The New World of Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism on Campus with Sarah Breger, Sharon Nazarian and Amy E. Schwartz

By | Apr 25, 2024

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Some universities have experienced anti-Israel protests and a spike in antisemitism since October 7, leading to tensions between donors and administrations, concerns about student safety, and the canceling of speakers and events related to Israel because of the threats and fear associated with such programs. Join Moment Editor Sarah Breger and Moment Book & Opinion Editor Amy E. Schwartz for a conversation with Dr. Sharon Nazarian, former ADL Senior Vice President in International Affairs, and an academic at UCLA, about the impact anti-Zionism and antisemitism is having on academia and the implications it will have for Jewish life on campus in the future. Nazarian experienced firsthand the difficulties teaching students about antisemitism and discussing Israel: Just days prior to October 7, she launched a new course at UCLA —The Globalization of Antisemitism: A Survey of Transnational Trends—on understanding antisemitism through a global lens.

This program is part of a Moment series on antisemitism supported by the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation.

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4 thoughts on “The New World of Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism on Campus with Sarah Breger, Sharon Nazarian and Amy E. Schwartz

  1. Janice Saferstein says:

    How can we compare to Kent State protests years ago about Viet Nam?

  2. George Stern says:

    This was an excellent and informative interview, and I very much appreciate that Sharonn Nazarian was brought back for an up-to-the-minute update.
    I agree that red lines between anti-Zionism/anti-Israel and antisemitism have indeed been crossed much more frequently recently. However, I think it is useful to point out that the identification of Israel with Jews everywhere is one that Israelis and Diaspora Jewrty have in fact supported. Prime Ministers of Israel have often presented themselves as spokespeople for all Jews, and many Jewish leaders in the U.S. (and I assume elsewhere) have themselves said or at least implied that criticism by Jews of Israel is a modern form of antisemitism. We have not done a good job of presenting Israel as a nation like any other, that is, one with flaws and blind spots. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that some non-Jews fail to make a distinction between Israel and Jews everywhere, or that some Jews unwittingly act as if Israel and its policies are a reflection on them and therefore must be protested widely. In no way do I condone the violence and harassment that some Jewish students on some campuses are experiencing. But I think that assessing the reasons must include an honest evaluation of the relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jews that has pervaded Jewish thinking since even before the founding of the State of Israel.

  3. M McL says:

    The nonjewish communities mentioned in the Balfour Declaration were the majority of Palestine for a thousand years.

  4. hag says:

    what’s new about anti sem… the only thing I see is tolerance….
    because now they have to compete with all those “Christian Schools

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