Fighting antisemitism is failing. Here's how to fix it.
Last week, "Future of Jewish" founder Joshua Hoffman delivered a live video talk on this subject to the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation. You're invited to watch the video recording below.
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In this video talk below, Future of Jewish founder Joshua Hoffman delivers a clear and forceful explanation about why so many Jewish responses fall short to accelerating antisemitism.
He begins by confronting a truth many avoid: While there are rare exceptions, anti-Zionism and antisemitism are overwhelmingly intertwined. The mistake, he argues, is treating the exceptions as if they define the rule. In reality, anti-Zionism functions as antisemitism the vast majority of the time — sometimes by intention, often by outcome. And unless we face that honestly, we cannot hope to effectively combat it.
From there, Hoffman examines why current efforts repeatedly fail. Outrage and moral appeals, he notes, tend to energize those already on our side, but seldom shift the views of anyone else.
And treating antisemitism as just another form of bigotry misses its distinctive nature. Other hatreds punch down; antisemitism punches both down and up, creating a uniquely durable and conspiratorial worldview that adapts across political movements.
Misdiagnosis makes things worse: When communities frame antisemitism as exclusively a Far-Right problem, they overlook Left-wing and Islamist expressions of the same hatred. These blind spots leave communities exposed precisely where they feel safest.
Hoffman then lays out a path forward that begins with intellectual honesty: calling out antisemitism no matter who it comes from, even when it’s politically incorrect and inconvenient. He warns against building superficial “alliances” with other minority groups when doing so muddles the unique character of antisemitism and dilutes Jewish advocacy. Instead, he argues for a far different strategy — from the bottom up, in a Jewish world that is predominantly top-down.
If you’re interested in having Joshua Hoffman speak to your organization or community, please send an email to: talks@jewishfuture.global
Jews, using the marketing term, don't dilute your brand. Don't ally yourselves with anyone who causes or requires your Jewish soul to be stunted so as to be accommodating.
After 2,000 years we’re going to successfully fight antisemitism ? What we Jews need to do is be strong and proud. We have failed to educate ourselves and our children . We have failed to be active advocates for ourselves. We looked the other way when textbooks, curricula, etc were being restructured to reflect all sorts of “ minorities “ ( women , blacks, native Americans, etc etc) but not Jews. We have been invisible, except for holocaust (mis)education, where the Jews suddenly appear merely to be murdered.
Major universities have for decades been hiring virulently antiIsrael faculty . Yet all our Jewish “leadership “ failed to notice. And now they want to lock the barn door after all the horses have been stolen. And still we cower: signs expressing support for Israel after October 7 or pictures of the hostages and victims were virtually nonexistent : we were afraid they’d be defaced or torn down. Why was t every Jewish male encouraged to wear a yarmulke, every Jewish woman to don a mogen David, or some overtly Jewish symbol so that we would all proudly assert our Jewish identities? We can’t strongly stand up for ourselves, but we’re going to successfully fight antisemitism? Wake up!