Being Jewish with Jonah Platt

What happens when one of the world’s leading Holocaust scholars says today’s antisemitism feels frighteningly familiar?

In this vital episode Holocaust historian and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt discusses the dangerous surge and normalization of antisemitism worldwide, citing the incidents in London and the October 8, 2023 Sydney Opera House rally. Lipstadt argues antisemitism now operates as a “horseshoe” uniting extremes at the far right and left. She uses the analogy of an upside-down pyramid to illustrate the threat to Jews, democracy, and international security (including “utilitarian antisemitism” on PRC platforms). She compares today to the 1930s while noting key differences. She critiques university groupthink and campus failures at UCLA and Columbia to protect Jewish students. She describes her envoy work shifting from Abraham Accords, including global guidelines signed by 44 entities and a symposium with major tech platforms.

She calls for unequivocal leadership, depoliticized action, education, and everyday speaking up. She emphasizes that there must be Jewish joy alongside fighting hate.

Topics include:

Lipstadt’s legal battle against Holocaust denier David Irving and the film adaptation starring Rachel Weisz.
Lipstadt warns about rising antisemitic violence in London, including incidents in Golders Green and the Finchley Reform Synagogue.
The episode examines antisemitic protests outside the Sydney Opera House following October 7, 2023.
The discussion references the spread of antisemitic content on social media platforms including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, and X.
Lipstadt describes international diplomacy surrounding the Abraham Accords and outreach to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Lipstadt praises cooperation from officials in Austria, Germany, and France in combating antisemitism.
The Paris Peace Forum and comments by former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls following the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket siege.
Lipstadt discusses online hate campaigns targeting Jewish institutions including the 92nd Street Y and AIPAC.
The murder of Mahsa Amini in Iran and global protests over women’s rights.
Lipstadt and Platt discuss authors and commentators including Dara Horn, Douglas Murray, Bret Stephens, Candace Owens, and Tucker Carlson.
Lipstadt reflects on Jewish education through organizations like BBYO, USY, and institutions including Emory University and Brandeis University.
Surprising Global Allies in France and Austria

Mentioned in the episode:

Deborah Lipstadt
Brandeis University
Emory University
The Tam Institute for Jewish Studies
Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory
Denial (2016 film)
Rachel Weisz Instagram
President Joe Biden
A Conversation With U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt
Antisemitism being 'normalized' and not taken seriously enough, chief rabbi tells BBC
Third arrest over attempted arson at synagogue
Police investigate pro-Palestinian protest at Sydney Opera House over alleged anti-Semitism
Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign from Congress amid clashes with Trump over Israel, Epstein
Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu - Biography
Code Pink Outs Itself as Anti-Jewish Hate Group
Rothschild family
Gunman Kills Three at Kansas City Jewish Community Center, Retirement Home
UCLA can’t allow protesters to block Jewish students from campus, judge rules
Final Columbia University antisemitism report details disturbing examples of Jewish students being cruelly singled out
Met Police apologizes for 'openly Jewish' comment
Paris Peace Forum
Manuel Valls
Charlie Hebdo attack: Three days of terror
‘Déjà Vu’: Remembering Hyper Cacher Five Years Later
Otto Frank
Report of the Yale Committee on Trust in Higher Education
Tel Aviv University
BBYO
Venice Biennale previews in chaos, overshadowed by row over Israeli and Russian participation
Sara J. Bloomfield
Abraham Accords
Leading Jewish Organizations Disturbed By Saudi Arabia’s Islamist Turn
Wahhabism
Fight against antisemitism
Keir Starmer: ‘If you stand alongside people who say Globalize the Intifada, you are calling for terrorism against Jews’
‘Globalize the Intifada’: Meaning, Origins, and Why The Slogan Is a Call for Violence
Emory Together: Countering Antisemitism // DC
Council of Europe
Organization of American States
OSCE
Would-be Michigan car bomber rammed explosives-laden truck into Temple Israel preschool — before security guards shot him dead
NCSY
USY
A Break in the Argentina Murder Case Tied to Iran
Iran: Mahsa Amini's father accuses authorities of a cover-up
92nd Street Y
AIPAC
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Dutch ministers decry Israeli ministry’s report on Amsterdam violence
Trump Is Right to Deport Hamas Supporters
Fiddler on the Roof
Grace and Frankie
Jon Ossoff
The Presidential Campaign That Changed American Politics
Shabbat
Purim
Passover
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
What Is the Amidah?
After Senate Confirmation Hearing, CAM Voices ‘Unqualified Support’ for Appointment of Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun as Next US Antisemitism Special Envoy
Six-Day War
The Western Wall: The Western Wall Tunnels
Mandelbaum Gate
How Golda Meir Rose to Become the ‘Iron Lady’ of Israel
Arab Terrorists Murder Israelis at Munich Olympics
Natan Sharansky, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Advisory Board
Fear No Evil
Gal Beckerman
When They Come for Us, We'll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry
The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob

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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Rachel Stern Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

From viral firestorms to death threats, this man isn’t backing down from the Israel conversation.

Jonah Platt sits down with conservative activist Xaviaer DuRousseau, who describes his rapid shift from a Bernie-supporting, BLM-boosting young liberal to a professional Republican who appears on Fox News, visits the White House, and publicly supports Israel, including traveling to Gaza during the war. Xaviaer recounts growing up in Chicago and Central Illinois with Marxist family influences, becoming an activist, then researching BLM finances and concluding the movement was fraudulent, which led him to vote for Trump and face family accusations of white supremacy. He argues Bernie-to-Trump is a seamless anti-establishment pipeline, rejects widespread student-loan forgiveness as a solution, and says crime drives businesses and jobs out of black neighborhoods. Xaviaer credits a 2023 Shabbat dinner at PragerU and multiple Israel trips with deepening his connection to Jewish life, describing backlash, antisemitism, death threats, and filming humanitarian aid in Gaza to counter starvation claims. He criticizes anti-Israel voices across the left and right, advocates a black/Jewish alliance based on shared history, and discusses resentment, Marxism, and cultural lessons between the communities.

Xaviaer presents his “hot takes” on most modern-day racism being against white people and asians, how he would be talking shit all day if he were jewish, and how “hood” black folks love Trump.

Plus, Jonah explains why epistemic antisemitism, despite its subtlety and widespread normalization, is so terribly destructive.

Topics Include:

Xaviaer DuRousseau’s viral trip to Gaza documenting humanitarian aid and response to misinformation and the backlash from European audiences and online threats following his Gaza video
How a Netflix show called The Circle was the unexpected catalyst for DuRousseau's political awakening
His criticism of influencers like Hasan Piker, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, and Nick Fuentes
How PragerU’s CEO Marissa Streit in 2023 was DuRousseau's first real introduction to Jewish culture and tradition
His fallout with Candace Owens
Experiences attending Passover Seder hosted by Montana Tucker
The historical alliance between Black Americans and Jewish Americans during the Civil Rights Movement
Critique of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and discussions of Marxism in modern activism
Exploration of Igbo Jews in Nigeria and Xaviaer’s possible ancestral ties to Israel
Influence of activist Rudy Rochman in discussing Jewish identity and African connections
Commentary on celebrities like Timothée Chalamet and Seth Rogen in relation to Jewish identity

Mentioned in the episode:
Law Scholar Christine A. Littleton
Epistemic Antisemitism: “Good People Gone Wild”
David Schraub’s The Epistemic Center of Antisemitism
Jonah’s take on Cognitive Bias
AJC Warns: Staggering FBI Hate Crimes Data Likely Represents Under-Reporting of Anti-Jewish Hate Crimes
Report on the Rise of Antisemitic Incidents in the U.S.
Man Pleads Guilty for Displaying Nazi Flay at Pro-Palestine Rally
Twitch streamer commenting on what “real antisemitism” is.
When Did Jews Become White?
Van Jones’s Statement Supporting the People of Iran
Israeli’s Voice Dissent of War in Gaze
Reverse Causation
Being Jewish Podcast Featuring Bishop Michael J. Fisher

Xaviaer DuRousseau Instagram
Respectfully, Xaviaer | PragerU
Bernie Sanders
He used to march for BLM. Now he’s calling for mass incarceration to save Black Americans
Xaviaer’s Instagram Post on Visiting Gaza During the War
The debate on Latino vs. Latinx vs. Hispanic is the song that never ends
The Circle: TV’s Trashiest Reality Show We Can’t Stop Watching
Xaviaer DuRousseau: PragerU Personality, Commentator, and Content Creator
AP lands national scoop on a Black Lives Matter fraud investigation
ActBlue
New Report Reveals Illicit Foreign Donations and Mass Resignations at ActBlue
President Donald J. Trump
Kamala D. Harris
Here's How Bernie Sanders Explained Democratic Socialism
President Barack Obama
Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Xaviaer’s Appearance on Dr. Phil
Black Unemployment is Surging Under Donald Trump
Candace Owens Instagram
5 of Kanye West’s Antisemitic Remarks, Explained
BLEXIT, ‘Black Exit’ Foundation Now Powered By Turning Point USA
Quotas are a diversity quick-fix, but companies must dig deeper
Racism in the music industry 'is upfront and personal'
K. Michelle Talks Double-Standard for Black Pop Singers
Fox News Gues Called Out for Shading Beyoncé’s Appearance at Harris Houston Rally Despite Past Praise
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, explained
Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination
Marissa Streit
What to Expect at a Shabbat Dinner
Was I Paid to Visit Israel?
Myth: The Jewish people are white settler colonialists who have no connection to the land of Israel
What Is the Correct Term for Someone Who Is Not Jewish?
Debra Lea Instagram
Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center
Horseshoe Theory in American Politics
Who is Nick Fuentes and Why Is His Antisemitism Dangerous for America?
Tucker Carlson YouTube
Cameron Hickey
Palestinian Elections, 15 Years and Counting
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to see Israel as a US ally: AP-NORC poll
Hasan Piker has said that “America deserved 9/11” (yes, that is a direct quote).
Alex Jones
Tucker Carlson’s Biggest Conspiracy Theory Yet
Montana Tucker BJJP Episode
Black Lives Matter Issues Statement Of Support For Free Palestine Movement
Roy unveils immigration bill dubbed ‘MAMDANI Act’
Xaviaer Walk With Me Video on Chinese Heritage
The Igbo, DNA, Struggle for Jewish souls
Rudy Rochman Instagram
Liz Kennedy Instagram
We Were Never Lost Documentary
Xaviaer DuRousseau: The Black Christian Zionist, Former BLM Activist Fighting for Israel and the Jews
The Strokes frontman says ‘privileged’ Zionists talk ‘like Black people during slavery’
We Have Our Eyes on Timothée Chalamet
EsDeeKid ft. Timothée Chalamet - 4 Raws Remix (Official Music Video)
Israel’s Deni Avdija finishes 3rd in vote for NBA’s Most Improved Player
Sandy Koufax
Hank Aaron
Why We Care About How Seth Rogen Went From Jewish Day School to Saying ‘WTF’ to Israel
The Jewish Fam Behind Timberland

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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associate: Rachel Stern, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

He's worth hundreds of millions, runs one of Canada's most powerful companies, and he still gets antisemitic replies every Friday when he posts “Shabbat Shalom,” here's why he refuses to stop.

Shopify President Harley Finkelstein joins host Jonah Platt for a wide-ranging conversation about Jewish identity, antisemitism, entrepreneurship, and legacy. Finkelstein, a grandson of Holocaust survivors whose family fled Hungary during the Soviet crackdown of the 1950s, opens up about why he has grown increasingly vocal as a public Jewish figure in Canada, especially in the wake of October 7th. He recounts two pivotal incidents that motivated his public advocacy: protesters storming his Big Shot podcast recording at Startup Fest, and demonstrators disrupting his speech at the opening of the Finkelstein Chabad Center in Ottawa. He discusses his relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Shopify's massive e-commerce footprint (14% of all U.S. e-commerce), and his journey from being one of Shopify's first 136 merchants to its president. He also digs into Big Shot, his podcast with David Siegel that archives the stories of legendary Jewish entrepreneurs, from Charles Bronfman to Jeffrey Katzenberg, arguing that grit is the defining trait behind Jewish entrepreneurial success.

Plus, Jonah shares about his recent trip to Thessaloniki, Greece where he explored Jewish history.

Topics:
His published an op-ed in the National Post about rising antisemitism in Canada
Meeting Shopify founder Tobi Lutke at a Saturday entrepreneur coffee group
Finkelstein advocates loudly for visible Jewish philanthropy, arguing that public giving creates a "flywheel" of inspiration
Finkelstein and David Siegel co-founding Fire Belly Tea
Figures who inspired him like Jerry Schwartz and Izzy Sharp.
His optimism for AI and technology
Meeting his wife Lindsay Taub, and his view on her being a partner in life
Why he does the Big Shot podcast
Being in a public role and the responsibility that comes with that
The importance of jewish advocacy and leading by example

A special thanks to our partner this week - Hadassah.org

Donation Links:
Synagogue of the Monasteriotes (Thessaloniki)
The Jewish Community of Athens
Chabad of Greece
Jewish Museum of Greece

Mentioned in the episode:
The Jews of Thessaloniki, a Once Great Jewish City
Sephardic Jews in Eastern Europe and Greece
Romaniote Jewish History
The Route Saint Paul Followed In Greece
1492 Alhambra Decree
Talmud Torah HaGadol
The Cooking Accident that Decimated a Jewish Community of 70,000
The Treaty of Lausanne
The Nazi Occupation of Greece
Aristotle University Built on The Ruins of Jewish Cemeteries
Jewish Federations’ National Young Leadership Cabinet
Jonah Describes “The Jeremiah Effect”
Ladino! Ron Eliran: Folk Songs for Sephardic Jews

Harley Finkelstein Instagram
Harley Finkelstein LinkedIn
Red Scare
How September 11 Affected the U.S. Stock Market
Shopify
Big Shot
Harley Finkelstein weekly Shabbat Shalom post on X
Harley Finkelstein’s Article: Canadian Jews are being targeted simply because they are Jewish
Heather Reisman
Shopify President Makes Good on 18-Year-Old Promise to His Campus Rabbi
Tobias Lütke LinkedIn
Harley Finkelstein X
Jonathan Greenblatt
The Right Honorable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
Justin Trudeau | Former Prime Minister of Canada
Samuel Bronfman
Bobby Kotick
Isadore Sharp
Dubai-based Augustus Media pushes Shopify boycott over president’s tweet supporting fair reporting about Israel
Gerry Schwartz
BJJP Howie Mandel Episode
Lindsay Taub (Harley Finkelstein’s spouse)
David Segal
Hollywood’s Jewish Founders
Charles Bronfman: A Lifetime of Giving
Jeffrey Katzenberg
Barry Diller
Lynda Resnick
The Merchant Prince: The Man Behind The Gap, Old Navy, and J. Crew | Mickey Drexler
Larry Silverstein
Deni Avdija becomes 1st Israeli named to NBA All-Star Game

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

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[email protected]

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To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
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Follow Being Jewish on:
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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

In this timely episode, host Jonah Platt sits down with Josh Gottheimer, the five-term U.S. Congressman serving New Jersey’s Fifth District. Josh is a leading pro-Israel voice in the Democratic Party and Vice-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus (which he co-founded). In Congress, Josh serves on two Committees, including the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee and is a member of the Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture Subcommittee. Gottheimer shares candid insights on navigating politics while being Jewish. He discusses U.S. action against Iran, arguing Iran is a major threat but criticizing the administration for shifting objectives and failing to clearly explain goals, which fuels public skepticism and risks a drawn-out conflict affecting oil prices, markets, and regional stability. He rejects conditioning aid to Israel as unfairly targeting a key democratic ally and condemns the use of “apartheid” rhetoric. He describes a major rise in antisemitism, political incentives pushing members of Congress to retreat from support for Israel, and calls for coordinated Jewish-community investment in K–12 and campus education, accountability for institutions, and tougher political engagement.

Plus, Jonah answers a podcast fan’s question on how to make anti-zionism taboo.

Topics discussed include:

The shifting center of the left and the right
The role of the Problem Solvers Caucus in bipartisan cooperation in Congress
Why the U.S.-Israel relationship is vital to American national security
Gottheimer’s work on the House Intelligence Committee and focus on Iran and Gaza
Criticism of Gavin Newsom for using the term “apartheid” regarding Israel
The influence of social media figures like Hasan Piker and political figures like Donald Trump on polarization
Addressing antisemitic rhetoric tied to movements like BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions)
Concerns about antisemitism and activism on college campuses like the University of Pennsylvania
Holding elected officials accountable at the local, state, and federal levels for antisemitism
The importance of strategic philanthropy and community coordination within the American Jewish community

A special thanks to our partner this week Hadassah.org

Mentioned in the episode:
Founding of the Ku Klux Klan
The Transformation of the KKK from Fraternity to Religious Extremists.
1924 Democratic National Conventions - “Klanbake”
DNC Avoids Taking a Stance on Israel, AIPAC
The Growing Antisemitism Among Young Americans
Vanderbilt Professor Shaul Kelner
Briahna Joy Gray fired from The Hill after rolling her eyes at the sister of Oct 7 hostage during an interview
The Timeline of the SPLC Case That Bankrupted the Klan
Brandies Center
Students Against Antisemitism
The Lawfare Project
Klan Members Murder Conviction Leads to Decline in Membership and Political Influence

Josh Gottheimer
Josh Gottheimer Instagram
Josh Gottheimer Twitter
Sarah Hurwitz BJJP Episode
Rep. Josh Gottheimer: The New Jersey Democrat defending Israel, battling antisemitism
Problem Solvers Caucus
Congressman Thomas Suozzi
National Security Agency & Cyber Subcommittee
Gottheimer Votes to Pass War Powers Resolution
By the numbers: US thrashed military targets in Iran, but some capabilities remain
Iranian attack on Saudi base injures U.S. troops as more American forces arrive in the Middle East
How the US Navy could blockade Iran’s ports and sweep mines from the Strait of Hormuz
Israel didn’t drag the US into war with Iran — they enabled us to fight it smarter and faster
U.S. Capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro: Considerations for Congress
Oil prices rise on doubts US-Iran peace talks will ease Hormuz disruption
The Abraham Accords, Explained
Army survivors of deadly attack in Kuwait dispute Pentagon's account, say unit "was unprepared" to defend itself
Gottheimer Statement in Opposition to Conditioning Aid to Israel
Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law Are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: 'Queers for Palestine' shows how stupid our society is
Gottheimer, Foxx Introduce Bill to Hold Higher Education Accountable for Anti-Israel, BDS Activity
Gottheimer calls Newsom’s Israel apartheid comments ‘dangerous’
Genocide, apartheid? A poll Israel cannot allow itself to ignore
Candace Owens
“The Squad” Doubles Down on Anti-Israel Comments
Representative Elaine G. Luria
Hasan Piker doubles down on Hamas support
UPenn must comply with federal subpoena seeking list of Jewish community members, judge rules

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
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[email protected]

Merchandise
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To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:
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Follow Being Jewish on:
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Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt

Host Jonah Platt moderates part two of a spirited conversation between Rabbi Sharon Brous (IKAR, Los Angeles) and Rabbi David Ingber (Romemu, New York) about how Jewish leaders should balance moral self-critique of Israel with addressing antisemitism, especially after October 7. Ingber argues progressive Jews and rabbis overemphasize public Jewish self-criticism, undercall out antisemitism and extremism from allies, and should name today’s anti-Zionism as an ever-evolving hate movement that erases Jewish self-determination. Brous defends the Jewish tradition of teshuvah and accountability, urges speaking against West Bank settler violence and occupation, and warns that labeling all criticism or Palestinian solidarity as antisemitic blunts the response to real threats. They also debate U.S. politics, liberal democracy’s role in Jewish safety, Jewish political “homelessness,” and the inclusion of anti-Zionist Jews.

Ultimately, the conversation models a deeply Jewish tradition of debate, machloket l’shem shamayim, while emphasizing unity, responsibility, and the need to continue investing in community and the next generation.

Topics Include:
Trading ideas on whether anti-Zionism is a form of modern antisemitism
The responsibility of rabbis to address West Bank settler violence and Jewish extremism
References to Baruch Goldstein and the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre as a moral comparison
The role of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran in shaping Jewish security concerns
The influence of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X on Israel narratives
Criticism of language like “apartheid” in discussions about Israel and Palestine
The symbolism of the watermelon flag in pro-Palestinian activism
Gavin Newsom and his appearance on Pod Save America
The importance of protecting liberal democracy for Jewish safety in America
Failures in Jewish education, including overreliance on programs like Birthright Israel
The role of JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) and synagogues in strengthening Jewish life
The need for machloket l’shem shamayim (debate for the sake of heaven) in shaping the Jewish future

A special thanks to our partners on this episode:
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
https://www.schusterman.org
Crown Family Philanthropies
https://crownfamilyphilanthropies.org/
Jim Joseph Foundation
https://jimjosephfoundation.org/

Mentioned In The Episode:
Why Don’t Jews Proselytize?
Conversion History
The Converso: Jews converting to Christianity in Spain and Portugal in the 1300s
Ruth: The First Jewish Convert
How Many Jews Are In The World?
The Jewish Birthrate
Jewish Intermarriage Rates
Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (U.S. Public Health Service)
American’s Religious Engagement Stays Low
Global “Wellness” Business Grows to $6.8 Trillion
Jewish Prayers and Their Meanings
How to Become Jewish

Sharon Brous Instagram
Rabbi David Ingber
IKAR
Romemu
'My mother cried out one last time': Palestinian boy, 12, describes how Israeli forces killed his family in car
Surveillance soldiers charge sexism a factor in their Oct. 7 warnings being ignored
Who was Baruch Goldstein? Massacre in Hebron
Silence is not solidarity: Diaspora Jews must speak when Israel strays
What is Cheshbon Hanefesh?
Pogroms
Wave of settler attacks against Palestinian herders reported in central West Bank
Fourth suspect arrested over Jewish charity ambulance arson attack
The Importance of Tochachah-Rebuke
Anti-Trump rallies hit thousands of US cities for 'No Kings' protest
Explosion rocks Amsterdam Jewish school in what mayor says is ‘targeted attack’ against Jewish community
As A Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us
Newsom ramps up his criticism of Israel, accuses Netanyahu of leading Trump into war with Iran
Horseshoe Theory in American Politics
The Z Word: Reclaiming Zionism
Protocols of the Elders of Zion
Venezuelan VP: US attack capturing Maduro has 'Zionist undertones'
Renee Good was shot in the head, autopsy commissioned by her family finds
Why watermelons are a symbol of Palestinian solidarity
Israeli opposition members shout at Netanyahu as he tries to address parliament
Early History of Israel
What Is Tikkun Olam?
How to Teach the Jewish Story
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Valley of Dry Bones and the Resurrection of the Dead

--

Support the podcast directly by becoming a member of the Kehillah.

Watch Being Jewish on YouTube:
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Subscribe to the Being Jewish Newsletter:
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For Sponsorships, please email:
[email protected]

Merchandise
https://beingjewishpodcast.com/merch

To contact us & all things BJJP:
www.BeingJewishPodcast.com

Follow Jonah on:
Instagram - @JonahPlatt
X - @JonahPlatt

Follow Being Jewish on:
Instagram - @BeingJewishPodcast
TikTok - @BeingJewish

Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producers: Steve Hein, Jonah Platt, Chief Business Officer: Kenyon Laing, Chief Marketing Officer: Katya Chen, Production Manager/Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Production Associates: Rachel Stern, Charlie Zuker, Production Interns: Sasha Nelson, Emma Webb, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editor: Gray Clevenger, Joe King. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt