Joel S.
@joelhs.bsky.social
Professor of Religion and Jewish Studies, Sarah Lawrence College. PhD in Religious Studies, University of Chicago. Globalist elite and Thing-in-Itself-hating Jew. Husband of @petticoatshrink.bsky.social. He/Him/הוא/ער
"ICE is an affront to Torah, ICE is an affront to God." www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
Jewish leaders protest in DC, say ICE's actions are 'affront to God'
More than 150 rabbis and cantors protest outside ICE's headquarters in Washington, DC, criticizing the Trump administration's immigration enforcement.
www.usatoday.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:39 AM
"ICE is an affront to Torah, ICE is an affront to God." www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...
"Syria’s New Government Returns Property to Syrian Jews Who Left Decades Ago" www.npr.org/2026/02/11/n...
Syria’s New Government Returns Property to Syrian Jews Who Left Decades Ago : State of the World from NPR
Syria’s Jewish community fled the country’s repressive Assad regime. Now, a new government is encouraging their return by giving back ownership of synagogues and other property. Jane Arraf is there a...
www.npr.org
February 12, 2026 at 12:46 AM
"Syria’s New Government Returns Property to Syrian Jews Who Left Decades Ago" www.npr.org/2026/02/11/n...
My colleague at my institution wrote a good piece about Zionism and historical contingencies, and the possibility things could have gone differently. thehistoricizer.substack.com/p/beware-the...
Beware the Seductive Meta-Narrative! Lazy History and the Flattening of Zionism
By Matt
thehistoricizer.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:14 PM
My colleague at my institution wrote a good piece about Zionism and historical contingencies, and the possibility things could have gone differently. thehistoricizer.substack.com/p/beware-the...
Which is where the tensions around what we mean by "Jewish state" come into play - what do you do with someone like Martin Buber, who called himself a Zionist because he wanted a culturally Jewish state in Palestine, but imagined it on binationalist terms?
February 11, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Which is where the tensions around what we mean by "Jewish state" come into play - what do you do with someone like Martin Buber, who called himself a Zionist because he wanted a culturally Jewish state in Palestine, but imagined it on binationalist terms?
I'm not using "statist" in terms of "supporting the current government," but "defining a Jewish state as one with a durable Jewish voting majority."
February 11, 2026 at 10:12 PM
I'm not using "statist" in terms of "supporting the current government," but "defining a Jewish state as one with a durable Jewish voting majority."
Christian nationalist politicians lecturing Jews descended from Holocaust victims about what is actually antisemitic really is the logical endpoint to the current antisemitism discourse.
BONDI: You didn't ask Merrick Garland anything about Epstein
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
February 11, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Christian nationalist politicians lecturing Jews descended from Holocaust victims about what is actually antisemitic really is the logical endpoint to the current antisemitism discourse.
The Trump administration is trying to divide Jews from other marginalized communities at a time of rising antisemitism and fascism, by forcing Jews to choose between supporting ICE or rejecting federal security funding. It is an unacceptable choice,. www.jta.org/2026/02/11/i...
American synagogues are being forced into a terrible choice: Collaborate with ICE or risk our own safety - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Jewish federations should fund security so synagogues don't have to accept the federal government's conditions, a Philadelphia rabbi urges.
www.jta.org
February 11, 2026 at 5:32 PM
The Trump administration is trying to divide Jews from other marginalized communities at a time of rising antisemitism and fascism, by forcing Jews to choose between supporting ICE or rejecting federal security funding. It is an unacceptable choice,. www.jta.org/2026/02/11/i...
Anyway, if you want to read my take on why we need a more nuanced discussion of what we mean when we use the word "Zionism," which seems to have upset a lot of people on all sides of the political spectrum, here it is: www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
A Jew can believe in a Jewish, democratic state and still doubt whether contemporary Zionism advances both of those commitments, writes a scholar of European Jewish intellectual history.
www.jta.org
February 11, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Anyway, if you want to read my take on why we need a more nuanced discussion of what we mean when we use the word "Zionism," which seems to have upset a lot of people on all sides of the political spectrum, here it is: www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
Me: "Zionism once had many non-statist meanings, but now it basically is used synonymously with statist political Zionism."
Jews to my right: "You're giving cover to antisemites by rejecting Zionism!"
People to my left: "You're covering up for genocide by rehabilitating Zionism!"
Jews to my right: "You're giving cover to antisemites by rejecting Zionism!"
People to my left: "You're covering up for genocide by rehabilitating Zionism!"
February 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Me: "Zionism once had many non-statist meanings, but now it basically is used synonymously with statist political Zionism."
Jews to my right: "You're giving cover to antisemites by rejecting Zionism!"
People to my left: "You're covering up for genocide by rehabilitating Zionism!"
Jews to my right: "You're giving cover to antisemites by rejecting Zionism!"
People to my left: "You're covering up for genocide by rehabilitating Zionism!"
Have a post go semi-viral on this platform, get accused by people to my right of sucking up to antisemites who will never accept any Jews, and by people to my left of covering up for Palestinian genocide, all because I wrote a semi-nuanced article on the changing meaning of the word "Zionism."
February 11, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Have a post go semi-viral on this platform, get accused by people to my right of sucking up to antisemites who will never accept any Jews, and by people to my left of covering up for Palestinian genocide, all because I wrote a semi-nuanced article on the changing meaning of the word "Zionism."
"Amy Kershenbaum, 58, who was among those inside the event, said: 'Many of us would not be here if Reform policies were in place when our ancestors sought refuge.'"
February 11, 2026 at 4:46 PM
"Amy Kershenbaum, 58, who was among those inside the event, said: 'Many of us would not be here if Reform policies were in place when our ancestors sought refuge.'"
Nigel Farage should be heckled everywhere he goes, but also, calling Jews who support Reform UK “Reform Jewish” is going to get very confusing very quickly.
February 11, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Nigel Farage should be heckled everywhere he goes, but also, calling Jews who support Reform UK “Reform Jewish” is going to get very confusing very quickly.
The far-right Reform UK launched a Jewish members' organization. Jewish protesters interrupted the event, heckled Nigel Farage, and accused Farage of using Jews "launder and whitewash his politics." www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Nigel Farage heckled at launch of Reform Jewish group
Jewish activists interrupt speech at synagogue and accuse party of paving way for persecution of other minorities
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:58 PM
The far-right Reform UK launched a Jewish members' organization. Jewish protesters interrupted the event, heckled Nigel Farage, and accused Farage of using Jews "launder and whitewash his politics." www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
“Israeli Annexation of the West Bank Is Now a Legal Reality” www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
'Tectonic': Israeli annexation of the West Bank is now a legal reality
As Israel Expands Its Legal Powers in the West Bank Into Palestinian-controlled Enclaves, Could the International Community – and U.S. President Donald Trump – Finally Be Moved to Act Beyond Empty Con...
www.haaretz.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:11 PM
“Israeli Annexation of the West Bank Is Now a Legal Reality” www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
"Any serious push to account for the actions of this government — to abolish the president’s private army, restructure immigration enforcement and punish anyone responsible for wrongdoing — must include recompense and repair for its victims." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/o...
Opinion | We Have to Face What ICE Has Done to Us
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:37 PM
"Any serious push to account for the actions of this government — to abolish the president’s private army, restructure immigration enforcement and punish anyone responsible for wrongdoing — must include recompense and repair for its victims." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/o...
ICYMI: I published a piece this week about the first survey in a long time explicitly asking American Jews if they are Zionists, and what it tells us that American Jews are more likely to believe the state of Israel is committing genocide than to identify as Zionists. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
A Jew can believe in a Jewish, democratic state and still doubt whether contemporary Zionism advances both of those commitments, writes a scholar of European Jewish intellectual history.
www.jta.org
February 11, 2026 at 1:25 PM
ICYMI: I published a piece this week about the first survey in a long time explicitly asking American Jews if they are Zionists, and what it tells us that American Jews are more likely to believe the state of Israel is committing genocide than to identify as Zionists. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
The Zionist Organization of America trying to kick HIAS out of the Conference of Presidents really is a sign that the center cannot hold for American Jewish politics any longer, and that if there was ever a compelling need for something like the Conference of Presidents, it is long since over.
February 11, 2026 at 5:44 AM
The Zionist Organization of America trying to kick HIAS out of the Conference of Presidents really is a sign that the center cannot hold for American Jewish politics any longer, and that if there was ever a compelling need for something like the Conference of Presidents, it is long since over.
These are going to become the Stolpersteine of the United States.
seen in my neighborhood in south Minneapolis
February 11, 2026 at 5:07 AM
These are going to become the Stolpersteine of the United States.
I have to say, I do not love this new trend of large liberal accounts with millions of followers identifying Jews.
February 11, 2026 at 3:29 AM
I have to say, I do not love this new trend of large liberal accounts with millions of followers identifying Jews.
I wrote a piece yesterday on why most American Jews say they support Israel as a "Jewish and democratic state," but do not identify as Zionists. And it isn't, like a lot of Jewish organizations are pretending, because they are actually all Zionists without knowing it. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
A Jew can believe in a Jewish, democratic state and still doubt whether contemporary Zionism advances both of those commitments, writes a scholar of European Jewish intellectual history.
www.jta.org
February 11, 2026 at 2:33 AM
I wrote a piece yesterday on why most American Jews say they support Israel as a "Jewish and democratic state," but do not identify as Zionists. And it isn't, like a lot of Jewish organizations are pretending, because they are actually all Zionists without knowing it. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
I do not think this would be a good idea: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Greg Gutfeld calls for a Jewish Super Bowl half time show with a ‘live circumcision’
Greg Gutfeld even employed a mock Spanish accent to mock Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny’s halftime show
www.independent.co.uk
February 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM
I do not think this would be a good idea: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
So much for being against cancel culture, I guess.
Vance deleted this after two hours. Apparently, commemoration of the victims of the Armenian G* lasts only as long as it does not upset Turkish partners.
February 10, 2026 at 9:52 PM
So much for being against cancel culture, I guess.
They tell me that we don't need my field of Religious Studies, only STEM, just at the time that a lot of the leading STEM figures are creating a new religious identity for themselves without even realizing it.
February 10, 2026 at 8:50 PM
They tell me that we don't need my field of Religious Studies, only STEM, just at the time that a lot of the leading STEM figures are creating a new religious identity for themselves without even realizing it.
I wrote yesterday about how the definition of "Zionism" has considerably narrowed in recent years from its origins, leading an increasing number of American Jews to reject it entirely. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
A Jew can believe in a Jewish, democratic state and still doubt whether contemporary Zionism advances both of those commitments, writes a scholar of European Jewish intellectual history.
www.jta.org
February 10, 2026 at 5:23 PM
I wrote yesterday about how the definition of "Zionism" has considerably narrowed in recent years from its origins, leading an increasing number of American Jews to reject it entirely. www.jta.org/2026/02/09/i...
"An extensive survey of over a thousand evangelicals last year... found that just 29% of evangelicals under 35 believe Jews are the chosen people. For all other age brackets, the number was 50% or higher." www.notus.org/perspectives...
The Coming Conservative Turn Against Israel Goes Much Deeper Than You Realize
It’s not just about politics. It’s also about theology. And it’s going to have a massive impact on Zionism, U.S. foreign policy — and even the place of Jews in America.
www.notus.org
February 10, 2026 at 4:26 PM
"An extensive survey of over a thousand evangelicals last year... found that just 29% of evangelicals under 35 believe Jews are the chosen people. For all other age brackets, the number was 50% or higher." www.notus.org/perspectives...