How far through the Looking Glass have we fallen when a billionaire threatens to sue the Anti-Defamation League for defamation? Religious studies professor Eric Mazur says it’s not as far as you might think, because scapegoating Jews for the world’s ills has been around forever. The real change is how the age of hyper-information has brought these stories before a larger, non-Jewish audience.

Eric sees the shrinking of attendance at synagogues as the result of many factors, including the overall trend to question institutions and the increase in secular options to congregate. There’s also the matter of “Jewish law,” which, though a misnomer, needs to evolve in order to meet the needs of a technologizing culture.

As a historian, Eric also reveals the interesting back stories behind why “anti-Semitism” is now written as “antisemitism,” why humans seek to make meaning where there isn’t necessarily meaning, and how the Hora has found such a solid footing in non-Jewish weddings.

Thanks for listening to When the Flames Go Up! Please consider a paid subscription to support our writing, podcasting and appreciation for kosher green beans.

We also talk about the difference between Judaism in America and American Judaism, the exploration of Judaism in the Barbie movie, and the truly momentous day when Nabisco introduced kosher Oreos.

Other links:

* The Life, Times, and Legacy of Thomas Nast

* The “horns” of Michelangelo’s Moses

* Watch The Tribe, by Tiffany Shlain

Photo by Leona Baker for Virginia Wesleyan University

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whentheflamesgoup.substack.com