SBN Newsmakers: A look at campus antisemitism with Columbia University Professor Amy Werman
This edition of SBN Newsmakers explores the rise of anti-Semitism on college campuses, particularly in the wake of the October 7th attacks on Israel.
Amy Werman, a senior lecturer at Columbia University, shares her experiences with anti-Semitism in her community and the academic environment, detailing how sentiments shifted before and after the attacks. The discussion highlights the protests at Columbia, the university’s response, and the ongoing challenges faced by Jewish faculty and students. Werman emphasizes the importance of education in combating anti-Semitism and shares her efforts to foster understanding through a faculty mission to Israel.
About the Guest: Amy Werman, DSW, LCSW
Amy Werman, DSW, LCSW, recently retired from the Columbia School of Social Work, where she served as a Senior Lecturer in Discipline. Her career has been rich and wide-ranging, spanning medical social work, clinical practice, research, program evaluation, and social work education in both New York and Israel.
In her private practice, Amy works with individuals, couples, and families. She is currently enrolled in a two-year advanced trauma training program and is studying Hebrew in preparation for spending time in Israel, where she hopes to provide therapy to individuals coping with PTSD. Amy is also trained in Canine-Assisted Therapy and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.
Amy’s connection to Israel dates back to her first visit in 1974. She spent a semester abroad at Tel Aviv University, served as a madricha for an AZYF teen tour, and was an active lay leader with UJA-Federation of New York for twelve years. She continues to visit Israel regularly and maintains a strong relationship with many organizations in Israel.
Since October 7th, Amy has focused her research on interventions that reduce antisemitism and anti-Zionism. She curated the Jewish Identity/Jewish Diversity photo exhibit at the Columbia School of Social Work, which highlighted Jews around the world of varied races, ethnicities, occupations, and socioeconomic backgrounds—helping to dispel the myth of Jewish uniformity.
Amy is currently studying how visiting Israel influences perceptions and understanding of the country. Over the past two years, she has organized fact-finding and educational missions to Israel for Columbia faculty, staff, and administrators who have never been there, offering them firsthand insight into Israeli society and its complex geopolitical realities.
She holds a Doctor of Social Welfare (DSW) from Adelphi University, a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the Columbia School of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Pennsylvania.