Elman
guest speaker at local event on Israel and antisemitism
Miriam F. Elman (associate professor, Political
Science) spoke recently at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas in Dewitt, NY
on “Fighting the Hate: When Does Anti-Israel Become Anti-Semitic?”. The event
was free and open to the greater Syracuse community. Elman discussed both
classical and contemporary forms of antisemitism, which increasingly involve
virulently anti-Israel positions. Drawing on the writings of experts and scholarship
from multiple fields of study, Elman offered insight into how legitimate
criticism of Israeli politics and policies can be distinguished from
anti-Semitic hate speech. She also spoke to the boycott, divestment, and
sanctions (BDS) movement and to the question of how the rise in antisemitism
internationally is increasingly being mirrored on university and college
campuses across the United States. Following her talk, Elman directed a
workshop where participants had an opportunity to break into small groups for further
discussion of both the nature of the “new antisemitism” and how local,
national, and international Jewish communities should respond to it. The Adult
Programming Committee of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, which sponsored
the event, plans to use Elman’s program as a basis for a series of follow-up
events and a continuing conversation on these topics. 11/10/15