Antisemitism is a central problem in Western civilization. Its emergence in the late nineteenth century and horrific consequences in the Holocaust cast doubt on the very foundations of the modern Western world and values.
Using Steven Beller's new book on anti-Semitism, we look at the main theoretical debates of the daunting and often ironic complexities of the subject.
Was prejudice only part of a complicated historical context that enabled the discrimination, persecution, and extermination of Jews in the Holocaust?
We examine developments since 1945: anti-Semitism's diminution in the Holocaust's aftermath, the emergence of new forms of anti-Semitism, and the question of whether "anti-Zionism" is the "new anti-Semitism"- The New School
Bio
Steven Beller
Steven Beller is the author of Antisemitism: A Very Short Introduction.
Susannah Heschel
Susannah Heschel holds the Eli Black Chair in Jewish Studies in the Department of Religion at Dartmouth College.
She received her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Colorado College in 2005.
Edmund Leites
Edmund Leites is the author of The Puritan Conscience and Modern Sexuality.
Steven Beller, can hardly speak, he stutters; ahmmm, uhm, aah, repeating himself, interrupting his own sentences... a horribleness performance.
Still, I am interested in the subject I suffered through his performance hoping to learn something new. Unfortunately the authors understanding of the subject matches his ability to speak. It is sub-zero. He perceived the many forms of antisemitism as separate phenomenons. He does not understand the shared underlying cause. It is like a quack looking at AIDS patient and classifying the patient's various symptoms as separate diseases never discovering the real cause.
Additionally the author justifies the current Muslim antisemitism by the "objective" grievance that Muslims have to Israel. His shallow knowledge of history does not allow him to see that all former manifestations of antisemitism also perceived themselves as rational, reacting to the objective harm caused by the Jews.
The "solution" is to dissolve the Jewish state and replace it with some sort of multi-cultural, multi ethnic state. A solution that would lead to final annihilation of the Jewish people.
The speaker's ideology trumps historical science. Not surprisingly he is prising
Obama for his "engagement" approach. Never mind that the "engagement" has not produced any whatsoever results (Iran, Arab-Israeli conflict, N. Korea). Ideology trumps facts.
Steven Beller apparently never bothered to look at Lebanon where a multi-cultural experiment failed completely. Resulting in several civil wars, extermination of quarter million people, and waiting for the next civil
war.
I decided not to waste my time listening to other speakers who so highly admired Steven Beller.
The Vatican involvement right from the first Reich. The History is much more complex and historically repetitious.
Fear based society, is a society that wishes a life hereafter.
the Jewish fear is- FEAR OF EXTINCTION.
5770 years and only 14 million Jews on Earth-shameful.
Not paranoia, realism!
Anti-Jews since Israel is on the rise!
Europe always hated the Jews.
Inquisition rolled into Holocaust that connection is ignored.
I`m a Viennese Jew, born 4 years after the war.
Fear was my parents constant thought, whether in Austria or Canada.
Fear never left them! Ever!
Growing up with camp survivors as parents is not EASY, Fear, denial, silence is a daily experience, for Years.
Check Israeli hospitals for camp survivors, some have not taken a shower for over 60 years.
For Jews "You can`t lose something you never had!" Human rights.