Antisemitism Watch

US Jewish Institutions Spend Over $1 Billion on Security Amid Rising Antisemitic Threats
Cornell Student's Online Antisemitic Remarks Spark Controversy
Suspect Charged With Hate-Related Offenses for Antisemitic Posts

🎧 Listen & Subscribe Here

Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

This week, stark indicators point to the pervasive and escalating nature of antisemitic threats, forcing significant adaptations within Jewish communities and drawing sharp criticism of public figures and institutions. Across the United States, Jewish institutions are collectively spending over one billion dollars on security measures due to escalating antisemitic threats, a figure reported by The New York Post. This immense financial burden diverts critical funds from educational programs and community services. The threat necessitates direct interventions for safety: in Italy, Dalia Gubbay, Vice President of the Milan Jewish Community, states that children now require police escorts to attend school, a reality she finds inconceivable to non-Jewish friends, as reported by Haaretz. This necessity for round-the-clock security underscores profound anxiety over children's safety, a fear Gubbay herself has experienced firsthand. London has also seen a significant increase, with antisemitism rising by 23 percent, according to London's Metropolitan Police, as cited by The Jewish Chronicle. The palpable threat led to the last-minute cancellation of a mass Rosh Hashanah dinner in Phuket, Thailand. Organizers, acting on the advice of Israeli security officials, cited concerns that local protests, which included antisemitic rhetoric such as "Jews out," could have turned violent, according to The Bangkok Post. On campuses, UCLA faced condemnation for hosting a symposium on terrorism that featured a lawyer for al-Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk issued a statement rejecting antisemitism, as reported by The California Post. In New York City, a Brooklyn teacher faces Department of Education discipline for online posts containing 9/11 and antisemitic conspiracy theories, as detailed by The New York Post. In politics, Israeli Consul General Ofir Akunis drew criticism for comparing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's support for the Israel boycott movement to tactics used by Nazis, according to reporting reviewed for this episode.

On campuses specifically, student Austin Franco at Cornell University continues to attract controversy. According to The New York Post, Franco gained notoriety for stating he was "not interested in working for a Jew." Despite social ostracism and criticism from the student newspaper, Franco insists he is a campus celebrity and has continued posting antisemitic remarks online, including comments about admissions and "crypto-Jew" last names. This viral incident highlights ongoing concerns about the targeting of Jewish students at universities.

In legal developments, a suspect has been charged with hate-related offenses following an investigation into alleged antisemitic posts that reportedly involved hate speech and the promotion of genocide. This case was reported on September 12, 2026, according to reporting reviewed for this episode.

Turning to positive developments, the "Voice of the People" global Jewish leadership initiative has opened applications for its second cohort. Supported by President Isaac Herzog's office, the World Zionist Organization, and the Jewish Agency for Israel, this program aims to build relationships and develop practical responses to challenges facing Jewish communities, including antisemitism. Applications for the second cohort, which will include 150 participants from Israel, the US, Canada, and other diaspora communities, are due by October 12, as reported by The Media Line.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app so you don’t miss the next update.
This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- facebook.com: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaliforniaPost/posts/the-antisemitic-cornell-student-who-went-viral-for-declaring-that-hes-not-intere/122148381015021372/
- buttondown.com: https://buttondown.com/antisemitismwatch/archive/antisemitism-watch-september-12-2026-01-pm-eastern/
- ctvnews.ca: https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/local/hamilton/article/man-charged-with-hate-related-offences-following-investigation-into-alleged-antisemitic-posts/
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-908430