How did a shift in educational philosophy in the 1960s pave the way not only for contemporary social justice movements but for today’s neo-antisemitism? Host Gil Troy and Dr. Rachel Fish discuss the identity of Jews as an ethnoreligious minority group, the confusion surrounding the recent and ongoing campus antisemitism, the centrality of critical thinking skills in early and continuing education, and the crisis of meaning and transcendence in today’s society, and finally, how to take steps towards positive change.

Dr. Rachel Fish is Special Advisor to The Brandeis University Presidential Initiative to Counter Antisemitism in Higher Education, a Visiting Assistant Professor at The George Washington University, and co-founder of the non-profit Boundless.

(0:00) Opening

(0:30) Introduction

(3:22) Bialik Letter

(5:50) Ben-Gurion Letter

(7:36) Interview with Rachel Fish

(39:56) Summary

To read the texts and learn more about the manuscripts discussed in this episode, visit: 

Check out Rachel Fish’s 5 favorite books:

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Production by docyourstory

Music by Adam Weingrod

The show is produced by The Shapell Manuscript Foundation. To learn more about the foundation and discover the manuscript collection visit: www.shapell.org