American Jews need a new activism
For 80 years, American Jewish activism had a reliable formula: build institutions, tell the story and trust that education would do the rest. It worked well enough for long enough that most American Jews never had to ask whether it still worked. Oct. 7 answered the unasked question: It doesn’t work, not on its own, and not fast enough for a fight that has moved from the op-ed page to TikTok algorithms.I grew up hearing about the Holocaust not as abstract history but as family history. My own family were survivors, and the family I have today is small because of the relatives Hitler made sure I would never meet. I was raised to be an activist; to understand that silence is what the lie depends on.That’s what makes it so painful to watch a new generation absorb its entire understanding of the world from platforms that carry a steady…
The article argues that American Jewish activism needs a new approach, as the traditional methods of institution-building and education are no longer effective against modern antisemitism, especially on social media platforms. Author Dara Horn's forthcoming book suggests that antisemitism is a persistent lie, not mere ignorance, and requires disruption rather than just refutation. The piece contends that Jews should define themselves as a people, not just a religion, and actively engage in an information battle by creating original Jewish content and directly exposing manipulation.
- The old model of activism, focused on education and litigation, is insufficient against the rapid spread of misinformation on platforms like TikTok.
- Antisemitism is framed as a lie, not just bias, requiring a strategy of disruption and direct confrontation.
- A new activism should involve pattern recognition, being vocal in neglected spaces, and building leverage through donor pressure, legal action, and lobbying for algorithm transparency.
- Investing in culture and forming coalitions beyond the Jewish community are crucial for a coordinated counternarrative.
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