Nexus Newsletter
January 16, 2026

Antisemitism continues to surge, no longer at the margins but in the open and at scale.

Antisemitism moves fastest when it can hitch itself to something bigger: war, elections, institutional distrust, or a fight over who gets to define the terms.

Our job is to keep those patterns visible and to keep the focus on what actually protects Jews, rather than what generates the most heat. That clarity is what we’re here to provide.

Understanding Antisemitism

Why We Keep Fighting Over Antisemitism Definitions

Mayor Mamdani revoked every executive order issued after his predecessor’s indictment, including one adopting IHRA. The reaction was predictable.

In a new piece for the Times of Israel, Nexus’s Kevin Rachlin explains why codifying IHRA was always a bad idea, and why definition battles consume energy while actual antisemites grow more emboldened. Mamdani renewed the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism and has met productively with Jewish leaders across the spectrum. There are better fights to pick.

Antisemitism in the News

Venezuela Attack Fuels Massive Antisemitic Surge Online

The U.S. attack on Venezuela triggered antisemitic content across social media at a scale that stands out: one Instagram post blaming Jews received 111,000 likes and nearly 2 million views.

The vast majority came from the far right. On the left, lower-engagement posts drew on the conspiracy theory that Zionism seeks world domination. The collapse of content moderation made this possible. Moderation won’t return. But what people are willing to say out loud about what they saw still matters.

We break down the patterns in more detail in our thread.

Tucker Carlson Platforms Another Antisemitic Conspiracy Theorist

Last week, Tucker Carlson hosted Ian Carroll, a conspiracy theorist who has blamed Jews for 9/11, spread claims of Jewish control over government and media, and promoted the “Khazar” myth to delegitimize Jewish identity. The interview received 1.3 million views.

This comes weeks after Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier who led “Jews will not replace us” chants at Charlottesville. Fuentes was overt. Carroll is cleaner. Same ideas, different packaging, wider audience. This is how antisemitism spreads.

Nexus in the News

Slate: The ADL’s Misplaced Priorities

In Slate, Nexus Task Force member Joshua Shanes asks: why focus on a city mayor committed to equality instead of a national party whose leaders openly platform Holocaust deniers?

Kevin Rachlin on Al Jazeera: Project Esther and Jewish Safety

Nexus’s Kevin Rachlin spoke with Al Jazeera about the dangers of the Heritage Foundation’s Project Esther and why cutting cancer research is antithetical to Jewish safety.

Support Nexus

This is what we do: track real antisemitism, call out when it’s weaponized, and make clear the difference. If you’d like to support this work, you can donate here. We’d love to connect.

Newsletter Archive

When Allies Refuse to Sing, and Platforms Refuse to Act

April 30, 2026

Antisemitism is not a feeling, and fighting it is not a vibe. It is concrete work. It looks like enforcing a content policy you wrote.

The Watchdogs on Trial

April 28, 2026

Six months ago, the FBI cut ties with the ADL and Southern Poverty Law Center. This week, the Justice Department indicted the SPLC.

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