Identity/Crisis Antizionism and the American Left’s Jewish Problem — with Shaul Kelner
Jan 27, 2026
Shaul Kelner, professor of Jewish Studies and Sociology at Vanderbilt and scholar of transnational Jewish solidarity, discusses how antizionism functions as a movement culture shaping who belongs on the American left. He examines campus practices, activist framing, slogans, Jewish participation, and the need for clearer responses without collapsing every critique of Israel.
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Marketing Firm Refusal Story
- Yehuda Kurtzer recounts a 2022 incident where a marketing firm refused work due to links with an Israeli institute.
- The firm later apologized and admitted staff divergence on Israel caused the refusal, which became public after Kurtzer contacted a reporter.
Two Strategic Responses To Anti-Zionism
- Kurtzer describes two responses to anti-Zionism: negotiative (understand and expand the tent) and confrontational (draw clear lines and oppose).
- He prefers distinguishing moral thresholds with a scalpel rather than collapsing all critique of Israel into one category.
Anti-Zionism As Political Movement
- Shaul Kelner frames anti-Zionism as a political movement about Jews' collective rights, distinct from individual-level anti-Semitism.
- He argues people can join without personal hatred, making anti-Zionism a political phenomenon rather than a purely emotional one.
