36 Minutes on Antisemitism

In this episode, I sit down with Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, director of the CDEC Foundation since 2016 and an esteemed historian specializing in contemporary Judaism and the modern age. We discuss the pressing issue of antisemitism in Italy, exploring its historical roots, current manifestations, and efforts to combat it. For this episode, I traveled to Milan to the Memoriale della Shoah, a Holocaust memorial at the Milano Centrale railway station commemorating the Jewish prisoners deported from there during the Holocaust in Italy. Jewish prisoners from the San Vittore Prison, Milan, were taken to a secret underground platform, Platform 21 (Italian: Binario 21), where they were loaded onto freight cars and transported on Holocaust trains to extermination camps, either directly or via other transit camps. Twenty trains and up to 1,200 Jewish prisoners left Milan in this fashion to be murdered, predominantly at Auschwitz. I sat there, inside that poignant setting, with Gadi Luzzatto Voghera. Join us for an insightful conversation on this critical topic.

Hosted by Dr. Omar Mohammed, "36 Minutes on Antisemitism" is an interactive bi-monthly podcast that explores the contemporary dynamics of antisemitism across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. This series engages with practitioners, policymakers, and scholars dedicated to studying and combating antisemitism. Through a free-of-edit format, the podcast allows guest speakers to elaborate on the latest trends and insights in antisemitism, fostering a deep and nuanced understanding of its manifestations and challenges. Each 36-minute episode aims to enlighten listeners on the complexities of antisemitism, promoting informed dialogue and action. Join us monthly for an essential exploration of the current state of antisemitism as we seek to contribute to a more informed and equitable global discourse.

Produced by The Program on Extremism at George Washington University

Host: Dr. Omar Mohammed

Research Team:

Natalie Fontana

Jake Gilstrap

Cynthia Martinez

Rosa Cabus Carrera

Check out our website: Program on Extremism | The George Washington University (gwu.edu)

Twitter (X) Program On Extremism @gwupoe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Guilherme Canela Godoi, Chief of the Section of Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists at UNESCO, and Canela De Souza Godoi

Join a nuanced discussion on navigating free speech while addressing hate speech online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Oren Segal, Vice President of the Center on Extremism.

Release Date: Monday, January 6th

Social media platforms have become powerful tools for communication but also breeding grounds for harmful ideologies, including antisemitism. In this episode, Oren Segal delves into how antisemitic content proliferates online, the algorithms that amplify it, and what strategies are being implemented to curb its spread.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Dr. David Hirsh, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Founding Director of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism.

What does it really mean to educate against antisemitism in a polarized, ideologically charged academic environment?

In this episode, Dr. David Hirsh joins Omar Mohammed to explore how antisemitism manifests in intellectual and activist spaces—often cloaked in the language of human rights and anti-racism. Drawing on his scholarship and practical experience, Hirsh unpacks the challenges of confronting antisemitism that is embedded in elite discourse, campus culture, and political activism.

From the misuse of academic freedom to the erasure of Jewish narratives, this conversation explores how education can serve as both a tool for understanding—and, at times, a shield for denial. Dr. Hirsh calls for a courageous pedagogy that refuses to compromise on moral clarity, and challenges educators to confront antisemitism even when it's unpopular to do so.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following my discussion with Mathias Dreyfuss, Deputy Head of DILCRAH (the Interministerial Delegation for the Fight Against Racism, Antisemitism, and Anti-LGBT Hate), who provided the official French government perspective on the rise of antisemitism in France, I returned to Paris for a more in-depth conversation. I sat down with Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Managing Director of the American Jewish Committee in Europe, to delve deeper into the current state of antisemitism in France. Our discussion focused on its manifestations and the urgent need for more effective tools and strategies to combat this growing threat.

Hosted by Dr. Omar Mohammed, "36 Minutes on Antisemitism" is an interactive bi-monthly podcast that explores the contemporary dynamics of antisemitism across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. This series engages with practitioners, policymakers, and scholars dedicated to studying and combating antisemitism. Through a free-of-edit format, the podcast allows guest speakers to elaborate on the latest trends and insights in antisemitism, fostering a deep and nuanced understanding of its manifestations and challenges. Each 36-minute episode aims to enlighten listeners on the complexities of antisemitism, promoting informed dialogue and action. Join us monthly for an essential exploration of the current state of antisemitism as we seek to contribute to a more informed and equitable global discourse.

Produced by The Program on Extremism at George Washington University

Host: Dr. Omar Mohammed

Research Team:

Natalie Fontana

Jake Gilstrap

Cynthia Martinez

Rosa Cabus Carrera

Check out our website: Program on Extremism | The George Washington University (gwu.edu)

Twitter (X) Program On Extremism @gwupoe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.