Combating Antisemitism: Congressional Perspectives and Strategic Response — Webinar July 16, 2025

Transcript

Recorded Live — Full Session

0:05 — Becca Israel (Director, Strategic Engagement, Nexus Project):
Welcome, everyone, to today’s critical conversation. I’m so glad you’re here with us. Before I dive in, I want to quickly introduce myself. I’m Becca Israel, the Director of Strategic Engagement at the Nexus Project.

For those not familiar with our work: our mission is to fight antisemitism and its weaponization, protect free speech, and uphold our democratic institutions. We equip policymakers with resources and guidance to address antisemitism and build alliances to combat it.

A little housekeeping before we get started: today’s call will be recorded and there will be room at the end of the second panel for questions. Feel free to send your questions in the chat throughout the webinar.

I want to welcome Representative Jamie Raskin, whom you all know, and thank you, Congressman, on behalf of the Jewish community, the LGBTQI community, and many others for your voice and leadership. You give me hope for this country. And also, Judy Lickman, civil and human rights advocate and adviser to the National Partnership for Women and Families, whose resume is so impressive—she’s a major reason for the Family and Medical Leave Act and for founding Emily’s List. I’ve admired Judy since I was a college freshman 20 years ago. With that, I’ll hand it over to Judy.

2:02 — Judy Lickman (Civil and Human Rights Advocate):
Thank you, Becca, and Congressman. I couldn’t agree more with Becca’s thank you for your amazing and important support.

I want to set the context for my question with your quote about the Antisemitism Awareness Act:

“Trump is weaponizing, distorting and exploiting the reality of antisemitism to attack academic freedom and to try to control private and public universities and the nonprofit sector.”

Your words highlight a concern Nexus was created to address. How are you confronting this weaponization right now? What are your strategies and policies?

3:37 — Rep. Jamie Raskin (U.S. Congressman, MD):
Thank you, Judy, for your kind words, and Becca. I’m honored to join you. Nexus’s work is essential.

We’re living in tough times; we’re fighting to defend democracy here and globally. We’re seeing “competitive authoritarianism”—where one autocratic party takes over government and uses state power to entrench themselves, suppress opposition, attack media, academia, and free speech.

If democracy and freedom are under attack in America, it’s dangerous for people everywhere who are defending freedom against authoritarian powers. In this environment, antisemitism resurges, just as racism does; both are pathways to destruction of liberal democracy. Scapegoating and demonizing people is central. So, defense of democracy and freedom means opposing antisemitism and racism and defending all minority groups.

7:01 — Rep. Raskin (on warning signs):
I have a poster from the Holocaust Museum—“Warning Signs of Fascism”: destruction of unions, assault on press/media, attacks on universities, obsessive nationalism, militarism, misogyny. Scapegoating and demonization of Jews and minorities is integral to attacking democracy and enlightenment institutions; antisemitism and conspiracy theory are intertwined as assaults on reason, logic, facts.

This plays out daily, for example in the frenzy around Epstein files—Trump stoked conspiracies, then reversed, fueling paranoia now infected with antisemitism and groundless claims. Almost anything can be injected with antisemitism or racism in this toxic political environment.

12:04 — Rep. Raskin (what allies can do):
Authoritarianism attacks liberal democracy’s values everywhere, so everyone must fight: locally, nationally, publicly, privately, secularly, religiously. Anyone can recognize and call out antisemitism, racism, misogyny. It’s not about political correctness; it’s about defending democracy. Recognize violent threats to Jews, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and all groups.

14:01 — Judy Lickman:
What are your strategies and priorities for addressing these dangers?

14:08 — Rep. Raskin:
For me, the focus is winning back the House of Representatives, ending this reign of terror. Extraordinary violations of civil rights and liberties: tens of thousands of federal workers dismissed, new mass firings, my Maryland district lost civil service protections, First Amendment rights, due process. I’ve organized the full Democratic caucus for litigation—challenging illegal executive orders, birthright citizenship, probationary federal workers.

We’ve won over 90% of temporary restraining orders and injunctions. But litigation alone isn’t enough—the Supreme Court, gerrymandered by Trump and McConnell, is dangerous territory, and Trump can still lawfully dismantle much that democracy has built (Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, ACA). They’ve stripped 14 million Americans of Medicaid, cut SNAP for millions, making us weaker and more defenseless.

ICE brings fear and terror to immigrant communities, conducting warrantless arrests, deportations without hearings—due process, the most beautiful words in English, is what separates our rights from arbitrary power.

Our strategy is defending courts and judicial independence, resisting attempts to smear or impeach judges—including Republican appointees unfairly maligned. We mobilize people for mass protests and were proud of the No Kings Day, the largest protest in American history—millions across the country, demonstrating democracy’s strength and fearlessness.

Indivisible chose mass decentralized protests to avoid counter-violence traps, showing our breadth and unity to the world. We must keep up spirits, show global allies our fight, and make clear Trump doesn’t represent the majority. Far more marched for No Kings Day than for Trump’s military parade.

21:20 — Judy Lickman:
I’ll remember “due process” as the most beautiful words in English. Thank you so much.

21:55 — Rep. Raskin (final remarks):
It’s an honor to represent you, Judy, and Nexus. Due process, free speech, free press, free exercise—every value is under attack. But that means we wake up each day and fight for all we believe.

22:24 — Becca Israel:
Thank you, Congressman. That was incredible. Now, moving to the second portion, I’m excited to introduce Nexus’s Washington Director, Kevin Racklin, and Stacy Berdett, a leading public policy strategist.

23:42 — Judy Lickman:
Stacy, what are the major advocacy and policy issues you’re working on that we should focus on?

24:14 — Stacy Berdett (Public Policy Strategist):
Thank you, Judy, Becca, and Nexus. The advocacy we choose depends on the outcomes we want. As the congressman set up, the situation is dire—antisemitism is serious, growing, stakes are high.

Jewish safety is a central priority. Antisemitism comes from all directions: we need allyship and solidarity, not isolation. Preventing division—inside the Jewish community, the progressive movement, or America—matters; isolation weakens us. Pluralism and democracy are essential for Jewish safety.

Authoritarian forces aren’t targeting just one group—they’re after anyone who disagrees, educates, or supports liberalism. Jews inhabit all these spaces. Our voice is authoritative on antisemitism’s use as a pretext to encroach on liberties. Our response sets the tone. We must pivot away from “all sticks, no carrots”—relationship building is vital; isolation breeds vulnerability.

Tactics must be togetherness: coalitions, prioritizing relationships, fighting for everyone’s safety, not just our own. Winning Jewish safety means fighting for ideals and institutions that protect us, alongside others. Only we can neutralize the weaponization of antisemitism.

28:42 — Judy Lickman:
Kevin, can you elaborate on Nexus’s mission and approach within this context?

29:09 — Kevin Racklin (Washington Director, Nexus):
Thank you, Judy. Stacy summarized much of our strategy. Nexus was founded as an academic institution and evolved as a leading voice in Washington, providing nuance and context for antisemitism.

We focus on:

Coalition building: partnering with organizations across the spectrum to grow understanding of antisemitism and prevent its weaponization.

Engaging the Jewish community: creating spaces for honest, nuanced conversations about antisemitism, especially its weaponization.

Working with policymakers: equipping them to discuss antisemitism effectively (what is and isn’t antisemitic, policy issues, nuance).

Many see weaponization but don’t know how to articulate it. Hearing Congressman Raskin name it was refreshing—this is central to Nexus’s mission: fighting back against that abuse.

33:06 — Judy Lickman:
Stacy, much of the current conversation involves the need to protect Jewish students from harassment while also protecting free speech and academic freedom. Can you address the challenges of doing both?

33:36 — Stacy Berdett:
Democracy requires “walking and chewing gum”—balancing these values. Many rabbis and Jewish leaders defend detained protesters, even those whose speech they dislike, because due process matters. Jewish students and leaders are clear: defend due process, even if you disagree with someone.

College campuses are different: the First Amendment protects even antisemitic speech (which Europeans find bizarre), but campuses set rules for time, place, and manner. Speech that scares or promotes hate is handled carefully.

University codes set boundaries. Protesters may not know what their chants evoke, but rules exist for community. The process of discipline is often confusing, but administrations are clear on core principles. Sometimes, lines are crossed—a member of Congress recently demanded firing a professor for setting up legal defense for a detainee. I’d do the same for anyone detained without due process.

The middle path exists and Jewish students are enlightening.

37:18 — Judy Lickman:
Kevin, can you describe Nexus’s campus guide and how it helps with these challenges?

37:44 — Kevin Racklin:
Absolutely. Last year, our task force received more questions about what language is and isn’t antisemitic, when words evoke traditional/nontraditional tropes, conflate Jews and Israelis, and so on. Administrators and the Hill lacked a tool for context.

Our task force of academic scholars developed the campus guide—a resource digging into terms (“apartheid,” “genocide,” etc.), dissecting their contexts, nuances, and impact. It clarifies if terms evoke discrimination, violence, hostility, or conflation with Israel.

Originally sent to college leaders, we found its value extends beyond campuses—policymakers and coalition members use it for discussion and education. Few resources capture both old and new forms of antisemitic rhetoric. It’s dynamic and available on our website; we’ll send it to participants in our follow-up.

41:05 — Judy Lickman:
You, Stacy, and the congressman have all warned of attacks on civil society. What should participants watch for and do?

41:49 — Kevin Racklin:
Here’s what to watch for:

Anyone claiming sole authority over the definition of antisemitism—antisemitism is context dependent and individualized. No group speaks for the whole.

Silver bullet solutions—the idea that some policy or legislation alone stops antisemitism is false. It takes a robust, whole-of-society approach. Relationship building matters.

Antisemitism as a fig leaf—policies using antisemitism to do something else (e.g., screening social media for “antisemitic” content and denying visas, when real motive is exclusion).

Similar tactics include organizations supplying activist lists to Homeland Security under the guise of protecting Jews. Be wary—protection is sometimes a cover for something else (like indiscriminate removal of nonprofit status without recourse). That erodes civil society and rights.

45:57 — Stacy Berdett (concluding remarks):
If defining antisemitism made anyone safer, I’d tell people to adopt whatever definition. But Jewish students need empathy, understanding, and safe integration—not just formal definitions. Listen to what’s making a difference for them.

47:06 — Becca Israel:
Time for participant questions. First up: Kevin, specifics and goals of the Esther Project, and how Nexus is fighting back?

47:37 — Kevin Racklin:
Project Esther is an addendum to Project 2025 (from the right-wing Heritage Project)—a whole-government strategy for what this administration is doing now. Esther claims to fight antisemitism but actually erodes civil rights and uses antisemitism as a weapon for broader right-wing aims.

Reasons we know this:

No credible Jewish organizations involved or supporting.

Ignores right-wing antisemitism, focusing only on supposed left-wing “pro-Hamas” networks (which they claim can be deported or shut down).

Used to justify deportations (by manipulating definitions) and other actions.

Nexus fights back by exposing these tactics, developing strategies for combating weaponized antisemitism (see our recent publication on fighting antisemitism in the Trump era), and empowering leaders to name and address this abuse publicly.

50:34 — Becca Israel:
Next question—Stacy, what patterns do we see between erosion of democratic safeguards and rise of antisemitic violence/discrimination?

50:52 — Stacy Berdett:
Antisemitism is embedded in white nationalism and hate movements. The Holocaust teaches: genocide or authoritarian power grabs require dividing society—othering groups until people look away. That’s a plan, not an accident.

Tools like Project Esther and Project 2025 are designed to dismantle the connective tissue of civil society—education, solidarity. Once society is divided and people are desensitized, atrocities happen. Nazis picked unsympathetic “characters” first; the same tactics are being used now.

Fight desensitization; recognize and resist propaganda, division, and mistrust. These elements exist today—we must fight them.

53:54 — Becca Israel:
Last question—Kevin, how might different sectors (education, social media) apply the campus guide?

54:20 — Kevin Racklin:
The guide is intended as both a discussion and education tool. In higher education, it’s a clear resource for administrators to identify and address antisemitism. In workplaces, it can be a training module for staff to understand, discuss, and recognize antisemitism—facilitating essential conversations.

The guide is suitable for jumping off larger discussions across backgrounds and political persuasions—the phrase “from the river to the sea,” for example: what does it mean to different people, how is it interpreted, where does it originate, when is it antisemitic? The guide supports deeper understanding for both those affected and those using the language—education is crucial.

56:30 — Becca Israel (closing):
Thanks so much, Kevin. The guide’s applicability is expanding across industries. We’re ending on time today. Thank you, Stacy, Judy, Kevin, Congressman Raskin, and his team for your expertise and presence. We’ll be hosting more webinars soon—look for invitations!

In these scary times, I get hope from all of you. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. Take care.

End of Transcript