Nexus In The News
Significant news articles that mention Nexus, including Op-Ed articles written by Nexus Board Members and Advisors.
What Is Antisemitism? A Columbia Task Force Would Rather Not Say
New York Times reporter Sharon Otterman writes about the issue of antisemitism at Columbia University. In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Columbia University set up a task force to combat and monitor antisemitism on campus. However, definitions of the term are highly contested, and the task force has avoided picking sides. It is still facing criticism because,
Why using more than the IHRA definition strengthens, not undermines, the fight against antisemitism
The framers of the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism understood that the IHRA definition is too limiting to carry the weight of fighting antisemitism on its own, so they endorsed additional definitional resources — including the Nexus Document — to help sharpen and clarify the strategy’s application.
Jewish Scholars Defend Harvard Professor on Antisemitism Task Force
Members of the Nexus Task Force defend the appointment of Derek Penslar as co-chair of the Harvard antisemitism task force. “We reject efforts to cynically weaponize antisemitism by inflaming divisions or undermining university initiatives to help students. . . Leaders should applaud appointments like Professor Penslar’s to bring insight rather than ideology to this difficult task.”
How the Nexus Leadership Project is convincing Democrats to separate Israel criticism from antisemitism
The Nexus Project, which has been advocating for a more nuanced understanding of issues related to Israel and antisemitism, has found traction with the White House and Congress — and is staffing up.
Is Anti-Zionism Always Antisemitic? A Fraught Question for the Moment.
Writing for The New York Times, Jonathan Weisman discusses the political debate surrounding anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Jonathan Jacoby said Nexus Task Force had wrestled with the issue for several years now, seeking a definition of antisemitism that captures when anti-Zionism crosses from political belief to bigotry.
Nuance is crucial in fighting hate. That’s why I helped write an alternative definition of antisemitism. – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Jewish Americans face the threats of escalating antisemitism and growing white nationalism at the same time that the Israeli government’s anti-democratic policies are eliciting increasingly harsh condemnation worldwide. An article written by Jonathan Jacoby which was posted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Israel mudslinging threatens to overshadow White House antisemitism strategy
Both sides say debate over what definition of antisemitism should be used is a waste of energy — but that hasn’t dampened the dispute
Is Our Fear of Antisemitism Poisoning Our Discussion of Israel?
Overused accusations of antisemitism are preventing open and nuanced debates about Israeli policies and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Outrage over far-right Israeli government has American Jewish leaders stewing
“Our criticisms emanate from a love for Israel and a steadfast support for its security and well-being,” said the statement. “Some will try to dismiss their validity by labeling them antisemitic.” Instead, the statement said, the criticisms “reflect a real concern that the new government’s direction mirrors anti-democratic trends that we see arising elsewhere.”
Prominent Jewish leaders add to drumbeat of criticism of Israel’s new government
A slate of 169 prominent American Jews, including former leaders of major mainstream Jewish organizations, called on U.S. politicians not to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, a signal of worsening relations between the new far-right Israeli government and the U.S. Jewish community.
169 liberal US Jewish leaders sign letter expressing concern over Israeli government
The statement calls for a “critical and necessary debate” about the government’s policies and cautioned against false accusations of antisemitism aimed at Israel’s critics.
The Holocaust teaches us to recognize our shared destinies
The growth of White Nationalism in our country is exponential: from social media to traditional media, from school boards to law enforcement to the United States Congress. Today’s White Nationalists descend from last century’s Nazis, and our Jewish experience of White Nationalism today is haunted by this history.