Drawing on his groundbreaking history of antisemitism and free speech in the United States, James Loeffler will explore how American Jews have debated — and sometimes fiercely disagreed about — the boundaries of free expression, the meaning of antisemitism, and the appropriate role of law and government in protecting vulnerable communities. Rabbi Jacobs will bring her perspective as a Jewish communal leader and advocate for human rights, helping us consider what these questions mean for Jewish life and Jewish politics today.
James Loeffler is a historian at Johns Hopkins University and the author of Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight over Free Speech in Modern America, a history of the relationship among antisemitism, free speech, and American Jewish politics.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs is a leading Jewish communal voice on human rights and social justice and serves as the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.