It Could Happen Here: Antisemitism in America feat. Dana El Kurd

Release Date: December 22, 2025
Host: Daniel Kurd (Associate Professor, Political Science)
Guest: Ben Lorber (Senior Research Analyst, Political Research Associates; co-author, Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism)

Main Theme Overview

This episode takes a deep dive into the current landscape of antisemitism in America, exploring how far-right movements, establishment organizations, and Christian nationalism are remolding tropes about Jews in the context of both domestic politics and the ongoing crisis in Israel/Palestine. With expert guest Ben Lorber, the conversation traces the roots and evolution of these narratives, their instrumentalization by various actors, and the consequences for Jewish communities, Palestinian solidarity movements, and broader struggles against authoritarianism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ben Lorber's Background and Entry Into the Topic

[02:57 – 03:55]

• Ben Lorber describes his background as an American Jew whose political engagement began in the Palestine solidarity movement.
  • He witnessed how accusations of antisemitism were often used to silence dissent, particularly Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim student activism on university campuses.
  • Since 2019, he’s monitored the radical right and written extensively on how the right weaponizes antisemitism to suppress criticism of Israel and animate the MAGA movement.
• Quote: “I saw kind of firsthand how charges of antisemitism are used to shut down dissent, to stop Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students from asking their university to not use their tuition dollars to bomb Gaza.” (Ben Lorber, 03:17)

2. The Contours of Modern Antisemitism

[04:16 – 07:05]

• Lorber explains contemporary antisemitism’s core logic: a conspiracy theory that posits a Jewish cabal controlling politics, finance, and culture.
• He draws parallels with Islamophobic tropes (e.g., Muslim conspiracies to “take over the West”) that are similarly deployed to redirect popular grievances.
• The right, especially the MAGA contingent, taps into economic, cultural, and racial frustrations—offering simplistic scapegoats:
  • “Blaming someone at the top is very useful to channel those grievances, and that’s kind of the way that antisemitism has worked for over a century.” (Ben Lorber, 06:12)
• The use of coded language (“globalists,” “George Soros,” “cultural Marxists”) perpetuates age-old antisemitic stereotypes.

3. Christian Nationalism and Its Relationship to Antisemitism

[07:05 – 09:47]

• Daniel Kurd seeks clarification on how Christian nationalism fits into this landscape.
• Lorber outlines the shift: while post-Holocaust Christian Zionism proclaimed alliance with Jews/Israel, this was instrumental—tied to eschatological visions where most Jews must convert or perish (per Christian Zionist theology).
• Today’s Christian nationalist movements increasingly reject the “Judeo-Christian” framing, favoring a more exclusive “Christian America”:
  • “Whenever you have triumphalist Christian movements … allied with state power, it goes south for the Jews pretty quickly.” (Ben Lorber, 09:21)

4. The Far Right's “Populist” Reframing Around Israel and Palestine

[11:52 – 16:33]

• Daniel asks if Candace Owens qualifies as a Christian nationalist (she does, according to Lorber).
• The conversation shifts to the embrace of Palestinian Christian voices by right-wing pundits (Tucker Carlson, etc.) and how figures like Owens traffic in antisemitic Christian nationalist tropes, such as “Jews want to enslave Christians.”
• Lorber underscores the confusion this breeds:
  • The far right’s criticism of US policy toward Israel is recast through an antisemitic lens (“Jewish cabal”) rather than anti-imperialism or genuine solidarity with Palestinians.
  • “They focus on Jewish Zionists … who they think have kind of yet enslaved the US Government.” (Ben Lorber, 13:51)
• Daniel critiques the left’s susceptibility to being misled by this right-wing populist messaging, overlooking ongoing authoritarian projects targeting minorities.

5. Establishment Jewish Organizations and the ADL

[16:33 – 19:57]

• Daniel asks about the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) current role.
• Lorber gives historical context: the ADL has long collaborated with state power, from McCarthyism to surveilling left-wing groups.
• Today, the ADL prioritizes defense of Israel and suppressing the movement for Palestinian freedom, even at the cost of alliances with authoritarian political forces.
  • They’ve dropped anti-bias programming, distanced from anti-extremism work, and now focus on combating BDS and maintaining access to power.
  • “They’re trying to ally with rising fascism in the hope that they can find Jewish safety that way … but it’s a fool’s bargain.” (Ben Lorber, 19:13)
• Example: Defending Elon Musk, who soon after denounced the ADL as “anti-Christian,” highlighting the futility and danger of this approach.

6. Data Distortion and the Weaponization of ‘Antisemitism Audits’

[22:14 – 24:16]

• Daniel and Ben discuss recent critiques of the ADL's antisemitism data.
• Lorber notes that the ADL’s most recent audit includes pro-Palestine rallies as “antisemitic incidents,” regardless of content or context—even when Jewish-led.
  • “You have Jewish groups who are anti-Semitic for calling for Palestinian freedom … so they're kind of cooking their own books.” (Ben Lorber, 23:17)
• The practice dilutes the seriousness of actual threats (e.g., from white supremacist groups) and undermines responses to genuine antisemitism.

7. False Equivalence and Marginalizing Dissent

[24:16 – 26:30]

• Both critique the tendency (e.g., by establishment figures like Sarah Hurwitz) to equate open reporting or pro-Palestine activism with actual extremist rhetoric.
• This approach marginalizes alternative Jewish voices (e.g., Jewish Voice for Peace), letting right-wing actors decide who counts as “Jewish enough,” and enabling further weaponization of identity.
• Lorber calls out the “both sides” fallacy as dangerously outdated:
  • “It’s very clear that antisemitism is much stronger and more deadly, you know, on the radical right. And the data supports this.” (Ben Lorber, 25:56)

8. Toward Better Analysis and New Institutions

[26:30 – 29:59]

• Daniel asks who is producing insightful, rigorous work on antisemitism.
• Lorber recommends:
  • The Nexus Project (coalition of antisemitism-focused academics offering context-driven, nuanced analysis)
  • Diaspora Alliance (resource hub and support for those targeted by false antisemitism allegations)
  • Jewish Currents (critical reporting and commentary)
• He argues for new institutions capable of analyzing antisemitism intersectionally and contextually:
  • “We need new institutions and new projects that are able to look at antisemitism in an intersectional way, to see the connections between antisemitism and anti-blackness, anti-immigrant xenophobia… that fuels authoritarianism and makes all of us less safe.” (Ben Lorber, 28:11)
• Exceptionalizing antisemitism, according to Lorber, prevents understanding it as part of broader authoritarian trends and undermines solidarity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the core mechanism of antisemitism:
  “Blaming someone at the top is very useful to channel those grievances, and that’s kind of the way that antisemitism has worked for over a century.”
  — Ben Lorber, [06:12]
• On the paradoxical ‘philo-Semitism’ of Christian nationalism:
  “…there’s a lot of antisemitism in the kind of we love the Jews, we really, really love the Jews attitude of Christian nationalists.”
  — Ben Lorber, [08:30]
• On abusive audits:
  “You have Jewish groups who are anti-Semitic for calling for Palestinian freedom… so they're kind of cooking their own books.”
  — Ben Lorber, [23:17]
• On the ADL’s strategy:
  “They’re trying to ally with rising fascism in the hope that they can find Jewish safety that way… but it’s a fool’s bargain. We’re seeing that play out in real time right now.”
  — Ben Lorber, [19:13]
• On centrist “both sides” rhetoric:
  “It’s very clear that antisemitism is much stronger and more deadly… on the radical right. And the data supports this not only in the US but around the world.”
  — Ben Lorber, [25:56]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:02 — Ben Lorber’s background and entry into antisemitism research
• 05:05 — The mechanics and tropes of modern antisemitism
• 07:05 — Christian nationalism and shifting philo/antisemitism
• 11:52 — The far right’s reappropriation of anti-Israel sentiment
• 16:33 — The complicit and contradictory role of the ADL
• 22:14 — The “audit” debate: inflating antisemitism statistics
• 24:31 — Marginalization of dissent and Jewish “authenticity”
• 26:30 — Models of rigorous, contextual antisemitism analysis
• 29:16 — The dangers of antisemitism-exceptionalism

Further Resources Mentioned

• Safety Through Solidarity by Ben Lorber & Shane Burley (2024) — Book link in show notes.
• Ben Lorber’s article “What Antisemitism Is and Isn’t” in Convergence magazine.
• Jewish Currents (for coverage and critique of Jewish institutional approaches).
• The Nexus Project (for robust academic frameworks).
• Diaspora Alliance (for legal, research, and support resources on spurious antisemitism claims).

Tone: The discussion is frank, analytical, and informed by lived political experience, balancing rigorous critique with worry and urgency. Lorber and Kurd do not mince words in critiquing both the far right and establishment organizations, while also emphasizing the need for new, genuinely transformative approaches.

This summary captures the episode’s exploration of contemporary antisemitism in America—from its exploitation by right and establishment actors, through the pitfalls of shallow institutional responses, to visions for more intersectional, effective strategies and institutions.