University of Mississippi students returning this fall are being welcomed right before they enter campus with a new campaign targeting antisemitism.
JewBelong, a national nonprofit that works to make Judaism accessible and fights antisemitism, has partnered with the Christian Broadcasting Network and Regent University to place three billboards near the Oxford campus.
The billboards, in pink and white, carry slogans including “Standing against antisemitism is standing with America” and “You don’t need to be a Jew to protect Jews.”
The messages are located at Highway 76 and University Avenue and at Mississippi 7 and Abbeville Top. Organizers say the signs are expected to reach more than 2.4 million people.
The effort comes amid a rise in antisemitic incidents nationally and in Mississippi. From December 2023 bomb threats against synagogues in Tupelo and Columbus to the 2024 federal conviction of a Mississippi man for cyberstalking Jewish businesses and synagogues, the state has seen a 186% increase in such cases between 2022 and 2024, per the Anti-Defamation League. The nonprofit recorded 9,354 incidents across the U.S. last year, the highest total on record.
“It’s a terrifying time to be a Jewish college student,” JewBelong co-founder Archie Gottesman said. “The partnership with CBN and Regent University sends a critical message that fighting antisemitism is everyone’s issue.”
JewBelong has run more than 1,000 billboards nationwide, while CBN and Regent University say the Oxford campaign reflects the need for Christians and Jews to stand together against hate.
