"It is both possible and necessary to fight antisemitism without abandoning the democratic values that have allowed Jews, and so many other vulnerable minorities, to thrive."
Amy and Simon thank you for this important conversation. I will read the statement. One thing that has concerned me as to the exploitation of antisemitism to justify the horrific actions taken against people like Mahmoud Khalil is that the regime is setting up we Jews as the scapegoat. Unfortunately it is a divisive device used through the ages to cement power and has never ended well for the Jewish people, or anyone.
All Trump ever does is blame somebody else. That has been his modus operandi from day one. It's old and boring, just like him, but it is dangerous nonetheless.
I wonder if there will ever come a day when we WON’T be scapegoated as the cause of other people’s grievances. Great interview, especially on the day after the end of Pesach.
What I wonder, with much more anxiety, is how much the Jewish community - if you believe there is one, instead of a collection of factions which are often at odds with one another in answering the age old question "Is it good for the Jews?" - will play this game, will dance with the devil, because they think, as many others have thought throughout time, they can control their devil, deluded that they have the upper hand.
This is so important. We have to make hate yesterday's news. It is way too easy for the cowardly and creepy regime to twist ideas, which they always do. We must defeat this bunch each and every day.
Having just returned from an in-person Town Hall with Nadler and Hoylman-Sigal, I appreciated watching this to end my day's activities.
Yes, the 15-16-minute duration is definitely a sweet spot for overloaded/out-of-bandwidth Hopiates.
I confess that I'm almost enervated when it comes to Trump and Jews (though he has made Jews around the world unsafe with his policies, his scatological stream of consciousness, and his hellacious alliances).
We who were born/raised in NYC "know" him and people like him. They are a trope, and, I guess, we learn to live side-by-side with him/the likes of him. As our grandparents and great-grandparents would have said, it beats the Old Country. The Orthodox community, which tends to vote as a block, clings to one issue only, and I'm not often sure how much the different ends of the Judeo-spectrum - secular/Humanist/ Reform and Conservative/ Orthodox/ultra-Orthodox have in common in the final analysis.
And of course, most of the posing of Republican support of "Jews" is also really support of Israel, but for many, the roots are deep in Evangelicalism, and we won't even get into that.
All of which is to say, more so than Trump, I am alarmed by Elise Stefanik, who seems to be singularly ascendant on the backs of Jews, riding her broomstick to combat antisemitism.
But, I recall -- long, long ago -- dear God, I'm getting old - Sen. Al D'Amato did a run for NYC Mayor, touting how embraced he was by the Jewish community; said we loved him. We ended up with Giuliani.
And I think, reflecting on all of this, it's all I can take for the day, and the week has just started.
Thanks for this wonderful interview, which was calm and reasoned.
Thank you for the interview with Amy Spitalnick explaining how fear of antisemitism is being exploited to undermine our democracy. The links to NPR and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs are appreciated. It reminded me how Jared Kushner and Ivanka declined to sign a statement that dt is not antisemitic during the 2024 election, although they defended his views in the past.
Simon, thank you so much for addressing this topic. I was horrified when I saw "fighting antisemitism" was given as the rationale for neutering Universities' independence. It struck me as something sure to stoke antisemitism, much like Trump's comment that if he were to lose the '24 election it would be the Jews' fault.
Today NYCD 17 congressman Lawler, one of the only NY republican congress members who's expressed no qualms about draconian Medicaid cuts, is coming to speak to Manhattan University students in the Bronx. We should have a good sized group of protester when he arrives. Lawler, who is likely running in the NY governor's race, pretends to be a moderate republican, but votes for MAGA bs.
Hoping that folks will gain a basic familiarity with a group that calls itself "Canary mission," and the role they played in the abduction of Tufts student, Rumeysa Öztürk. Many good sources now.
"A Mysterious Group Says Its Mission Is to Expose Antisemitic Students"
Also, the basic data on Trump's "anti-semitism czar" -- recently appointed, and reported in Haaretz and Times of Israel (links below). The person was recommended by one "Miriam Adelson" -- a good friend, so it is reported. His name is Rabbi Yehouda Kaploun, and he is a member of a sect called "Chabad Lubavich." I have donated to Chabad in the past, and was very fascinated by them.
My family originates in eastern Europe in the same general area as the founders of Chabad.
I am thinking that most were not aware that we have an anti-semitism czar.
Great speaker Simon. It was wonderful to hear Amy S speak specifically about exploitation by the present administration. Also to hear about the work being done to check that exploitation. Thank you 🙏🏻 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Amy and Simon thank you for this important conversation. I will read the statement. One thing that has concerned me as to the exploitation of antisemitism to justify the horrific actions taken against people like Mahmoud Khalil is that the regime is setting up we Jews as the scapegoat. Unfortunately it is a divisive device used through the ages to cement power and has never ended well for the Jewish people, or anyone.
Roberta, this is the main point of the interview. Yes, Trump is setting up institutions and people across the world to blame the Jews.
I've always known this to be his motive.
100%
All Trump ever does is blame somebody else. That has been his modus operandi from day one. It's old and boring, just like him, but it is dangerous nonetheless.
Trump is instigating anti semitism not fighting it. Horrible!
Trump is a coward and a horrible man. What else can anyone expect? He will throw anyone and everyone under the bus to save his sorry ass.
I wonder if there will ever come a day when we WON’T be scapegoated as the cause of other people’s grievances. Great interview, especially on the day after the end of Pesach.
What I wonder, with much more anxiety, is how much the Jewish community - if you believe there is one, instead of a collection of factions which are often at odds with one another in answering the age old question "Is it good for the Jews?" - will play this game, will dance with the devil, because they think, as many others have thought throughout time, they can control their devil, deluded that they have the upper hand.
This is so important. We have to make hate yesterday's news. It is way too easy for the cowardly and creepy regime to twist ideas, which they always do. We must defeat this bunch each and every day.
Having just returned from an in-person Town Hall with Nadler and Hoylman-Sigal, I appreciated watching this to end my day's activities.
Yes, the 15-16-minute duration is definitely a sweet spot for overloaded/out-of-bandwidth Hopiates.
I confess that I'm almost enervated when it comes to Trump and Jews (though he has made Jews around the world unsafe with his policies, his scatological stream of consciousness, and his hellacious alliances).
We who were born/raised in NYC "know" him and people like him. They are a trope, and, I guess, we learn to live side-by-side with him/the likes of him. As our grandparents and great-grandparents would have said, it beats the Old Country. The Orthodox community, which tends to vote as a block, clings to one issue only, and I'm not often sure how much the different ends of the Judeo-spectrum - secular/Humanist/ Reform and Conservative/ Orthodox/ultra-Orthodox have in common in the final analysis.
And of course, most of the posing of Republican support of "Jews" is also really support of Israel, but for many, the roots are deep in Evangelicalism, and we won't even get into that.
All of which is to say, more so than Trump, I am alarmed by Elise Stefanik, who seems to be singularly ascendant on the backs of Jews, riding her broomstick to combat antisemitism.
But, I recall -- long, long ago -- dear God, I'm getting old - Sen. Al D'Amato did a run for NYC Mayor, touting how embraced he was by the Jewish community; said we loved him. We ended up with Giuliani.
And I think, reflecting on all of this, it's all I can take for the day, and the week has just started.
Thanks for this wonderful interview, which was calm and reasoned.
BeeBee, thank you for expressing things that wear me out.
Simon, thanks for the interview.
Thank you for the interview with Amy Spitalnick explaining how fear of antisemitism is being exploited to undermine our democracy. The links to NPR and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs are appreciated. It reminded me how Jared Kushner and Ivanka declined to sign a statement that dt is not antisemitic during the 2024 election, although they defended his views in the past.
Simon, thank you so much for addressing this topic. I was horrified when I saw "fighting antisemitism" was given as the rationale for neutering Universities' independence. It struck me as something sure to stoke antisemitism, much like Trump's comment that if he were to lose the '24 election it would be the Jews' fault.
Today NYCD 17 congressman Lawler, one of the only NY republican congress members who's expressed no qualms about draconian Medicaid cuts, is coming to speak to Manhattan University students in the Bronx. We should have a good sized group of protester when he arrives. Lawler, who is likely running in the NY governor's race, pretends to be a moderate republican, but votes for MAGA bs.
Hoping that folks will gain a basic familiarity with a group that calls itself "Canary mission," and the role they played in the abduction of Tufts student, Rumeysa Öztürk. Many good sources now.
"A Mysterious Group Says Its Mission Is to Expose Antisemitic Students"
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/israel-gaza-student-protests-canary-mission.html
Ugh!
Also, the basic data on Trump's "anti-semitism czar" -- recently appointed, and reported in Haaretz and Times of Israel (links below). The person was recommended by one "Miriam Adelson" -- a good friend, so it is reported. His name is Rabbi Yehouda Kaploun, and he is a member of a sect called "Chabad Lubavich." I have donated to Chabad in the past, and was very fascinated by them.
My family originates in eastern Europe in the same general area as the founders of Chabad.
I am thinking that most were not aware that we have an anti-semitism czar.
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2025-04-19/ty-article/.premium/trumps-pick-for-antisemitism-czar-is-a-chabadnik-but-the-movements-keeping-its-distance/00000196-488e-ddef-a5df-dfff07a70000
https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-picks-miami-based-rabbi-and-businessman-as-us-envoy-for-combatting-antisemitism/
Great speaker Simon. It was wonderful to hear Amy S speak specifically about exploitation by the present administration. Also to hear about the work being done to check that exploitation. Thank you 🙏🏻 🇺🇸🇺🇸