Divided We Fall: Why Fighting White Nationalism Requires Confronting Antisemitism, Anti-Black Racism and Anti-Immigrant Bias

In 2018 a White Nationalist killed 11 worshippers at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh because he believed Jews were working to “replace” white Americans with Black and brown immigrants. That horrible moment is just one recent example in a constellation of anti-Black racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and conspiracy theories that is quite old.

In this panel discussion, we dug into the ways that antisemitism and anti-Jewish bias have and continue to intersect with racism and other oppressions to divide marginalized communities and maintain the status quo. We also investigated solidarity as an antidote to these divisive forces, working to articulate the ways each of us can pursue solidarity and reject the biases and -isms that would tear us apart.

Panelists:

• Dr. Benjamin E. Sax - Jewish Scholar, Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies
• Deepa Iyer - Director of Strategic Initiatives, Building Movement Project
• Scot Nakagawa - Co-Director, 22nd Century Initiative
• Dr. Maxine Grossman (moderator) - Director and Associate Professor, The Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Program and Center for Jewish Studies