In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin unpack some of the difficult moral questions that arise in the context of condemning forms of violence and armed resistance by oppressed groups. What does condemnation mean? Do we all have standing to condemn actions we believe are morally illegitimate? What if we are responsible for the conditions that give rise to those actions?

This episode explores these and other questions, beginning with a discussion of a 2006 article by philosopher G.A Cohen titled "Casting the First Stone: Who Can, and Who Can't, Condemn the Terrorists?” which then offers a platform to analyse the conditions of Israel’s blockade on Gaza, the events of October 7th 2023, and finally what the relationship between the two might suggest about who can condemn what.

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/badjewspodcast

Useful links mentioned in the episode:

Casting the First Stone: Who Can, and Who Can't, Condemn the Terrorists?

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/royal-institute-of-philosophy-supplements/article/abs/casting-the-first-stone-who-can-and-who-cant-condemn-the-terrorists1/CB1B1870377CF7A71038A02E19C11A38

Toys, spices, sewing machines: the items Israel banned from entering Gaza – The Guardian, 24 June 2024

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/24/gaza-blockade-israel-banned-items

Gaza Fights For Freedom (2019) | Full Documentary | Directed by Abby Martin
https://youtu.be/HnZSaKYmP2s

Norman Finkelstein & Marc Lamont Hill discuss Gaza, Future of Israel/Palestine, & International Law

https://youtu.be/GUzKfYO6FPQ

Shu Kaman – Rashid Khalidi on Purity Politics and His Upcoming Book

https://youtu.be/6CL1tiF-5zA

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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

Anthony and Caitlin sit down with Leslie London – retired UCT professor, public health physician, human rights activist, and fellow Bad Jew. Leslie talks about his personal experiences growing up in the Jewish community in Cape Town and attending Herzlia school, the way in which his Jewish values have shaped him, and his decision to apply for religious objector status after being conscripted to the SADF during apartheid (and be the first and last Jewish person to do so).

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/badjewspodcast

Useful links mentioned in the episode:
Academics for Peace:
  https://www.instagram.com/reels/DM8GWYoPNQ1/

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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin discuss the ABC's of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions). The phrase "BDS" has become something of a swear word in the South African Jewish community, which has meant that BDS, both as a strategy and as a movement, is rarely discussed (and therefore frequently misunderstood). This episode hopes to provide a starting point for that discussion.

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast

Useful links mentioned in the episode:

*Caitlin le Roith on "International law and the Israeli exception."*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_RVo1iseo

*Shir Hever at the UN (16 May 2025)*
https://shorturl.at/1kC41

*About the BDS Movement*
https://bdsmovement.net/what-bds

*Joint Statement by Chief Albert Lutuli, Dr. G.M. Naicker and Peter Brown appealing to the British People to Boycott South Africa, 5 December 1959*
https://sahistory.org.za/archive/joint-statement-chief-albert-lutuli-dr-gm-naicker-and-peter-brown-appealing-british-people

*Gideon Levy: Does unconditional support for Israel endanger Israeli voices?*
https://youtu.be/DGO3eBxQX7Q

*‘Israeli Society Has Become Completely Genocidal' - B'Tselem Head Yuli Novak*
https://youtu.be/RbtHyPcc1rs

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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

On 28 April 2026, Professor Adam Mendelsohn delivered an inaugural lecture at the University of Cape Town titled "Where to for the Jews?". In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin critically engage with some of the arguments made by Mendelsohn in that lecture and the evidence he puts forward in support of his claims.

Support the podcast on Patreon: http://patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast

*Useful links mentioned in the episode:*

*Prof Adam Mendelsohn Inaugural Lecture - Where to for the Jews?*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAwml3vj9lY

*Lecture Transcript*
https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news/where-to-for-the-jews

*Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism*
https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/

*Antisemitism and the age of civilizational panic, William Shoki, Africa is a Country, 15 December 2025*
https://africasacountry.com/list/campaign/cam:p1k2q3

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0:00 Introduction and overview
6:18 Special expectations of Jews on Israel
14:48 Anti-Zionist "projections" onto Zionism
22:01 Jewish immigration away from South Africa
38:04 Do Zionists instrumentalise antisemitism claims?
52:53 Local antisemitism and Zionist securitisation
1:02:34 Saying Zionist but meaning Jew
1:11:39 Anti-Zionists and antisemitic tropes
1:25:15 Good Jews and Bad Jews
1:33:43 Dissent and disagreement
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https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/
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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

What does the Talmud say about protesting injustices and what does this have to do with a rabbi’s cow? Anthony and Caitlin are joined by local service leader and librarian Mitchel Joffe Hunter to explain.

Links to articles and sources mentioned in the episode:

*The Rabbi's Cow: A Source Sheet on the Responsibility to Protest*
https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/715737?lang=bi

*Isaiah Is this the fast (58.5-7)*
https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.58.5?lang=bi

https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/

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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

Caitlin and Anthony discuss their experiences at their local Jewish, Zionist School, Herzlia, focusing especially on the highly curated experience their education offered them on Israel and Zionism.

Did you go to such a school? What was it like for you?

In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin discuss the problems that arise when determining whether opposition to Zionism is being mischaracterised as antisemitism, or conversely, being used to disguise it. They explore how they go about assessing particular situations to see if there is good evidence of antisemitism, or whether accusers are jumping the gun (intentionally or not). They focus especially on the recent incident involving two Johannesburg high schools, King David and Roedean, where the former accused the latter of antisemitism after the forfeiting of a tennis match.

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Links to articles and sources mentioned in the episode:

What is antisemitism? And who gets to decide what it is?

17 February 2026 | GroundUp | By Anthony Fish Hodgson and Caitlin Le Roith – https://groundup.org.za/article/what-antisemitism/

Roedean and anti-Semitism: A reply to GroundUp
03 March 2026 | Adam Charnas | Politicsweb – https://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/roedean-and-antisemitism-a-reply-to-groundup

Charisse Zeifert: calling discrimination by its proper name
24 February 2026 | Charisse Zeifert | SAJBD – https://www.sajbd.org/post/charisse-zeifert-calling-discrimination-by-its-proper-name

Caitlin le Roith on "International law and the Israeli exception." – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_RVo1iseo

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Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz