Antisemitism Watch

Toronto Mayor Refuses Antisemitism Debate Amid Surge in Anti-Jewish Hate Crimes
Jewish Scholar Amy-Jill Levine Faces Antisemitic Backlash After Academic Election
Jane Fonda Defends Mark Ruffalo Against Antisemitism Accusations in Merger Dispute

🎧 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. Today, we examine the challenges posed by political inaction, the resurgence of antisemitic rhetoric against prominent figures, and ongoing concerns about institutional responses to hate speech.

In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow has declined to attend a mayoral debate focused on antisemitism and public safety. Her campaign stated she would not participate in any events before her re-election bid officially launches on September 9th. This decision comes as the city grapples with a significant rise in antisemitism, with reporting indicating that 80 percent of hate crimes in Toronto are anti-Jewish. Opponent Brad Bradford and candidate Chris Alexander have confirmed their attendance at the debate, hosted by Jewish Lawyers of Canada, which aims to explore strategies for confronting antisemitism and strengthening public safety. Critics suggest this indicates the incumbent mayor is not taking anti-Jewish hate seriously.

Meanwhile, respected Jewish scholar Amy-Jill Levine, elected as the first-ever Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America, has faced an antisemitic backlash. Following the August announcement, social media posts with tens of thousands of followers denounced her. Critics labeled her 'anti-Christian,' accused her of trying to hijack Catholicism, and propagated age-old antisemitic canards, alongside anti-Zionist comments. In response, the association's executive board chair, Gregory E. Sterling, and executive director, Archie Wright, stated that Levine was elected for her scholarly excellence and contributions to Catholic-Jewish dialogue, not her religion. Bishop Joseph Bambera of Scranton, Pa., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' committee on interreligious relations, congratulated Levine, calling her election a 'fitting celebration of the genuinely interfaith character of biblical scholarship.' Levine herself noted on Facebook that 'Hate and demonizing, name-calling and slandering, are not good forms of evangelism.'

In the entertainment sphere, actress Jane Fonda has publicly defended actor Mark Ruffalo against accusations of invoking antisemitic tropes. Paramount leveled the charge after Ruffalo shared a video discussing Oracle's technology used by Israel and linked Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount merger, suggesting the technology would be used for 'oppression.' Ruffalo stated that the accusation of antisemitism is 'appalling and fundamentally dishonest,' emphasizing that criticizing Israeli government actions or military technology contracts is not equivalent to criticizing Jewish people. He added that his views stem from his political convictions and that he has 'deep love and respect' for Jewish people. Over 180 Jewish entertainers and artists signed a letter supporting Ruffalo, asserting that 'there is nothing antisemitic about recognizing' the interconnectedness of the assault on Palestinian people and on liberties at home.

Broader concerns about institutional responses to antisemitism are echoed in a warning from rabbis in Europe. They contend that the continent is jeopardizing its fundamental values by failing to adequately protect its Jewish population. The rabbis underscore the critical need to address hate speech and inciting content, particularly online, calling for technology companies to quickly remove such material and for tougher enforcement.

On the campus front, a dispute has arisen regarding statistics in a CBC report on antisemitism. The report found that approximately 26 percent of students had considered leaving their university due to the issue.

This has been Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler.

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:
- thej.ca: https://thej.ca/2026/09/05/cbc-clarifies-campus-antisemitism-report-after-survey-statistics-challenged/
- nwaonline.com: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/sep/05/jewish-scholar-faces-backlash-from-haters/
- nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2026/09/04/media/jane-fonda-rushes-to-mark-ruffalos-defense-calls-out-larry-ellison-after-paramount-accuses-actor-of-antisemitism/
- zoomerradio.ca: https://www.zoomerradio.ca/news/2026/09/04/olivia-chow-wont-attend-mayoral-debate-on-antisemitism-september-8th/
- ynetnews.com: https://www.ynetnews.com/jewish-world/article/hj6xji0000gl