Workshop | The Mainstreaming of Antisemitism in American Society

A recent survey of American adults revealed that over one-third did not know what antisemitism is, and one out of six said they had never heard of the word. A 2022 George Washington University survey of over 10,000 13-35 year-olds indicated that a majority did not understand what antisemitism is. This at a time when we are seeing an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents and hate crimes in the U.S. 

According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic hate incidents rose by over thirty percent in 2022; FBI statistics show year after year that the majority of religiously motivated hate crimes target Jews. Education about antisemitism is therefore essential. This workshop will explore what antisemitism is (and what it is not), how it has evolved over time, and how it is being normalized in America. It will also delve into the reasons why antisemitism is often overlooked or even dismissed by those working in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), including misconceptions about how Jews identify.

Bob Horenstein has served as Director of Community Relations of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland since 1994. In this role, Horenstein has directed the Federation’s efforts to safeguard the social safety net, promote civil rights, and combat hate and bigotry, in particular, antisemitism. He has done numerous professional development trainings on antisemitism, including workshops for Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah Counties, City of Eugene, City of Wilsonville, Cascade Aids Project, Tualatin Valley Parks and Recreation District, Oregon City Police Department, Columbia County Coalition for Human Dignity, West Linn Alliance for Inclusion, and several schools.

Horenstein is also a freelance writer, having been published in the Oregonian, Jerusalem Post and The Forward, and is a regular contributor to the Jerusalem Report, an English-language bimonthly Israeli magazine. He has been awarded the American Jewish Press Association Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary, and he was recognized by the Oregon Society of Professional Journalists for Excellence in Journalism. He speaks frequently before government organizations, grassroots human rights groups, and schools and has lectured, among other places, in Juneau, Alaska, Springfield, Illinois, Vancouver, B.C., and at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Horenstein earned a Master’s degree in political science from Portland State University in 1993.