Simon Schama in Conversation with 92NY’s Rabbi David Ingber: A New History of Antisemitism

Please submit questions for the speakers in the chat starting on October 20 at approximately 8 pm ET.

World-renowned historian Simon Schama, author of The Story of the Jews, joins Rabbi David Ingber for a conversation about his new essay, Jew-Hatred: The Latest Edition. Published by The Jewish Quarterly, it is a concise, powerful overview of the evolution of anti-Jewish prejudice from the ancient world to the present day, revealing how old myths and accusations continue to shape contemporary society.

For thousands of years, as society embraced new ideas and discoveries — including the birth of Christianity and Islam, the enlightenment, the rise of nationalism and globalism, and great leaps of technology — the Jewish people served as a dark mirror on which fears, anxieties and hatreds have been reflected. Why? In his crucial and unflinching new book, Schama examines the forces that have enabled this old hatred to surface, adapt and thrive, even in the age of liberal democracy. With his characteristic blend of clarity, erudition and curiosity, Schama looks at the recurring beliefs and imagery that have coursed through the variants of antisemitism, including the latest outbreaks since the October 7 attacks and the war in Gaza.

At a moment when antisemitism is once again commanding global attention, this timely conversation offers historical perspective, moral clarity, and an opportunity to better understand one of humanity’s most enduring and troubling phenomena. Together, Schama and Ingber discuss consider not only what history teaches us about antisemitism, but also what Jewish resilience, creativity, and moral courage can teach us about confronting it.