Title: “American Antisemitism: Grounds for Optimism or Pessimism?”
Date: April 21, 2015
Speaker: Dr. Arnie Dashefsky
Affiliation: Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Connecticut;
Director, Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life, University of Connecticut
Location: Harvard University
Convener: Professor Chuck Freilich, Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School
Description: Dr. Arnie Dashefsky traces Jewish history and the emergence of antisemitism and notes that the first instances of antisemitism were, in fact, instances of anti-Judaism. This anti-Judaism and the notion that Judaism is less then Christianity evolved into antisemitism and the denigration and demonization of the Jews.