The Deborah Project is a public interest law firm that combats antisemitism in public and private education, mostly by suing different educational entities it accuses of advocating anti-Jewish discrimination. It supports the State of Israel and opposes left-of-center educational initiatives associated with antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment, including critical race theory. ^{1  2}

Through its litigation, the Deborah Project combats allegations of antisemitism, particularly by representing clients impacted by boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) actions against Israel, students and professors in disciplinary hearings, and victims of verbal and physical assault based on their Jewish ethnicity and faith. ³

Litigation

The Deborah Project has filed cases in state and federal court and represented students and faculty in disciplinary proceedings related to allegations of antisemitic discrimination. ³

In 2023, the Deborah Project represented four professors in their claims against the American Studies Association (ASA), which allegedly employed anti-Israel activists who used their control of the ASA to falsely claim that the organization had adopted a resolution calling for boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) actions against Israel. The case has been passed through the court systems in both federal and state courts in Washington, D.C. and, as of Fall 2025, was on appeal before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. ^{3  4}

Also in 2023, the Deborah Project announced plans to hire more litigators, particularly those with backgrounds in fighting critical race theory, which it claims encourages attacks on Zionism. ²

In a case against the Pennsylvania Suburban School District, the Deborah Project represented a 12-year-old Jewish student who was repeatedly verbally and physically harassed and attacked with no effective intervention by school officials. This student, after being allegedly denounced for being a “babykiller” and being told “Hitler was right,” was told by his attackers to “get down on his knees and apologize for being a Jew.” As of 2025, the case was being settled. ³

In 2025, the Deborah Project filed an action in California state court against the University of California, Davis to enforce Public Records Act requests to which UC Davis failed to properly respond. The requests relate to a series of antisemitic incidents at the university, which are also the subject of submissions the project has made to the Antisemitism Task Force at the United States Department of Justice. ³ The Deborah Project claims UC Davis staff and faculty have “actively fostered and/or participated in” “open advocacy of violence and disruptive, harassing, and sometimes violent conduct particularly targeting Jews and Israelis.” ⁵

Leadership

Jerome Marcus is the president and co-founder of the Deborah Project. He has been a lawyer in private practice and in government for over 35 years. He received his degrees from the University of Chicago. Previously, Marcus was a principal in a small litigation firm for 17 years and has also served as pro bono lead counsel on several cases challenging anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, and BDS activity. Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and as special assistant to the Legal Advisor of the United States Department of State. ⁶

Jesse Fried is the co-founder and board chair at the Deborah Project. He is a professor of corporate law in Massachusetts and was previously a professor of law and faculty co-director of the Berkeley Center for Law, Business, and the Economy (BCLBE) at the University of California, Berkeley. Fried has also been a visiting professor at Columbia University Law School, Duisenberg School of Finance, Hebrew University, IDC Herzilya, and Tel Aviv University. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard University, and a law degree from Harvard Law School. ^{2  7}

Lori Marcus is the legal director at the Deborah Project. She is a graduate of Brandeis University, has two masters’ degrees from Bryn Mawr College, and received her law degree from Harvard Law School. She is also the founder of Z STREET, a pro-Israel nonprofit devoted to educating the public about the Middle East. Marcus’ writing regularly appears in national media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, the Weekly Standard, the Jerusalem Post, and others. ⁸

Finances

In 2023, the Deborah Project reported $613,677 in total revenue, $599,719 in total expenses, and $535,452 in total assets. ⁹

From 2022 to 2024, the Deborah Project received $123,180 in grants from the Jewish Communal Fund. ^{10  11  12}

The Deborah Project has received smaller grants from the Jewish National Fund Keren Kayemeth Leisrael, the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, and Jewish Community Foundation of The Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles. ^{13  14  15}

1. “Home.” The Deborah Project. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.deborahproject.org/
2. “The Deborah Project adding litigators against critical race theory.” Jewish News Syndicate. January 10, 2023. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.jns.org/the-deborah-project-adding-litigators-against-critical-race-theory/
3. “Active Cases.” The Deborah Project. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.deborahproject.org/#impact
4. “SIMON BRONNER, et al., Appellants, v. AMERICAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION, et al., Appellees.” DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS. October 19, 2023. Accessed September 27, 2025. ​​https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral-arguments/Appellee%27s%20Brief%2023-CV-240.pdf
5. “Sixth Night Coalition, Petitioner, v. Regents of the University of California, Respondent.” SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF YOLO. July 11, 2025. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/671f6f26ed4b838375115e67/68d151dccb5dc61864b826f1_1%20-%20Writ%20of%20Mandate%5B89%5D_Redacted.pdf
6. “Jerome M. Marcus, Esq.” The Deborah Project. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.deborahproject.org/team/jerome-marcus
7. “Jesse M. Fried.” The Deborah Project. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.deborahproject.org/team/jesse-m-fried
8. “Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Esq.” The Deborah Project. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://www.deborahproject.org/team/lori-marcus
9. “The Deborah Project Inc – 2023 Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832997689/202520439349300032/full
10. “Jewish Communal Fund – 2022, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237174183/202330479349300013/IRS990ScheduleI
11. “Jewish Communal Fund – 2023, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237174183/202410969349301036/IRS990ScheduleI
12. “Jewish Communal Fund – 2024, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237174183/202500369349300210/IRS990ScheduleI
13. “Jewish National Fund Keren Kayemeth Leisrael Inc – 2020, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131659627/202131479349300708/IRS990ScheduleI
14. “Jewish Community Foundation Of San Diego – 2024, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/952504044/202511349349308276/IRS990ScheduleI
15. “Jewish Community Fdn Of The Jewish Federation Council Of Greater La – 2022, Schedule I, Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed September 27, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/956111928/202223159349306147/IRS990ScheduleI