Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - September 21, 2026, 09 PM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - September 21, 2026, 09 PM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: with acts of violence and intimidation. In Belleville, Canada, a
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: police officer was critically wounded during a shooting near the
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Yom Kippur. The Ontario Special
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Investigations Unit reports that an estimated 20 to 30 shots
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: were fired, with bullets striking the synagogue, homes and vehicles.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: The suspected shooter, Sean Ward, was shot by police and
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: is in life-threatening condition. Belleville Deputy Chief Sherry Meeks stated, Antisemitism, hate,
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: and violence have no place in our community. While acknowledging
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: the attack's significant impact on the Jewish community, even though
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: the shooter's motive has not yet been determined by law enforcement,
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the shooting, and Israel's
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: foreign ministry called it an escalation of the antisemitism crisis
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: in Canada. Synagogue President Norm Wedham credited the wounded officer
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: with protecting congregants. In New York, a Queen's family believes
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: antisemitism may have motivated a fatal car accident that killed
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: Kara Trager, 71, in May. The driver, Dawood Faisal, is
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: charged with manslaughter. Faisal had previously been charged with a
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: hate crime for vandalizing a kosher bagel shop, displaying Israeli
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: flags just weeks before the fatal incident. Trager's daughter noted
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: that Kara had seen video of the vandalism prior to
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: her death. The Trager family contends the car accident could
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: also be classified as a hate crime if Faisal knew
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: he was speeding through a heavily Jewish neighborhood. The New
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: York Police Department reports that anti-Jewish hate crimes in the
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: city have increased by 8.5%, with Jewish individuals targeted in
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: 70% of all reported hate crimes. The family's request for
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: a meeting with Mayor Zoran Mamdani to discuss anti-Semitism concerns
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: was declined. In South Florida, Investigators are examining letters sent
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: to Jewish groups that reportedly contain a crude, antisemitic cartoon
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: beneath a rant allegedly written in the voice of God.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: Turning to campus incidents, the appointment of Liz Magel as
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: dean of the Georgetown University Law Center is drawing sharp criticism,
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: with one report calling her a symbol of antisemitism in
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: higher education. At Stanford University, charges against five pro-Palestinian protestors
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: will be dismissed following a mistrial, a development noted in
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: reporting that also mentioned concerns related to antisemitism. Separately, public
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: comments and backlash continue following testimony by three university presidents
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: on campus antisemitism, fallout that contributed to the end of
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: one presidency, and significant controversy. In politics and media, President
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: Trump reacted to New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani being
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: labeled an anti-Semite on Yom Kippur. reportedly stating, any. This
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: comes amid controversy over Mamdani's invitation to Manhattan's annual Columbus
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: Day parade. Italian-American leaders have expressed outrage, citing Mamdani's past
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: criticism of Christopher Columbus, including a social media post giving
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: a statue the middle finger and his administration's prior omission
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: of Little Italy from a city map. Italian-American Civil Rights
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: League President Mike Crispi stated Mamdani showed contempt for our people.
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: Jewish radio host Sid Rosenberg indicated he would not attend
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: the parade if Mamdani participated. Finally, Margaret Hodge commented on
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: the significant and rising issue of antisemitism in the United Kingdom,
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: recalling her past public confrontation with Jeremy Corbyn. I'm Rachel Adler,
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch. Follow Antisemitism Watch
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: in your podcast app so you don't miss the next update.
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies,
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: please verify important details with primary sources.