Haaretz Podcast 'Deeply harmful and dangerous': Trump undermines Jewish Studies at U.S. colleges
Sep 18, 2025
Lila Corwin-Berman, Paul and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History at NYU, warns about Trump's administration's influence on Jewish Studies. She argues that funding agreements are turning scholars into 'court Jews', compromising academic freedom. Corwin-Berman also addresses the heightened tensions and anti-Semitism on campuses following the Gaza conflict. Plus, insights on how recent cultural moments, like remarks from Hannah Einbinder, reflect shifting identities among young American Jews.
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Anti‑Semitism Used As A Political Wedge
- The Trump administration uses allegations of campus anti‑Semitism as a political wedge to attack universities.
- This strategy targets governance, hiring, curricula, and disciplinary processes rather than genuine campus safety reforms.
Grant Suspensions Short‑Circuit Due Process
- The administration abruptly suspended federal grants without normal investigative processes.
- That extraordinary tactic forced universities into quick concessions under threat of losing critical research and student support funding.
Jewish Studies Risking Instrumentalization
- Channeling federal remedies into Jewish studies instrumentalizes the field to serve political ends.
- That risks narrowing legitimate scholarship to narratives the administration favors, undermining academic independence.