Call Me Back with Dan Senor

Inside Call Me Back Sneak Peek: ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt Responds to Bret Stephens

Date: February 14, 2026
Host: Dan Senor
Guest: Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)

Episode Overview

This special “Inside Call Me Back” segment features Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, as he responds to prominent columnist Bret Stephens’ recent criticisms of organized Jewish institutional priorities, specifically targeting ADL’s approach in battling antisemitism. The conversation explores the critique raised at Stephens’ State of World Jewry address, analyzes the rise in antisemitic attitudes and incidents in the US, and discusses the controversy around a high-profile Super Bowl ad from the Blue Square Alliance. The dialogue candidly examines the balance between investing in Jewish security vs. identity, and the dilemmas facing Jewish organizations today.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Bret Stephens Speech & Greenblatt’s Reaction

[01:20 - 05:20]

• Dan sets the context: Bret Stephens, at a major address, argued Jewish institutions devote too much effort to fighting antisemitism, suggesting energy could be better spent elsewhere. Stephens named ADL and Greenblatt specifically.
• Greenblatt’s candid reflections on attending the speech as Stephens’ guest:
  • “He said to me before, ‘I’m going to be a little bit provocative tonight.’ And I thought, well, that's typical Bret.” [02:44]
  • During the event, Stephens provocatively suggested that ADL, UJA, and AJC “should all be dismantled.”
  • Greenblatt recounts his initial surprise but also sees common ground in Stephens’ advocacy for building Jewish identity.

Notable Quote

“All the things he talked about—the need to invest in our sense of self, to improve our relationship with Israel, our sense of Jewish peoplehood, Jewish culture, our center of civilization—I agree with all of that. But I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. Jewish security is inseparable from Jewish identity. We can’t flourish and succeed if we don’t feel safe.”
— Jonathan Greenblatt [04:09]

Memorable Exchange

Dan: “It’s always dangerous when they preface with the menschie...”
Greenblatt: “And you’re like, here we go...” [04:09]

2. The Data: Rise in Antisemitism in the US

[05:20 - 07:28]

• Greenblatt shares empirical trends ADL tracks on antisemitic attitudes and incidents:
  • Since the 1960s, antisemitic attitudes had dropped from 30% to 8–12% of Americans.
  • A sudden spike: 11% (2019) → 20% (2022) → 24% (2024), with the latest (soon to be released) data described as “worse.”
  • Verified antisemitic acts rose from 942 in 2015 to 9354 in 2024, with reports swelling from 2800 to over 31,000.

Notable Quote

“The percent of Americans with intense antisemitic attitudes has more than doubled as a share of the population in the last five years... In 2024, more than 31,000 and 9,354 were real. From 2015 to 2024, we had a 10 times increase in anti-Jewish acts.”
— Jonathan Greenblatt [06:49]

3. Backlash to Institutional Messaging: The Blue Square Super Bowl Ad

[07:28 - 10:40]

• Dan discusses backlash within the Jewish community to a Super Bowl ad produced by the Blue Square Alliance, intended to highlight antisemitic bullying in schools.

  • Critiques: The ad leans too heavily into Jewish victimhood, depicts the Jewish character as needing non-Jewish validation, and may not match the current reality of antisemitism (“dirty Jew” slurs feel outdated vs. “dangerous Zionist” rhetoric).

• Greenblatt clarifies the ADL was not involved in developing the ad, but supports the Blue Square campaign.

  • Points out the ad’s goal was to broadcast Jewish kids’ experiences in a way accessible to mainstream (non-Jewish) American audiences.
  • ADL conducted independent research, finding that the ad tested well with a large sample.

Notable Quote

“We weren’t involved…I’ve seen the criticisms that it leans too much into Jewish victimhood…It sort of fails to reflect the realities, the felt experience, to use a term, of Jews today. I see a lot of attacks on ‘dirty Zionists’.”
— Jonathan Greenblatt [09:17]

“What it was trying to do was send a message of what Jewish kids are experiencing in places where non-Jewish audiences aren’t even aware it’s happening… We ran our own totally independent test of that ad… and the ad tested well.”
— Jonathan Greenblatt [10:01]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:20 — Context: Bret Stephens’ speech and its critique of ADL
• 03:16 — Stephens specifically calls for dismantling major Jewish organizations
• 05:20 — Empirical data on the rising tide of antisemitic attitudes and incidents
• 06:49 — Preview of new (worse) data soon to be released
• 07:28 — Introduction of the Blue Square Alliance Super Bowl ad controversy
• 08:58 — Greenblatt addresses criticisms of the ad and distinction with reality
• 10:01 — ADL’s research on the ad and its intended message

Tone & Language

The conversation is frank, introspective, and informed by data, combining a tone of deep concern with a determination to both protect Jewish security and build robust Jewish identity. Both host and guest juggle the urgency of rising antisemitism with the need to avoid reinforcing a culture of victimhood, echoing the broader dilemmas facing Jewish leaders worldwide.

Summary

This “Inside Call Me Back” episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the dilemmas—and the sometimes bruising debate—among Jewish leaders in the US. Greenblatt earnestly responds to Bret Stephens’ provocative critique, defends the work of institution-building alongside security, and shares sobering statistics on the rise of antisemitism. The controversy over the Blue Square Alliance Super Bowl ad becomes a lens for how Jewish organizations try to navigate communicating to both in-group and mainstream America in a fraught environment. For listeners looking to understand the real tensions, data, and narratives shaping Jewish communal debates today, this episode is essential and thought-provoking.