Podcast Against Antisemitism

The Jews were expelled from England in 1290, but this did not mean the end of literary representation.

In this episode, we delve into the antisemitic tropes in 14th-century literature, focusing on Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, John Gower’s Confessio Amantis and the musical legacy of anonymous ballads such as Sir Hugh, or The Jew’s Daughter.

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The early-modern period was a golden age for English theatre. Giants like Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dekker, Middleton and Jonson were all active in the 16th and 17th centuries. But where did the Jews fit into this Golden Age, and how were they represented on stage?

In this episode, we explore what life was like for a Jew at this time, as well as taking a deep dive into key plays such as The Merchant of Venice and The Jew of Ma...

In the 19th century, the Jewish community in England faced both progress and prejudice. While legal reforms began to improve their status, antisemitic stereotypes persisted.

In this episode, we turn to Charles Dickens, a towering figure of Victorian literature, whose evolving portrayals of Jewish characters offer a compelling case study. From the malevolent Fagin in Oliver Twist to the empathetic Mr. Riah in Our Mutual Fri...

In our final episode, we shift our focus from 20th-century writers to contemporary playwrights and modern allegations of dramatic antisemitism. Since antisemitism has been on the rise in recent years, it is crucial to examine how modern works, including plays by Caryl Churchill, Joe Murphy, Joe Robertson, and Stefano Massini, engage with and, at times, perpetuate harmful stereotypes. 

This concludes our mini-series on anti...

Gideon Falter is the Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), a charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance law enforcement. Gideon was elected to lead CAA in the autumn of 2014, soon after its establishment, building it into the UK’s foremost campaigning organisation against antisemitism. His work for CAA has been publicly praised by the British Government and the S...

Natalie Sanandaji is a survivor of the Nova music festival massacre, where a reported 364 people were murdered by Hamas terrorists. This atrocity was part of the wider 7th October attacks in Israel, the single worst massacre of the Jews since the Holocaust. Since that day, Natalie has devoted her time and efforts to raising awareness about the grave events that took place.

In this episode, Natalie recounts her experience o...

Shabbos Kestenbaum is a Religion and Public Policy graduate student from Harvard University. Since the 7th October Hamas atrocities, Shabbos has been embroiled in a long public battle with Harvard, which has resulted in him suing them for failing to combat antisemitism, describing the school as “a bastion of rampant anti-Jewish hatred and harassment”.

In this episode, Shabbos discusses his decision to take legal action aga...

Steven Berkoff is an actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and director born in the Jewish East End of London. Over the course of his critically-acclaimed career, Steven has adapted Kafka, directed Shakespeare and produced his own original work.

In this episode, Steven looks back at the Battle of Cable Street, in which his Uncle Sam fought, and recounts his experiences of writing plays about antisemitism and Juda...

Eylon Keshet is the cousin of Yarden Bibas who, along with baby Kfir, his five-year-old brother Ariel, and their mother Shiri, were kidnapped and taken as hostages to Gaza by Hamas terrorists on 7th October. The Bibas family lived on the Nir Oz kibbutz, close to Gaza, where a quarter of the community were killed, kidnapped or injured in the 7th October attacks.

In this episode, Eylon explains where he was when he heard the...

Benjamin Till is a Jewish composer, director and filmmaker. He is currently the Composer in Residence for Mosaic Voices, a vocal ensemble at London’s New West End Synagogue. Benjamin’s music has been performed at top venues across the country, including the Royal Albert Hall.

In this episode, he discusses his new project, ‘The Jews of Britain’, which sees him looking at the history of Britain’s Jews. Benjamin also opens up...

Dora Reisser is a Bulgarian Holocaust survivor whose life was profoundly impacted by the rise of the Nazi regime. Despite facing unimaginable challenges, she emerged as an accomplished ballet dancer, actress, fashion designer and writer. 

In this episode, Dora describes living under Nazi rule, making a new life for herself and her experiences acting in academy-award-winning Hollywood classics like ‘The Dirty Dozen’.

Subscri...

Reverend Canon Nigel Biggar is a historian, theologian and ethicist currently serving as Regius Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford. Nigel has been described as “one of the leading living Western ethicists” by the New Statesman, and is named as one of Prospect Magazine’s Top Thinkers of 2024. He has published eight books and has written several articles since Hamas’ 7th October terrorist atrocities.

Marco Shalma is the creator and executive producer of the upcoming documentary ‘Here We Go Again’ which delves into the cyclical and cynical nature of antisemitism through the lens of a diverse group of activists. The film invites viewers to reflect on the past and present, urging a future where the lessons of resilience and solidarity pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive world.

In this episode, Marco discusses how ...

Alissa Timoshkina is a celebrated Jewish food writer, historian, chef, and author. Her recipes have been featured in numerous publications, including The Guardian, Red Magazine, Olive Magazine, The Independent and House & Garden. 

In this episode, Alissa dives into how the history of antisemitism has influenced Ashkenazi Jewish food today.

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Janet Singer Applefield is a Polish Holocaust survivor whose parents made the harrowing decision to leave her in the care of others when she was seven years old in order that she may live. Janet was a ‘Hidden Child’ until the war ended and was miraculously reunited with her father. She has chronicled her story in her memoir, ‘Becoming Janet: Finding Myself in the Holocaust‘.

In this episode, Janet opens up about her experi...

Joe Jacobson is one of only a few current British Jewish professional footballers. Until very recently, Joe served as the captain for the Wycombe Wanderers where he played for ten years and made 400 appearances. He was also the former under-21 captain for Wales and the first Jewish player to score a goal in a professional game at Wembley in 53 years.

In this episode, Joe discusses racism against Jews in football and recoun...

Dr Einat Wilf is a leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, foreign policy and education. She was a Member of Knesset with the Labor Party and then the Independence Party from 2010 to 2013 and is the author of seven books. Following the horrific Hamas terrorist attacks on 7th October, Einat has become one of the leading voices on the issue. 

In this episode, Einat looks at the anti-Israel protests on universities around the wor...

Zoe Buckman is a multi-disciplinary artist working in sculpture, installation, and photography. Known for her artwork that explores themes of feminism, mortality, and equality, Zoe's work has reached audiences around the world. Zoe has repeatedly spoken out about her Jewish identity, using her platform to be a voice against antisemitism.

In this episode, Zoe speaks about the denial of Hamas’ sexual violence on 7th Oct...