House Report Finds APA Leaders Dismissed Jewish Members' Antisemitism Complaints

Jewish psychologists face a professional environment where their concerns about antisemitism were reportedly ignored by leadership, according to a new congressional report. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce released the document on Thursday. It details allegations that the American Psychological Association, a tax-exempt body with more than 190,000 members, dismissed complaints from its own members.

The report states that APA leaders resisted efforts to address Jew-hatred within the organization. It further finds that anti-Israel activists influenced the group's policies and its specific response to the events of Oct. 7. The APA sets professional standards for how psychologists conduct themselves. As the largest professional psychology organization in the world, it wields considerable influence over the field.

Miri Bar-Halpern, a Jewish psychology lecturer at Harvard Medical School, described the findings as both validating and heartbreaking. She told JNS that no one should need to turn to Congress to ask their profession to practice empathy. Bar-Halpern said she receives a large volume of antisemitic messages and threats. However, she noted that for every hostile communication, she also receives three or four messages from colleagues who are grateful she spoke up because they could not.

Bar-Halpern expressed fear of professional backlash following the report's release. She stated that she is already predicting negative reactions from her peers. Dean McKay, a psychology professor at Fordham University, shared similar concerns. He testified alongside Bar-Halpern in September before the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. That committee advises the U.S. Department of Education on accreditation standards.

McKay said the report identifies individuals he had previously approached for help. He described a group of people who were named in the document as having operated in good faith during their initial interactions. McKay claimed these individuals were actually working against the efforts to fix the organization behind the scenes. He called this specific finding particularly heartbreaking. He said he had hoped these people were working in a genuine way rather than a duplicitous one.

McKay noted that the issues predate the Oct. 7 attacks. He described the problem as a consistent pattern of neglect and ideological purity that has existed for years. He said Jewish pain was dismissed and Jewish identity was not understood during this period. He emphasized that the association's size and role in setting professional expectations make its internal culture a matter of public concern.

Eveline Shekhman, CEO of the American Jewish Medical Association, commended the committee for releasing the report. She said it confirms what Jewish psychologists have stated for years. Shekhman described the APA as cultivating an environment where Jewish members matter less. She stated that their complaints go unanswered, their safety is treated as an afterthought, and their concerns are viewed as a nuisance.

Bar-Halpern said she does not want the association to lose its tax-exempt status. Instead, she urged the group to repair the trust it has broken. She called for consequences for those responsible and transparency regarding the steps taken to address the issues. She stated that leadership needs to apologize and acknowledge the harm. JNS sought comment from the APA.