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Jewish students in Fairfax County say antisemitic harassment, hostile social media posts and heightened security concerns have left some of them feeling unsafe or pressured to conceal their identity.

Reports of antisemitism have risen nationwide since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel and the ensuing Israel-Palestine conflict. A 2024 Anti-Defamation League study ranked Virginia fifth in the country for reported antisemitic incidents in K-12 settings.

Concerns about Fairfax County Public Schools have also drawn congressional attention. In a letter to FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce cited several incidents on district campuses, including walkouts where participants displayed posters reading “from the river to the sea.”

The meaning of that slogan remains disputed. Critics interpret it as calling for the removal of Jewish people from the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, while others reject the characterization of the phrase as antisemitic.

Adam Newburger, a math teacher and sponsor of the Jewish Student Association, said the expression refers to the areas surrounding Israel. Based on his understanding of its original sentiment, he said, it advocates wiping away what exists there and replacing it.

The war has also intensified disputes over Zionism and anti-Zionism. Sara Winkleman, director of education programs and services at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, defined Zionism as support for Jewish people’s right to a homeland in the Middle East, where roughly half of the world’s Jewish population lives.

Antisemitism and anti-Zionism are distinct concepts, but Winkleman said separating them can become difficult when rhetoric calls for Israel’s destruction. She noted that many American Jews feel a close connection to Israel, even when they hold complicated or critical views of its government.

Security fears reach local schools

One McLean student, identified by the pseudonym Riley, works at a religious elementary school in the area. Riley said security at its temple has increased since Oct. 7.

Staff members carry walkie-talkies, receive training before the school year and learn procedures for responding if someone enters the building. The school also has safe rooms.

“It’s really sad” that those precautions are necessary, Riley said.

Newburger said fears of confrontation have also affected how some students express their Jewish identity at McLean High School. He knows students who wear Stars of David or other Jewish symbols beneath their clothing to avoid potentially hostile encounters.

Winkleman provided training for McLean social studies teachers after a classroom article about the conflict in Gaza unintentionally caused harm to Jewish students. She said educators face the challenge of discussing the war in a way that remains safe for everyone, including Jewish students.

The council also supports Student to Student, a program that sends Jewish teenagers into schools to explain their lives and faith. Presentations address Jewish identity, life cycles, the Sabbath, holidays and antisemitism.

Student says harassment brought no discipline

Junior Gabe Agin said four or five students harassed him during his freshman year because he is Jewish. According to Agin, they directed Nazi salutes at him, tried to force him to perform the gesture, physically prodded him and drew a swastika on one student’s leg in an effort to provoke a reaction.

Agin’s parents reported the conduct, prompting an investigation. He said no disciplinary action followed because the vice principal who helped with the report left during the summer and her files were removed.

Agin said the outcome left him feeling betrayed and unheard. He lost trust in the school system because he believed it minimized the impact of what happened.

Winkleman said Jewish students can also become isolated when others treat them as representatives of—or blame them for—the actions of the Israeli government. Jewish students may have no connection to that government and may hold complex or critical opinions of Israeli policy, she said, yet still face hostility because of their identity.

“Just because we’re Jewish does not mean we totally support Israel,” Agin said.

Antisemitic remarks have also appeared beneath FCPS social media posts, including sarcastic comments such as “thank the Jews” and “Tel Aviv impressed.” Some appeared on posts unrelated to Judaism. FCPS has restricted certain commenting features, including GIFs, but hostile remarks have continued.

Agin said he has also encountered short-form videos on Instagram that repeat stereotypes about Jewish people and money. Such posts can normalize broad generalizations by making them easy to share and repeat, he said.

Winkleman said complex subjects are increasingly reduced to memes or 15-second videos. In her view, many young people spreading harmful ideas are misinformed and easily influenced rather than deliberately hateful.

Students and community advocates say more constructive conversation is needed. Riley called for people with different perspectives to discuss the conflict with the shared goal of making schools less hostile for Jewish students.