Latest / Antisemitism Watch / Antisemitism Watch - September 20, 2026, 09 AM Eastern

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Antisemitism Watch - September 20, 2026, 09 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. Today we're
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  Speaker 1: tracking a suspected arson attempt at a synagogue in Germany,
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  Speaker 1: alarming data on campus antisemitism in Canada, and commentary challenging
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  Speaker 1: dangerous narratives in politics and media. We begin with a
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  Speaker 1: disturbing development in Germany. An Afghan man has been arrested
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  Speaker 1: in connection with a suspected arson attempt at a synagogue,
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  Speaker 1: according to reporting reviewed for this episode. This incident occurs
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  Speaker 1: as Germany continues to grapple with concerns over antisemitic attacks
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  Speaker 1: and crimes. On campuses, particularly in Canada, alarming new data
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  Speaker 1: paints a stark picture of the climate for Jewish students.
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  Speaker 1: A federal report titled Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences found
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  Speaker 1: that 84% of Jewish respondents consider antisemitism a serious problem,
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  Speaker 1: with over 95% reporting witnessing or experiencing at least one
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  Speaker 1: instance in the previous year. This aligns with findings from
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  Speaker 1: a separate review at Toronto Metropolitan University, which also highlighted
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  Speaker 1: a deteriorating campus environment. These reports echo broader trends documented
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  Speaker 1: by Statistics Canada. Data from 2025 showed that Jews remain
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  Speaker 1: the most targeted religious group for hate crimes, accounting for
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  Speaker 1: 71% of all religion-motivated incidents despite comprising less than 1%
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  Speaker 1: of the population. The reporting also notes that political leaders
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  Speaker 1: have sometimes failed to universally condemn antisemitism, with one account
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  Speaker 1: describing a lack of condemnation as a green light for haters.
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  Speaker 1: The analysis emphasizes how criticism of Israel can cross into antisemitism,
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  Speaker 1: citing the three DS, double standards, delegitimization, and demonization, as
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  Speaker 1: indicators when rhetoric denies Jews the right to self-determination or
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  Speaker 1: employs tropes about Jewish power, which is characterized in the
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  Speaker 1: reporting as Jew hatred. In American politics and media, U.S.
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  Speaker 1: Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has directly challenged contentious narratives.
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  Speaker 1: In an interview reported by the media line, Huckabee pushed
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  Speaker 1: back against claims made by Tucker Carlson regarding Israel, rejecting
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  Speaker 1: accusations of genocide and apartheid. He also issued a sharp
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  Speaker 1: warning about artificial intelligence, which he compared to fire capable
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  Speaker 1: of both warming and burning. According to reporting reviewed for
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  Speaker 1: this episode, Huckabee stated that AI noise, algorithmic bias, and
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  Speaker 1: misinformation fuel global hate and antisemitism, underscoring the vital role
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  Speaker 1: of independent journalism in combating these threats. Finally, we turn
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  Speaker 1: to Germany, where reporting indicates a problematic trend in public discourse.
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  Speaker 1: According to an analysis reviewed for this episode, the majority
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  Speaker 1: of public discourse in Germany equates antisemitism with anti-Zionism and
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  Speaker 1: critique of Israel. This perception, the reporting notes, extends even
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  Speaker 1: to some within the Jewish community and has, according to
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  Speaker 1: the report, created an environment where antisemitism can resurface and
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  Speaker 1: find fertile ground. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening
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  Speaker 1: to Antisemitism Watch. Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app
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  Speaker 1: so you don't miss the next update. This report was
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  Speaker 1: generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify
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  Speaker 1: important details with primary sources.