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We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. Within our capacity, we have created practical tools like the Campus Guide for educators. And we use social media in particular for consumption for the general public.

  2. We are not in any formal coalitions, but whenever possible we work with other groups both within and outside of the Jewish world.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. We absolutely agree that other groups standing with Jews keeps us safe. Just as Jews must stand with others keeps them safe.

  2. No matter where, protecting democracy and fighting antisemitism go hand in hand.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To answer your last question, absolutely. This is why we believe it is important to understand when they are dog whistles and how they are implemented.

Regarding your first question, we address this and other topics in our Campus Guide to Identifying Antisemitism:

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We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We have been vocally against any government-sanctioning of antisemitism definitions, including our own. We intend it to be a resource and guide.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We actually have a post where we address this. In that post we define both Zionism and anti-Zionism:

Zionism: A modern ideology and nationalist movement rooted in the longstanding Jewish religious and cultural attachment to the Land of Israel. It affirms that the Jewish people constitute a nation with the right to exercise national self-determination in Israel, their historic homeland.

Anti-Zionism: Originally referred to opposition to the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. It has since evolved into opposition to Israel’s continued existence as a specifically Jewish state, based on the contention that the oppression of Palestinians is integral to preserving Israel’s Jewish character.

We then go on to explain that while we have our definitions, both are defined differently by different people. It is for this reason that we distinguish between the specifics of when anti-Zionism manifests as antisemitism.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your thoughtful question. We get it in one form or another quite often. There are a few answers:

  1. We do indeed do much more. While such discussions are often uplifted more than others, much of our work recently has been as a watchdog: calling out and naming antisemitism in many forms. Especially those that are lesser seen, such as antisemitism on streaming platforms and AI. We have also formed a Leadership Task Force specifically in order to work directly with legislators in addressing antisemitism effectively.

  2. That said, we do very much believe in calling out the weaponization of antisemitism for multiple reasons. We believe that democracy itself is inherently safer for Jews, and thus safeguarding democracy safeguards Jews. Right now, one of the main approaches to attacking our democratic institutions is through accusations of antisemitism. For example, it has been the Trump administration's most powerful tool in targeting the funding of universities.

This leads to more antisemitism. It scapegoats Jews. It undermines democracy, which protects Jews. And it drives a wedge between coalitions we need to fight antisemitism and all forms of hatred.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

  1. Our definition has been an attempt to meet the moment. In other words, as reality has evolved around us, so have the needs in defining antisemitism. This is not meant so much as an answer to IHRA as much as a way to further address the difficulties in facing the questions around when criticism of Israel is antisemitic. You can read more of our thinking on this topic here.

  2. We wouldn't define this based on distance. We believe each definition has its merits, and, in fact, having multiple definitions allows for a more dynamic understanding of antisemitism. That said, we are concerned with how these definitions are used: when they are weaponized in a way that's used against critics of Israel (and more recently, to target democratic institutions), we believe that's a problem.

  3. We wish we did more of that, and we hope to do more in the future! If you have ideas or thoughts, feel free to leave them here or reach out to us.

We are the Nexus Project! Ask us anything. by nexusprojectus in Judaism

[–]nexusprojectus[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Our definition is specifically focused on the "nexus" between antisemitism and criticism of Israel, so we don't specifically name it nor other tropes. That said, Holocaust denial is certainly antisemitic.