Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - September 12, 2026, 01 PM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - September 12, 2026, 01 PM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. This week,
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  Speaker 1: stark indicators point to the pervasive and escalating nature of
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  Speaker 1: antisemitic threats, forcing significant adaptations within Jewish communities and drawing
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  Speaker 1: sharp criticism of public figures and institutions. From multi-billion dollar
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  Speaker 1: security budgets to direct calls for police escorts, the evidence
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  Speaker 1: shows a community under siege. Across the United States, Jewish
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  Speaker 1: institutions are collectively spending over $ 1 billion on security measures
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  Speaker 1: due to escalating anti-Semitic threats. This immense financial burden, reported
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  Speaker 1: by the New York Post, diverts critical funds that could
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  Speaker 1: otherwise support educational programs and community services. In Italy, Delia Gubbe,
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  Speaker 1: vice president of the Milan Jewish community, paints a grim picture,
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  Speaker 1: stating that children now require police escorts to attend school,
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  Speaker 1: and even synagogues are under constant guard. a reality she
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  Speaker 1: finds inconceivable to non-Jewish friends. As reported by Haaretz, this
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  Speaker 1: necessity for round-the-clock security underscores a profound anxiety over children's safety,
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  Speaker 1: a fear Gubbe herself has experienced firsthand. London has also
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  Speaker 1: seen a significant increase, with antisemitism rising by 23%, according
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  Speaker 1: to London's Metropolitan Police, as cited by the Jewish Chronicle.
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  Speaker 1: This escalation, coupled with risks of hostile state attacks and terrorism,
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  Speaker 1: necessitates bolstered police protection for Jewish communities, particularly during celebrations
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  Speaker 1: like the New Year. The palpable threat led to the
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  Speaker 1: last-minute cancellation of a mass Rosh Hashanah dinner in Phuket, Thailand. Organizers,
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  Speaker 1: acting on the advice of Israeli security officials, cited concerns
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  Speaker 1: that local protests, which included antisemitic rhetoric such as Jews out,
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  Speaker 1: could have turned violent, according to the Bangkok Post. Reflecting
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  Speaker 1: this widespread unease, Rabbis across the United States report that
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  Speaker 1: congregations are deeply unsettled by antisemitic threats and internal divisions
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  Speaker 1: as the High Holy Days approach, contributing to a pervasive
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  Speaker 1: sense of precariousness, as noted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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  Speaker 1: On campuses, controversial events continue to surface. UCLA faced condemnation
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  Speaker 1: for hosting a symposium on terrorism on the 25th anniversary
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  Speaker 1: of 9-11, which featured a lawyer for Al-Qaeda mastermind Khalid
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  Speaker 1: Sheikh Mohammed. UCLA Chancellor Julio Frank issued a statement rejecting
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism and terrorism and asserting the campus must respect the
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  Speaker 1: dignity of every member, as reported by the California Post.
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  Speaker 1: This event occurred amidst ongoing scrutiny of antisemitism on campus,
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  Speaker 1: including the 2024 encampment protests. At Cornell University, student Austin
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  Speaker 1: Franco who gained notoriety for stating he was not interested
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  Speaker 1: in working for a Jew, continues to attract controversy. Despite
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  Speaker 1: social ostracism and criticism from the student newspaper, Franco insists
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  Speaker 1: he is a campus celebrity and has continued posting anti-Semitic
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  Speaker 1: remarks online, including comments about admissions and crypto-Jew last names,
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  Speaker 1: according to the New York Post. In New York City,
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  Speaker 1: a Brooklyn teacher, George Trim, faces Department of Education discipline
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  Speaker 1: for online posts containing 9-11 and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, such
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  Speaker 1: as claims about Larry Silverstein and the Jewish mafia involved
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  Speaker 1: in JFK's assassination. The DOE found Trim in violation of
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  Speaker 1: non-discrimination policies, with corrective action pending, as detailed by the
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  Speaker 1: New York Post. In politics and media, the rhetoric surrounding
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  Speaker 1: Israel and anti-Semitism remains charged. Israeli Consul General Afir, Acuni's
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  Speaker 1: drew sharp criticism, for comparing New York City Mayor Zoran
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  Speaker 1: Mamdani's support for the Israel boycott movement to tactics used
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  Speaker 1: by Nazi Germany, labeling Mamdani an antisemite. Mamdani's spokesperson called
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  Speaker 1: the comparison offensive, completely unhinged and detached from reality, according
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  Speaker 1: to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Meanwhile, an opinion piece in
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  Speaker 1: the New York Post argues that Mamdani's focus on criticizing
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  Speaker 1: Israel distracts from urgent local issues, and his rhetoric about
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  Speaker 1: Israel and Jews foments hate. Separately, an article in the
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  Speaker 1: New York Post asserts that Democratic leaders are failing to
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  Speaker 1: confront antisemitism within their party by tolerating and supporting candidates
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  Speaker 1: who espouse hatred or disdain, citing examples of candidates with
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  Speaker 1: Nazi symbols or those who have justified killing Jews, drawing
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  Speaker 1: a comparison to the Republican Party's past actions regarding the KKK.
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  Speaker 1: Comedian Bill Maher on HBO's Real Time criticised figures like
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  Speaker 1: rapper Macklemore for labelling the war in Gaza a genocide.
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  Speaker 1: Maher argued that such rhetoric, which he described as moral
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  Speaker 1: confusion and an easily provable lie, is a significant factor
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  Speaker 1: fuelling the global rise in antisemitism, as reported by Fox News.
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  Speaker 1: In case outcomes, a Syrian national, Khalaf A, has been
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  Speaker 1: indicted on charges of aiding and abetting attempted murder in
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  Speaker 1: connection with a 2025 stabbing at Berlin's Holocaust memorial. an
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  Speaker 1: act motivated by radical Islamist and anti-Semitic ideologies. The main
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  Speaker 1: assailant was previously found guilty and sentenced to 13 years
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  Speaker 1: in prison, according to the chief federal prosecutor's office. In Australia,
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  Speaker 1: a racial discrimination case launched by the Zionist Federation of
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  Speaker 1: Australia against former SBS journalist Mary Kostakidis over social media
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  Speaker 1: posts concerning the Israel-Gaza war has been discontinued by mutual consent.
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  Speaker 1: Kostakidis described the outcome as a win for press freedom,
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  Speaker 1: while the ZFA stated its objective of seeking recognition for
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  Speaker 1: harm caused to Australian Jews was substantially satisfied, as reported
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  Speaker 1: by ABC News. Regarding institutional policy, the IHRA definition of
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism is being imposed through arts funding agreements, a development
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  Speaker 1: described by some as a method to muffle speech, occurring
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  Speaker 1: after public hearings at the Royal Commission into Antisemitism had concluded,
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  Speaker 1: according to reporting reviewed for this episode. Finally, in community
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  Speaker 1: response and positive developments, a private gathering convened by Dr.
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  Speaker 1: Phil McGraw and Sylvan Adams focused on a new approach
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  Speaker 1: to understanding Israel and Jewish identity. The initiative advocates for
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  Speaker 1: showcasing how Jews live through personal experiences and cultural contributions,
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  Speaker 1: rather than solely focusing on persecution or conflict, aiming to
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  Speaker 1: build deeper understanding and relationships. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you
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  Speaker 1: for listening to Antisemitism Watch. Follow Antisemitism Watch in your
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: podcast app so you don't miss the next update. This
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  Speaker 1: report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies.
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  Speaker 1: Please verify important details with primary sources.