In this episode, we interview Sheryl Nestel, a scholar, activist, and educator, who brings an anti-zionist and critical race lens to Jewish studies. Sheryl is a founding member of Independent Jewish Voices in Canada, she’s a member of Global Jews for Palestine, and was involved in the drafting of the Jerusalem Declaration.

Sheryl talks about the new paths she was developing in Jewish studies, when her long-time, yet precarious, employment at the University of Toronto was cut short. Sheryl also speaks about the wider suppression of scholarship on Palestine, which she and Rowan Gaudet began to document in their groundbreaking study, Unveiling the Chilly Climate: The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada.

Sheryl insists that research can be transformative. Specifically, she finds hope in public scholarship—critical research conducted outside of the academy, which provides activists and movements with the hard evidence they need.

Related links:

Global Jews for Palestine

Independent Jewish Voices

Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism

Unveiling the Chilly Climate: The Suppression of Speech on Palestine in Canada