Jewish Grad Organization are issuing a public warning about concerns regarding whether the University of Illinois Chicago’s School of Social Work, has met its obligation to provide a safe, discrimination-free environment for Jewish graduate students.
Ally Frank, a social work student at the Jane Addams College of Social Work, reports a pattern of incidents, including an alleged group harassment event in which Jewish students report they were surrounded and felt unable to leave the area while being accused of genocide. Her account also describes course materials that were perceived as framing Jewish identity primarily through an antizionist ideology, omitting core aspects of Jewish history and culture.
Frank’s account details a pattern of experiences raising serious ethical and professional concerns, including:
A classroom environment in which a Jewish student reports that a professor publicly questioned aspects of their identity in a manner they felt was not applied to other identities.
Classroom materials that frame Jewish identity primarily through popular antizionist ideology including a course reading that, in the student’s view, presented the claim and others like it, that “the Israeli state is racist by design and intent” without alternative perspectives. The course did not include core aspects of Jewish history and culture. When concerns were raised, Frank’s request to remove the material and to offer alternative readings reflecting mainstream Jewish identity and culture was deflected.
An alleged group harassment incident in which Jewish students were surrounded, trapped behind a table, blocked from leaving, and subjected to accusations of genocide.
A determination that the incident did not meet the threshold for harassment.
Concerns that not all identified individuals were interviewed during the investigation.
The case was reportedly closed before, in the student’s view, a full investigation was completed.
No student, and in this case, a student entering a profession grounded in ethics, cultural humility, dignity, integrity, and compassion, should face hostility or have their identity publicly questioned because they are Jewish.
JCRC Applauds Defeat of Motions to Exclude Israeli Social Workers
February 18, 2026
The following is a statement from Guila Franklin Siegel, chief operating officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, in response to the International Federation of Social Workers today rejecting a pair of motions to suspend and expel the Israeli Union of Social Workers from the international body.
“These votes are a victory for inclusion over discrimination. For years, the Israeli Union of Social Workers (IUSW) has worked tirelessly to support the mental health and well-being of Israelis and Palestinians alike. Their work has taken on new and added meaning over the past two years in the face of Hamas’ horrific mass slaughter of Jews on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. The heroic efforts of Israeli social workers during such a difficult time amid a surge of antisemitism generally and directed at them in particular are a model for those affiliated with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) worldwide to follow.
“While it is disappointing that the IFSW even considered such exclusionary motions, we are hopeful that this closes the door on any effort to isolate Israeli social workers initiated by international bodies that should be supporting and lifting them up. JCRC is proud to stand with the ISUW, the Jewish Social Work Consortium, and the thousands of people who signed a petition urging opposition to these votes. We hope IFSW will not go down this path again.”
The following is an additional statement from Jennifer Kogan and Andrea Yudell of the Jewish Social Work Consortium, with whom we worked closely on this issue.
“Rejecting this motion affirms that collective punishment and exclusion have no place in social work for any group.”
“Israeli social workers continue to serve on the front lines, providing critical care and support to all who need it, across lines of identity, religion, and background. That is what ethical practice looks like and what solidarity should mean. We are especially thankful to the National Association of Social Workers for choosing to use its voice to condemn this effort and to stand firmly for principle. Their leadership in this moment reflects the profession at its best.”
“At the heart of social work is honoring the dignity of our colleagues and clients, which requires cultural humility and the courage to examine our own assumptions rather than make sweeping judgments about entire groups of people.”
“We remain hopeful that this stance is not only a rejection of exclusion, but the beginning of deeper engagement, listening, and repair so that Jewish and Israeli social workers can participate fully, safely, and with dignity in the global social work community.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
We commend NASW for choosing ethics and principle over silence and collusion. We have just learned that NASW issued a public statement opposing the suspension or expulsion of the Israeli Union of Social Workers from the International Federation of Social Workers. In a moment when remaining quiet would have been easier, NASW chose transparency and moral clarity. We are deeply grateful for this clear and public commitment and appreciate NASW’s decision to take a principled stand.
This moment arises in the context of serious and ongoing concerns within the field of social work. For more than two years, Jewish social workers have raised alarms about the rise of antizionist hate circulating in our professional and clinical spaces. This has included recurring libels, dehumanizing rhetoric, exclusionary practices, and assumptions directed at Israelis and at the vast majority of Jewish people, attacking core identity. Too often, these harms have flowed unchecked through workplaces, training programs, conferences, classrooms, and professional discourse.
This vote and NASW’s clear ethical stance is a welcome start. At the same time, it it does not resolve the climate many colleagues here in the US continue to experience. The patterns that have been documented and in many cases directly endured require sustained attention, ethical leadership, and courageous engagement. Silence in the face of discrimination contradicts the core values of our profession. By taking this public position, NASW has signaled that principle must guide us.
We remain hopeful that this marks the beginning of mutual dialogue, meaningful listening sessions, and concrete efforts to right the wrongs that have taken root. Repair, accountability, and a renewed commitment to pluralism and human dignity is possible. This moment can be a turning point.
We, The Jewish Social Work Consortium, respectfully renew our request for a meeting with NASW leadership to discuss the ongoing hostility affecting Israeli and Jewish professionals and to explore tangible steps to ensure that our field remains grounded in ethical practice, inclusion, and respect for the full diversity of Jewish identity.
We appreciate NASW’s leadership and courage. We remain committed to constructive engagement and believe that, together, we can strengthen our profession and restore trust.
Sign the Petition Now
Protest the International Federation of Social Worker’s Feb. 18th Vote Targeting Israeli and Jewish Social Workers
The International Federation of Social Workers has set a vote for February 18th on whether to expel or suspend the Israeli Union of Social Workers.
This vote is unethical, contradicts core social work values, and is steeped in generalized antizionist hate.
We call on the National Association of Social Workers and the Canadian Association of Social Workers to vote no on this motion, publicly condemn the targeting of Israeli social workers, and to address the growing climate of hostility and exclusion towards Jewish and Israeli social workers within the field.
Please sign and share our petition widely.
Statement on the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Targeting of Israeli Social Workers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2026
After formally censuring the Israeli Union of Social Workers last year, the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) is now moving toward suspension or expulsion. The IFSWs planned February 18, 2026 vote marks a clear escalation in a selective enforcement campaign. Presented as accountability, the proposal advances an ideologically driven effort to isolate Israeli social workers as a collective, based on nationality rather than actual professional conduct. Read More
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Statement on Jew Hate: Too Little Too Late
Four Days of Silence
It took four days for NASW to make any mention of the pogrom carried out against Jews gathered on Bondi Beach celebrating the first night of Chanukah. It remains unclear what prompted the statement today… Read More
Jewish Insider: Jewish social workers warn of growing antisemitism in the field: ‘Counter to everything that we learn in social work school’
by Gabby Deutch
A new report details the ‘exclusion, isolation and public targeting’ that Jewish social workers have faced particularly since October 7th. Many of the complaints in the report target the National Association of Social Workers, the field’s leading professional body, with 110,000 members. “The silence and negligence of NASW has been especially egregious,” the report’s authors write, referencing the group’s two-month delay in publicly addressing the events of Oct. 7 and its alleged reticence to strongly denounce antisemitism in the nearly two years since. An NASW spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Psychotherapy Networker Magazine: Antisemitism and the Trauma of Invalidation
by Jennifer Kogan, Dean McKay, Miri Bar-Halpern and Andrea Yudell
Therapy is built on trust, safety, and the feeling of being truly seen, but for many Jewish therapists, that foundation has been shaken. Since October 7, we’ve realized the world we thought we lived in was not the one we actually inhabited. These four essays are our attempt to name that rupture and reflect on what it means for us and our clients
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Naming Hate: Antizionism in Social Work
by Jennifer Kogan and Andrea Yudell
Imagine belonging to a minority group within a helping profession that prides itself on empathy and social justice. You watch as other communities receive compassion in their moments of fear and grief. Historically, you have stood alongside them. You and your colleagues have spoken up, shown up, and held space for their pain. Not performatively, but out of a steadfast commitment to justice.
Now picture this: when your own community faces a moment of true vulnerability, that same care and concern are shockingly absent. Then in an incredible coordinated swath of gaslighting, your people are vilified. Terms like ‘colonizer,’ ‘oppressor,’ and ‘genocide’ are tossed like grenades into the midst of this shocked and grieving minority. This functions to erase your humanity. Ask yourself: could you envision any other group being subjected to such sweeping generalizations and blame? Read More
Report and Testimony on Antisemitism and Antizionism in Social Workby Jennifer Kogan and Andrea Yudell
A report and testimonies outlining what Jewish social workers have been experiencing and are bearing witness to in our field since October 7. Social justice is foundational to social work, and a primary reason so many of us chose this profession. However, the current application within social work schools and professional spaces often leads to the harmful stereotyping of Jewish and Israeli individuals, categorizing them as ‘oppressors’ within a rigid binary. This approach overlooks the complexities of identity and fails to recognize the unique challenges faced by Jewish communities, students, and colleagues. Urgent action is needed and is outlined in this document. Read more.