Jewish Contrarians - formerly SpeechCast
By Jewish Institute For Liberal Values
Jewish Contrarians - formerly SpeechCastDec 23, 2021
(EP41) A view from abroad, An interview with Chuong Nguyen
Jewish Contrarians this week will be joined by Chuong Nguyen, who will discuss his intellectual journey and how a Vietnamese kid ended up hosting a podcast and reading publications such as Tablet and Sapir. ------------------------------Show Notes------------------------------ Podcast: Unlicensed Philosophy with Chuong Nguyen | https://musicallyspeaking.substack.com/ Immigration and American Values (David Bernstein, March 3, 2001) https://jilv.org/immigration-and-american-values-david-bernstein-march-3-2001/
(EP40) Craziness at Columbia and Beyond
David Bernstein and Bar Ilan University professor of English literature William Kolbrener discuss Kolbrener's PhD alma mater, Columbia, and other subjects.
(EP39) How to counter K-12 Antisemitism
David and Brandy delve into the vital work carried out by the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values on the ground, emphasizing the tangible impact JILV has in various communities. They address the experiences of Jewish parents across the country who experience antisemitism launched in an ideological curriculum.
(EP38) The "Wicked Child": Should anti-Israel Jews be welcome at our seder table?
David and Brandy are back after a short hiatus traveling. They are joined by JILV's Director of Partnership Development, Rabbi Mark Cohn, to discuss whether guests who actively oppose the existence of Israel would disrupt the purpose of the Seder or enhance it.
(EP37) Do Young People Support Hamas?
Fern Oppenheim, cofounder of the Brand Israel Group, joins David and Brandy about her recent analysis of data pertaining to young people's attitudes toward Israel and Hamas.
(EP36) The Growing Disconnect Between the Jewish Community and Jewish Organizations
David and Brandy discuss how many Jews feel unrepresented by the traditional Jewish community organizations. They explore how many Jews feel underrepresented by traditional communal bodies and discuss the critical need for these organizations to reassess their alignment with progressive politics.
(EP 35) Israel and the Crisis of Liberal Judaism
The podcast speaks with Rabbi Jeff Salkin the author of "Tikkun Ha'am / Repairing Our People: Israel and the Crisis of Liberal Judaism." We discuss the role of faith in challenging society and the reframing needed in our Liberal Jewish institutions.
(EP 34) South Africa and its Jews, a discussion with Josephine Gon and Sara Gon
On the heels of the genocide case brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) we discuss with Josephine Gon, the Vice President of JCRC of Palm Beach County in Flordia and Sara Gon, Head of Strategic Engagement at Institute of Race Relations in Johannesburg, South Africa to discuss SA domestic Jewish relations as well as relations internationally with Israel.
(EP33) Feminist Antisemitism with Special Guest Kara Jesella
Kara Jesella will join us this week. She recently published an article for Quillette that detailed the history of feminist theory and activism from the 1960s to the present and argues that it has become increasingly hostile to Jews and Israel, adopting a queer anti-Zionist stance that celebrates violence and demonizes Jewish women.
(EP32) Is the Black-Jewish Coalition coming apart?
The Black-Jewish alliance in the civil rights movement has been challenged by the rise of Black Power and the black leadership's attitudes toward Israel.
(EP31) Zionism and Viewpoint Diversity Among American Rabbis with Special Guest Rabbi Mark Cohn
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week, we will discuss the current state of affairs in the American rabbinate with JILV’s Rabbinic Liaison and newly appointed Director of Leadership Development, Rabbi Mark Cohn.
(EP30) - Hamas Cheerleaders Are All Over Instagram with Christina Buttons
JILV's Social Media manager, Christina Buttons, discusses her recent Quillette article covering how pro-Hamas propaganda on Instagram influences young social media users to support terrorism in the name of social justice.
Livestream: Concealing Foreign Funding of Universities
A recent report from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) claims that a sizable portion of the funds were donated by authoritarian regimes around the globe, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, and the UAE. The huge windfall of cited money was not recorded with the US Department of Education between 2014 and 2019. Carnegie Mellon University received the most from foreign entities in that time span at $1.47 billion while Cornell University scooped up $1.29 billion, Harvard University notched $894 million, and MIT collected $859 million, according to the report. The authors of the report, Lee Jussim and Joel Finkelstein say that it “raises the sobering possibility that international actors are using undisclosed channels to funnel large amounts of money into college campuses (including elite institutions that often have outsized influence on American culture and politics) for purposes harmful to the democratic norms of pluralism, tolerance, and freedom.”
(EP29) - Will the disastrous university presidents' testimony usher in a revolution
Show notes:
Poison Ivy League | Jewish Journal
A long-term plan to address the roots of campus hate and antisemitism will benefit not just the Jews, but America.
https://jewishjournal.com/cover_story/366280/poison-ivy-league/
(EP28) - No Time for Nuance
David Bernstein and Professor William Kolbrener discuss, after the now-expired/violated cease-fire, the concept of how Jewish Unity is the determination in the face of death.
(EP 27) Has Free Speech Gone Too Far?
Protests have delayed the Thanksgiving parade, disturbed Christmas tree lighting, and stopped Hilary Clinton's class at Columbia.
(EP 26) Is Decolonial Ideology "Woke"?
Is Decolonial Ideology "woke"? Does being “woke” imply agreement with the most radical forms of decolonial ideology? Are there degrees of being an ideologue or are they all the same?-
---- Show notes -----
The Atlantic - The Decolonization Narrative Is Dangerous and False | https://jilv.org/31w0
Tablet Magazine: The Cult of ‘Antizionism’ | Izabella Tabarovsky | https://jilv.org/sndv
NYT, David Brooks: Universities Are Failing at Inclusion | https://jilv.org/gznh
(EP24) - What the hell is happening on campus?
With the surge in antisemitism over the weeks following October 7th, Jewish students have experienced a rise in incidents such as professors praising the Hamas attack, physical assaults on Jewish students, and equivocation by university administrators. It is a tinderbox that we saw coming, but could we have expected it to cascade with such force and so fast?
(EP25) - Should Universities Kick Students for Justice in Palestine off Campus?
Brandy and David tackle the tension between two core values in our universities and colleges. The value of Freedom of speech/freedom of expression and the value of equal protection. Even if we believe that Jewish sensitivities around antisemitism are not treated the same as other campus groups and not afforded the same protections should we be advocating for that? Or should we be arguing for sustaining, preserving, and promulgating a free speech environment on campus because that serves our long-term interests and benefits the interests of an academic environment? Show notes:
SJP Still Deserves Freedom of Speech | Nadine Strossen & Kenneth Stern | https://jilv.org/2y2v
SJP Does Not Belong on Campus | Jacob Baime | https://jilv.org/sdwb
Post 10/7, Free Speech and Antisemitism on Campus
How do we simultaneously protect people’s right to say hateful things and ensure the safety of Jewish students amidst pro-terrorist activity on campus? What is the role of administration during this rising tide of Jew hatred seen at many universities nationwide? Listen to our discussion about this timely issue with three panelists: Stanley Dubinsky, Professor of Linguistics and Founding Director of the Jewish Studies Program at the University of South Carolina, Dr. T. Lee, former DEI officer and Director of the Coalition for Empowered Education, and Rebecca Roiphe, Distinguished Professor of Law at New York Law School. The program is moderated by JILV's Director of Academic Affairs, Marcy Braverman Goldstein, Ph.D.
(EP23) - Making Meaning of the Attacks in Israel - Part 2
Again, David Bernstein and Professor William Kolbrener reflect on what the attacks on Israel mean for the Jewish people in Israel and abroad.
(EP22) - Maybe we were right?
For the past two and a half years, we've been warning American Jews that a certain ideology that begins with the letter W has been fanning the flames of antisemitism. Some said we were doing "harm." Maybe we were right?
-----------------------Show Notes:----------------------
Woke Antisemitism: A Reckoning - Quillette | David Bernstein https://quillette.com/2023/10/16/woke-antisemitism-a-reckoning/On Israel, Progressive Jews Feel Abandoned by Their
Left-Wing Allies - New York Times | Jennifer Medina and Lisa Lerer https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/us/politics/progressive-jews-united-states.html
I was a DEI director — DEI drives campus antisemitism- New York Post | Tabia Lee https://nypost.com/2023/10/18/i-was-a-dei-director-dei-drives-campus-antisemitism/Identity politics is a game Jews can’t win-
Washington Post | Jason Willick https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/17/identity-politics-game-jews-cannot-win/
The Deep Roots of the Left’s Deafening Silence on Hamas- Persuasion | Yascha Mounkhttps://www.persuasion.community/p/yascha-the-deep-roots-of-the-lefts?publication_id=61579
Hamas, the Jews, and the Illiberal Left The schism on the left is not just about the Middle East- New York Magazine | Jonathan Chait, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/10/hamas-jews-illiberal-left-progressive-israel-terrorism.htmlWe’ve Lost So Much. Let’s
Not Lose Our Damn Minds- Ikar | Rabbi Sharon Brous https://ikar.org/sermons/lets-not-lose-our-minds-rabbi-sharon-brous/
(EP21) - Making Meaning of the Attacks in Israel
David Bernstein and Professor William Kolbrener reflect on what the attacks on Israel mean for the Jewish people, and to what degree must we--especially Israelis facing war--live in the present moment and to what degree can we, should we, at the same time think about the Jewish and Israeli future.
(EP20) - Please Don’t Bring Your Whole Self to Work
As always, an honest and open conversation. When a company states they want you to bring your 'whole self' to work, they say they want you to feel like you belong. In that belonging, employees ideally give full of themselves to collaborate and accomplish work-specific goals or tasks. The theory goes that this creates a workplace culture where everyone feels welcome and is highly productive. Why is this not a good idea?
(EP19) 9/22/2023 - Can Liberal Judaism regain its liberalism?
As always, an honest and open conversation. To what degree have the liberal Jewish denominations lived up to their own liberal values, namely in promoting viewpoint diversity? What is the role of the rabbi in upholding the free exchange of ideas and setting the culture of Jewish institutions? Jewish Contrarians podcast welcomes the newest Contrarian (who doesn't see himself this way!) Rabbi Mark Cohn, who is JILV's new Rabbinical Liaison.
Rabbi's Statement: https://jilv.org/rabbistatement
The New Ideological Gatekeepers of American Judaism: https://jilv.org/fc5i
Power of 49 class registration: https://jilv.org/power-of-49-registration/
(EP18) 9/15/2023 - A renaissance of Jewish Ideas
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week, David Bernstein will speak with David Hazony, an award-winning editor, translator, and author. He is the former editor-in-chief of the journal Azure and was the founding editor of TheTower.org. Hazony will speak about his newest edited compilation, "Jewish Priorities." The recently released book offers a wide-ranging, ambitious, and genuinely “pan-Jewish” conversation with 60+ thinkers. Each contributor provides a different priority for the Jewish people.
(EP17) 9/8/23- Pushing Back Against "Critical Zionist Studies"
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will speak about the new brazen effort to create and legitimize a new field called 'Critical Zionist Studies.'
(EP16) 8/18/23- Moms for Liberty - In their own words
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week David is speaking with Moms for Liberty activist Brooke Weiss. Weiss is Moms for Liberty chapter chair for Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, Vice Chair of the North Carolina Legislative Committee, and the Moms for Liberty 2023 National Summit Business Development Manager.
(EP15) 8/4/23- Is the Florida Black Studies Curriculum Racist?
As always, an honest and open conversation. The Florida Board of Education approved a new set of standards for how Black history should be taught in the state’s public schools, sparking criticism from education and civil rights advocates. Among the many criticisms, most notably by Vice President Kamala Harris, was the assertion that slaves learned skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.” --- Show Notes --- New York Times One Sentence Does Not Define a Curriculum John McWhorter https://jilv.org/7ui4 The Bulwark Sorting Out the Florida Teaching-About-Slavery Mess Cathy Young https://jilv.org/fl0g AP African American Studies https://jilv.org/yzmr Flordia State Academic Standards Social Studies https://jilv.org/sf46
(EP14) 7/28/23- Is Academic Freedom at Risk? With Marcy Braverman Goldstein
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will discuss viewpoint diversity in the academy with Marcy Braverman Goldstein, JILV’s newly appointed Director of Academic Affairs.
Show Notes:
___________
The Harvard Crimson: More Than Three-Quarters of Surveyed Harvard Faculty Identify As Liberalhttps://jilv.org/zgi7
Cambridge University Press: The Nature and Consequences of Ideological Hegemony in American Political Sciencehttps://jilv.org/vhvx
The Washinton Examiner: COVID-19 and 'woke' culture drive enrollment increases at conservative religious colleges https://jilv.org/l6f5
The Bulwark: Sorting Out the Florida Teaching-About-Slavery Mess by Cathy Young
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/sorting-out-florida-teaching-about-slavery-mess
(EP13) 7/21/23- Are they antisemites? RFK Jr, Moms for Liberty, Pramila Jayapal
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will discuss when something or someone should be branded antisemitic.
Show Notes:
The Bernstein Antisemitism Test
- Is there an underlying ideology that provides a permission structure for antisemitism?
- Do the actions or remarks implicitly draw on antisemitic tropes?
- Do the actions or remarks explicitly and/or intentionally use antisemitic tropes?
- Are the actions or remarks so explicit that the person can reasonably be viewed as an antisemite? Is the person a repeat offender? Has the person apologized and taken action that demonstrates contrition?
George Soros is portrayed as a puppetmaster:
https://images.app.goo.gl/rrCdqM19qLYx64aB7
https://images.app.goo.gl/Guy73TJgtFTXCoV36
Moms for Liberty newsletter quoting Hitler:
https://images.app.goo.gl/7c2naqjVe5h54txD6
Marco Rubio's Tweet about George Soros:
https://tinyurl.com/yvspzjbp
Rep. Pramila Jayapal calls Israel a racist state at Netroots Nation event :
https://tinyurl.com/mrxuap9c
Rep Pramila Jayapal statement after many in her party rebuked her:
https://images.app.goo.gl/XG7i3iD4S7P5m7X27
(EP12) 6/30/23- Was the Supreme Court Right to Strike Down Affirmative Action in Higher Education?
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will review the Supreme Court striking down decades of legal precedent that allowed colleges and universities to consider race as a factor in admissions. ----- show notes---- Coleman Hughes Substack: 10 Notes on the End of Affirmative Action - https://jilv.org/mfzt AOC Tweet: https://twitter.com/aoc/status/1674447137877397505
Jewish Contrarians-(EP11) 6/23/23- Should we drop the term "woke?"
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will examine the term "woke," which has a long history and varied meanings. Should David and Brandy strike the word from their vocabularies? Is it ok to use if you use air quotes? Should they even be having this podcast?
Jewish Contrarians - Friday Podcast (EP10) 6/16/23 - The unrelenting cultural wars
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will examine a number of items in the news: Starbucks' race-related $25 million settlement, Arkansas Univeristy dissolving DEI,, the testimony before Congress on gender-affirming care, and the UK decision to ban puberty blockers. David and Brandy weekly explore on the podcast the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides.
Jewish Contrarians-(EP9) 6/2/23-Will the White House's new strategy effectively combat antisemitism?
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will examine the newly released White House strategy to combat antisemitism. David and Brandy weekly explore on the podcast the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides.
Show notes:
The White House National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
https://jilv.org/kmh6
David Bernstein's Jewish Journal oped: Do Jews Get to Define Antisemitism? Yes and No.
https://jilv.org/P7wG
Jewish Contrarians - Friday Podcast (EP8) 5/25/23 - Is Israel really on the brink?
As always, an honest and open conversation. David and Brandy explore on the podcast the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides. This week we will not broadcast on Friday due to the observance of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. In this episode, we will look at the current issues that comprise the concern of a social breakdown in Israeli society, such as judicial reform, economic inequality, political polarization, and ethnic tensions.
Jewish Contrarians - Friday Podcast (EP7) 4/28/23 - How about antisemitism on the Left and Right?
As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will Look at the antisemitism that stems from the Right and the emergence of it on the Left. David and Brandy weekly explore on the podcast the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides.
Jewish Contrarians - Friday Podcast (EP6) 4/21/23 - Are Jews White?(What it means for the US Census)
Brandy and David invite David E. Bernstein, professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law and author of "Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America," to the podcast. We will discuss the proposed new 'Middle Eastern and North African' (MENA) classification to be included in the US Census pushed by Arab American groups. What would this mean for the American Jewish community? Will Israeli Americans be considered part of a new MENA classification? Can Mizrahi Jews claim this distinction? What of Ashkenazi Jews who may feel closer to their Middle Eastern heritage than to a European one? And how could this new classification play out for those seeking a legal victim status?
Jewish Contrarians (EP5) - Should DEI Bureaucracies be Banned?
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs have often promoted “groupthink," dogma, and exclusion at many colleges and universities. Some state legislatures are trying to pair back these programs or outright ban them. Is such a move warranted, or does it interfere with academic freedom?
New Paradigms in Latino-Jewish Relations with Matt Fernández Konigsberg
Matt Fernández Konigsberg spoke about the current state of the Latino-American/ American-Jewish relationship and how the clash of different ideological approaches (including classical liberalism and far-left ideology) create tension within and between the communities. Matt believes honest, well-informed discussion of ideas and freedom of expression is the key to progress and true liberalism. Matt is concerned with the anti-Latino sentiment, and the alarming rise of antisemitism, as well as supporting the decolonization of (and Congressional investment in) the island of Puerto Rico and its 3 million U.S. citizens.
REVISED: Jewish Contrarians - Micro-aggression or Micro-cancellation? - (EP4)
Due to a technical glitch, we previously uploaded the incorrect episode as Episode 4. As always, an honest and open conversation. This week we will dive into the layered nuance of Micro-cancellation and Micro-aggression. David and Brandy weekly explore on the podcast the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides.
Show notes:
Journal of Free Black Thought
The B.E.S.T. Microaggression Training You’ve Never Heard Of
https://freeblackthought.substack.com/p/the-best-microaggression-training
University of Minnesota Examples of Racial Microaggressions
https://www.sph.umn.edu/site/docs/hewg/microaggressions.pdf
Jewish Contrarians (EP3) - Can we speak about Gender Identity?
As always, an honest and open conversation on today’s tortured gender identity debate. David Bernstein, Founder of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, and Brandy Shufutinsky, Director of Education and Outreach for JILV explore the possibility of a middle ground even if extreme voices in the culture wars insist that they pick sides.
Jewish Contrarians - Friday Podcast (EP2) 3/10/23 - Should Jews of Color be a separate category?
This week David Bernstein, Founder of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, and Brandy Shufutinsky, Director of Education and Outreach for JILV will discuss: "Should Jews of Color be a separate category?"
Show Notes:
eJewish Philanthropy: In light of the new Pew Study, it’s time for Jewish leaders to make amends by David Bernstein https://bit.ly/3mwuyNJ
Jewish Journal: Out of Exile, Jews Are Not a Color-Centric Binary by Brandy Shufutinsky https://bit.ly/3JvrIBS
Jewish Contrarians Podcast - EP1
Slides shared on the podcast: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11DknOhV7hEgVLx7wc7ARFw79LX4AStsD/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110837794775776372833&rtpof=true&sd=true
Article David referred to in the podcast: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/patriotism-unity/high-school-students-are-being-indoctrinated-in-white-supremacy-culture
In this weekly podcast, David Bernstein, Founder of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, and Brandy Shufutinsky, Director of Education and Outreach for JILV, discuss (and occasionally debate) current issues in the culture wars, antisemitism in its various forms, cancel culture (not ok except when it is) and what we Jewish (and non-Jewish) contrarians, thought criminals, and gadflies can do about it all. Join us weekly except when one of our kids needs to be picked up from school.
SpeechCast - Black Jewish Perspectives - A discussion on tensions between Black Americans and Jews - 52EP
Panel discussion with David BenMoshe, Shekhiynah Larks, Chaya Lev, Dmitri Shufutinsky, Noah Shufutinsky, and Tyler Samuels, who discuss ongoing tensions between Black and Jewish communities, exploring how these tensions impact Black Jews. Frequently uninvited to these conversations, JILV decided to hold our own.
SpeechCast - Can a social justice movement go too far – a Canadian case study - 51EP
A panel discussion on how social justice movements have manifested for our neighbors to the north, exploring how Canadians are managing the ideological influences and their unique impact on the Jewish community. Panel participants were Ellie Avishai from the Mill Center. Avishai is a strategist, teacher, and non-profit leader who has worked in education for more than 20 years, and Jonathan Kay was born in Montreal, Quebec, to an anglophone Jewish family and now lives in Toronto. He is a Quillette editor, podcaster, and advisor to The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.
SpeechCast - A Shine-A-Light event - Does Radical Social Justice Fuel Antisemitism and Anti-Asian Sentiment? - 50EP
A special Shine-A-Light evening. Our expert panel discussed the recent Jewish Institute for Liberal values commissioned poll that highlights the dangers of this political ideology to Asian Americans and Jews. The panel included Nathan Klein, a pollster from OnMessage Public Strategies; David Bernstein Founder, CEO, and Author, Wai Wah an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the founding president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York, and Dr. Lizzie Wahab, a leader in transnational education.
SpeechCast - A Discussion with David Bernstein on his Book, Woke Antisemitism - 49EP
David L. Bernstein, Founder and CEO of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, authored the forthcoming book “Woke Antisemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews,” with a Foreword by the great Natan Sharansky. Woke Antisemitism is a firsthand account from a long-time Jewish leader about how woke ideology shuts down discourse, corrupts Jewish values, and spawns a virulent new strain of antisemitism.
SpeechCast - Anniversary of the Ferguson Unrest – Panel: Can Jews Support Black Lives Matter? - 48EP
Eight years ago, the nation watched as the city of Ferguson, Missouri, erupted in the wake of the police shooting death of Michael Brown, a Black man. The protesters chanted "Black lives matter" in the streets of Ferguson. Black Lives Matter went from being a mantra to a mass movement to a well-funded organization. Should Jews support this movement? This Livestream is coordinated with the release of our Black Lives Matter backgrounder, "Can Jews Support Black Lives Matter," by David Ben Moshe. With registration for this event, you will gain early access to the backgrounder. https://jilv.org/download-blm-backgrounder/
SpeechCast - Should the government be in the business of classifying people by race? - 47EP
Americans are understandably squeamish about official racial and ethnic classifications. Nevertheless, they are ubiquitous in American life. Applying for a job, mortgage, university admission, citizenship, government contracts, and much more involves checking a box stating whether one is Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American. Professor Bernstein discusses the surprising history of American racial classifications from research findings for his new book: Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America.