Harvard and Fordham Launch Initiative to Combat Antisemitism in Psychology Education
On July 7, 2026, two prominent scholars in psychology education—Dean McKay, a professor at Fordham University, and Miri Bar‑Halpern, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School—revealed a joint initiative designed to confront and eliminate antisemitic elements within psychology training programs. The initiative, supported by a $75,000 three‑year grant from the Academic Engagement Network, aims to address a growing wave of Jew‑hatred that McKay described as increasingly common in professional training environments.
According to McKay, the surge in antisemitic sentiment is tied to the “decolonial psychology” movement, which often frames Zionism as a colonial enterprise and links it with broader social ills. This perspective, he argued, frequently distorts or ignores the historical and archaeological evidence that demonstrates a longstanding Jewish presence in the region known today as Israel. By redefining Zionism as a negative force, the movement can inadvertently foster misunderstandings that seep into clinical practice.
The new program will concentrate on doctoral psychology programs in three states—New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut—where both institutions have deep roots. Faculty in these programs will be contacted first, with the goal of training receptive educators who can then disseminate the material throughout their departments. The rollout will include in‑person workshops, public presentations by McKay and Bar‑Halpern, and recorded resources that can be accessed by psychologists, social workers, and other mental‑health professionals nationwide.
“Our goal is to educate our colleagues about what Judaism and Zionism truly are, and to dispel the widely held misconceptions that currently permeate academic psychology,” McKay said. “By providing clear, factual information and practical guidelines, we hope to foster an environment where Jewish patients receive culturally competent and respectful care.”
Both McKay and Bar‑Halpern have personally encountered antisemitic hostility in their careers. McKay recounted being removed from a social‑media platform for voicing concerns about anti‑Zionist therapists, as well as being the target of a protest outside a conference where demonstrators chanted “from the river to the sea.” Such experiences have underscored the urgency of the initiative.
In addition to workshops and recorded materials, the program plans to create a network of trained faculty who can serve as ongoing points of contact for institutions seeking to revise curricula. The long‑term vision includes expanding the model to other mental‑health disciplines, such as social work and licensed clinical mental‑health workers, ensuring a broader cultural competence across the field.
The launch in Cambridge, Massachusetts—home to Harvard Medical School—highlights the program’s commitment to academic excellence and interdisciplinary collaboration. By confronting antisemitic bias at its educational roots, the initiative seeks to set a new standard for ethical, inclusive, and evidence‑based psychology education.
