Hear from two student leaders who are working to share and implement the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism's recommendations at their colleges and beyond.
Everything You Need to Know About Antisemitism
Antisemitism is a tangible threat to Jews and the very fabric of democratic societies. American Jewish Committee (AJC), with a global presence, works every day to combat Jew-hatred through global diplomacy, political advocacy, coalition building, and strategic communications.
The resources below include key insights on antisemitism including the connection between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, antisemitism from the far-right, the far-left, and in the name of Islam. It also includes explanations of philosemitism, the Working Definition of Antisemitism, white supremacists, Holocaust distortion, conspiracy theories, and more.
To find answers to your questions about antisemitism use the search bar below and check boxes on the left to view articles, videos, podcasts, columns, eBooks, and more. Don’t see an answer to your question about antisemitism? Click here to let us know.
What the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism Means for Jewish College Students
Pittsburgh's Response to the Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: An Oral History
Today marks four years since America’s deadliest antisemitic attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Listen to former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on what it was like to witness the pain inflicted on his community when a stranger walked into a prayer service, declared "All Jews must die," and ended 11 lives.
Campus Antisemitism – What’s Happening at UC Berkeley?
Controversy erupted at the UC Berkeley Law school this fall over the decision by a handful of student groups to adopt bylaws that would ban Zionist speakers. Dr. Ethan Katz, Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Berkeley, and co-founder of the Antisemitism Education Initiative, and Charlotte Aaron, a Berkeley Law student and board member of the Jewish Student Association (JSA), join us to discuss the situation on campus, how it has affected their work as Jewish activists, and why they remain hopeful for the future of Jews on campus.
Unpacking the Origins of Kanye’s Antisemitism
Rapper Kanye West’s recent antisemitic outbursts during a primetime Fox News interview and on social media to his over 31 million followers have provided another example of the normalization of Jew-hatred in the American public sphere. AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism Holly Huffnagle joins us to break down his vile statements and explain how they are part of longstanding rhetoric that targets Jews.
Here’s Why All of Society Must Take Action Against Antisemitism
In a just-released mobilization tool, AJC’s Call to Action Against Antisemitism in America highlights a path forward for all sectors of society, including government, corporations, the media, college campuses, and more. Listen as Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, breaks down this resource and explains why addressing antisemitism requires a bold, targeted, and cohesive strategy to understand, respond to, and prevent it.
The Forgotten Exodus: Sudan
Nessim Gaon's grandchild, Dr. Alexandra Herzog, shares the story of her grandfather's flight from Sudan, his quest for equality in Israel, and his pursuit of peace between the Jewish state and Arab nations. Joining Dr. Herzog in this episode are Gaon’s cousins, Diana Krief and Flore Eleini, and oral historian Daisy Abboudi.
The Forgotten Exodus: Libya
Giulietta Boukhobza shares her family’s story of their harrowing escape from Libya when she was 16. Joining Boukhobza is filmmaker Vivienne Roumani-Denn, the creator of “The Last Jews of Libya,” who provides the historical backdrop for Boukhobza’s story, illustrating how life was never easy for Jews in Libya.
The Forgotten Exodus: Egypt
Hear the personal story of award-winning author André Aciman as he recounts the heart-wrenching details of the pervasive antisemitism during his childhood in Alexandria, Egypt, and his family’s expulsion in 1965, which he wrote about in his memoir Out of Egypt, and also inspired his novel Call Me by Your Name.
Behind the Scenes of AJC’s New Podcast Series The Forgotten Exodus
Hear behind-the-scenes details on the series premiere of The Forgotten Exodus podcast with host Manya Brachear Pashman and cartoonist and musician Carol Isaacs, who will share more about her family’s flight from rising antisemitism in Iraq, as depicted in her graphic memoir and animated film, The Wolf of Baghdad.
James Carville and Leslie Sanchez on the Battle Between Extremists and Moderates in U.S. Politics
As antisemitism persists on both political extremes, are moderate forces strong enough to steer us in the right direction? Can lawmakers actually reach across the aisle in today’s political climate? James Carville, Democratic strategist and political icon, and Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategist and award-winning political commentator, joined AJC Managing Director, Policy and Political Affairs Julie Fishman Rayman in a discussion about the state of U.S. politics today at AJC Global Forum 2022.
How Can Governments Win the Fight Against Antisemitism? An AJC Global Forum 2022 Conversation
U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt and European Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life Katharina von Schnurbein discusses how to fulfill their governments’ bold promises to fight antisemitism.
Antisemitism in Latin America: The Lasting Impact of the AMIA Attack
This week, Fernando Lottenberg, the first Organization of American States (OAS) Commissioner to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC's Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, join us to discuss the progress that’s been made since the 1994 terrorist attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Center in Buenos Aires, and the work left to do in Latin America.
Bari Weiss on How Antisemitism Became Normalized; Gearing Up for AJC Global Forum 2022
As we look ahead to AJC Global Forum 2022, the premier global Jewish advocacy gathering of the year (June 12-14 in New York City), we look back at some highlights from AJC Virtual Global Forum 2021, including conversations with U.S. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), on the launch of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations, columnists Bret Stephens and Bari Weiss discussing the mainstreaming of antisemitism, and crucial advice from two young activists on how to combat anti-Jewish hatred on campus and beyond.
People of the Pod: Does Hollywood Tolerate Antisemitism?
Should only Jewish actors play Jewish roles? Was Whoopi Goldberg’s apology enough? Should Mel Gibson work in Hollywood ever again? What does a greater emphasis on diversity in the entertainment industry mean for Jewish representation on the silver screen? On the same week the Oscar nominations were announced, Jessica Shaw, a host for Sirius XM’s pop culture talk channel, joins us to discuss the debates, misunderstandings, and, in Gibson’s case, the blatant antisemitism rippling through Hollywood.
People of the Pod: Why Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust Views Shouldn’t Surprise Us; Daniel Pearl’s 20th Yahrzeit
This week on “The View,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg wrongly claimed that the Holocaust “isn’t about race.” Though she apologized, ABC suspended her for two weeks. Writer Daniella Greenbaum, an Emmy award-winning former producer for “The View,” joins us to discuss how Goldberg’s comments demonstrate a widespread failure to understand Judaism but also present an opportunity to discuss the diversity of Judaism and comprehend antisemitism in its many forms.
People of the Pod: AJC CEO David Harris on the Deborah Lipstadt Holocaust Denial Trial and AJC’s Critical Role in the Fight
In 2000, renowned Holocaust scholar Dr. Deborah Lipstadt was sued by David Irving for defamation, because she called Irving a Holocaust denier and falsifier of history in her 1994 book Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory. Expert witnesses combed through Irving’s research since the 1980s and found that Lipstadt was correct - Irving had deliberately manipulated the historical record to support his ludicrous claims that most of the evidence of the Holocaust had been invented after the war. Listen to AJC CEO David Harris discuss the impact of the trial, and the quiet, global, multi-year effort he led to generate support for Lipstadt’s trial defense, making sure the world never forgets the murder of six million Jews – a historical fact.
People of the Pod: Inside the Colleyville, Texas Synagogue Hostage Crisis: Hear from 3 Local Jewish and Muslim Leaders on What It Was Like on the Ground
On January 15th, the world watched in horror as an armed attacker took a rabbi and three worshippers hostage at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. Joining us today are Joel Schwitzer, Director of AJC Dallas, Mohamed Elibiary, former Adviser to the Department of Homeland Security and Co-Chair of the Dallas Fort Worth Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, and Rabbi Andrew Paley, a Dallas police chaplain, Senior Rabbi at Temple Shalom in Dallas. Hear from these three local leaders as they reflect on that day’s events, the interfaith work they do in their communities, and the hope they have for moving forward.
People of the Pod: How Antisemitism Undermines Democracy
On January 6, 2021, a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes that would formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Among the rioters were members of white supremacist groups, and symbols and signs of anti-Jewish hate. In a discussion guest hosted by Melanie Maron Pell, AJC’s Chief Field Operations Officer, we are joined by Holly Huffnagle, AJC's U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism, and Rebecca Klein, AJC's Director of National Outreach, to unpack how the forces that fuel antisemitism also endanger American democracy.
That Time Jewish Comedian Alex Edelman Went to a White Nationalist Gathering
Hear from comedian and writer Alex Edelman about his new off-Broadway hit, “Just for Us,” which explores his Jewish identity through the lens of a white nationalist meeting he attended in New York City. Edelman discusses the antisemitism he’s faced as a performer and throughout his life, how to use humor to broach difficult topics, and the paradox of the present Jewish experience in America: embracing the joy but also reckoning with the world and outsiders that view Judaism as something very different.
Yad Vashem Chairman: Those Comparing Public Health Policies to Holocaust “Completely Out of Touch With Reality”
Dani Dayan, the newly appointed chairman of Yad Vashem – Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust – and former Consul General of Israel in New York, joins this week’s People of the Pod with critical and timely messages for the world, including why remembering the Holocaust is more important than ever and the concerning trend of weaponizing the Holocaust for political purposes. Then, AJC Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life Laura Shaw Frank shares her inspiring experience at the Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jews rally 34 years ago and what a unifying moment it was to be in a crowd of over 250,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
