Karen Caplan, a senior Rutgers faculty member, openly identifies as an “anti-Zionist Jew” and has spent years leveraging her academic and public roles to promote hostility toward Israel, excuse terrorism, and demonize Jewish self-determination. While presenting herself as a voice of moral conscience, Caplan has repeatedly aligned with radical organizations and causes that seek to dismantle the Jewish state and spread false narratives that embolden extremist movements.
Karen Caplan’s Actions and Statements
Open Opposition to Israel’s Existence
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Refers to herself publicly as an “anti-Zionist Jew”—a label often used to legitimize calls for the dismantling of Israel as a Jewish homeland.
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In October 2023, just days after Hamas’s October 7 massacre, she posted to X:
“Tell me, what would Israel have to do for the US to withdraw its support?”
— implying that the atrocities committed by Hamas did not justify Israel’s right to defend itself.
Undermining Jewish Safety and Legitimacy
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May 2021: Signed a Rutgers faculty letter condemning Israel’s military response while ignoring the terrorist rocket attacks on civilians.
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March 2019: Endorsed Ilhan Omar, even after the congresswoman made antisemitic remarks about Jewish influence in politics.
Platforming Anti-Israel Movements
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February 2025: Signed a petition accusing Israel of “scholasticide” — a conspiracy theory that Israeli self-defense operations are targeting education as a war strategy.
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April 2025: Used her role as chair of the Montgomery County Jewish Collective to lobby the County Council to oppose U.S. support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
Demonizing Pro-Israel Jews
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November 6, 2023: Shared images of a protest where she described pro-Israel demonstrators as
“very angry and unpleasant,”
— a clear attempt to vilify Jewish advocates defending Israel in public spaces.
Promoting False Equivalence and Deflecting from Terror
Karen Caplan consistently redirects blame away from terrorist groups like Hamas and onto Israel, erasing the context of Jewish suffering and legitimizing the voices of those who glorify violence. Her activism echoes talking points found in fringe anti-Israel spaces and undermines the values of academic integrity and moral clarity expected of university leadership.
Why It Matters
Caplan’s influence as both a senior administrator and professor at Rutgers gives her a powerful platform to normalize anti-Israel extremism. By cloaking radical politics in academic credibility and Jewish identity, she provides cover for dangerous rhetoric that justifies terrorism and erases Jewish history and rights.
Faculty members who support terror-enabling narratives have no place shaping the minds of students.
Karen Caplan is not a voice for justice—she’s an enabler of hate.
It’s time for Rutgers to act.
