Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - September 23, 2026, 09 PM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - September 23, 2026, 09 PM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. Today, we
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  Speaker 1: examine the alarming surge of online hate following a Canadian
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  Speaker 1: synagogue attack, deep concerns over Jewish safety in Germany, and
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  Speaker 1: a recent hate crime in California. We begin with disturbing
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  Speaker 1: findings from the Online Hate Prevention Institute, or OHPI, which
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  Speaker 1: documented a significant surge of online hate speech, glorification of violence,
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  Speaker 1: and antisemitic conspiracy theories following the shooting outside the Sons
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  Speaker 1: of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, on the eve of
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  Speaker 1: Yom Kippur. According to OHPI, monitoring across platforms like X, Telegram,
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  Speaker 1: and 4chan captured 110 antisemitic items, including posts celebrating the attack,
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  Speaker 1: regretting that no Jewish worshippers were injured, and advancing false
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  Speaker 1: flag conspiracy theories. OP CEO André Abeler told the Jerusalem
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  Speaker 1: Post that such content reflects propaganda that dehumanizes Jews, warning
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  Speaker 1: that allowing it on social media is a choice. He
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  Speaker 1: stressed that governments must link efforts to protect physical safety
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  Speaker 1: with combating growing online threats. Internationally, German Chancellor Friedrich Mörs
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  Speaker 1: has issued a stark warning. Jewish life in his country
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  Speaker 1: is no longer safe. JTA reports MERS's concern stems from
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  Speaker 1: the electoral success of parties linked to antisemitism, including the
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  Speaker 1: far-left Left Party in Berlin municipal elections and the far-right
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  Speaker 1: Alternative for Germany. Berlin Jewish Community President Gideon Joff expressed alarm,
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  Speaker 1: pointing to the Left Party's platform, which rejects the IHRA
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  Speaker 1: definition of antisemitism, and documented campaign events where audiences chanted
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  Speaker 1: calls for the Intifada and the death of Israeli soldiers.
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  Speaker 1: Joseph Schuster, chair of the Central Council of Jews in Germany,
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  Speaker 1: also noted these disturbing chants. Closer to home, the San
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  Speaker 1: Diego County Sheriff's Office has arrested 18-year-old Christopher von Hassel
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  Speaker 1: in connection with anti-Semitic graffiti found on two homes in
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  Speaker 1: Imperial Beach, California. The incidents occurred on September 13 and 19.
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  Speaker 1: The Sheriff's Office stated that Von Hassel faces charges for
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  Speaker 1: vandalism and property damage motivated by civil rights violations, with
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  Speaker 1: the Hate Crime Unit investigating. They affirmed a zero-tolerance policy
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  Speaker 1: for hate-motivated crimes. In policy news, a new law in
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  Speaker 1: Missouri now mandates the integration of the International Holocaust Remembrance
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  Speaker 1: Alliance definition of antisemitism into public K-12 schools and institutions
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  Speaker 1: of higher education. according to combatantisemitism.org. Meanwhile, reports indicate that
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  Speaker 1: members of the American Bar Association adopted a resolution on
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism that notably did not reference the IHRA definition. Also
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  Speaker 1: this week, the Times of Israel highlighted a point of
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  Speaker 1: concern regarding historical memory in Lithuania. The Lithuanian Ministry of
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  Speaker 1: Foreign Affairs' approach to commemorating Jewish Holocaust victims has been
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  Speaker 1: noted for its omission of the perpetrators. raising questions about
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  Speaker 1: how historical events are being remembered. On a more hopeful note,
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  Speaker 1: hundreds of New Yorkers rallied across the street from the
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  Speaker 1: United Nations this past Wednesday, raising their voices against antisemitism.
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  Speaker 1: And in sports, former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl offered strong
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  Speaker 1: defense of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's decision to
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  Speaker 1: ban rapper Macklemore from Gillette Stadium. Pearl, a prominent Jewish voice,
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  Speaker 1: called Kraft a hero and a patriot for taking action.
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  Speaker 1: arguing that McLemore's messaging has crossed into hate speech, and
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  Speaker 1: that silence in the face of such rhetoric is complicity.
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  Speaker 1: I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.
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  Speaker 1: Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app so you don't
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  Speaker 1: miss the next update. This report was generated with AI
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  Speaker 1: assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with
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  Speaker 1: primary sources. Thank you.