The Jewish Question

Heeb is wondering about a Brooklyn assemblyman's anti-Nazi initiative.  Maybe he should focus on the antisemites in his backyard instead, namely, at New York University.  At Tablet Magazine, Liel Liebovitz writes, "Last week, I argued here that there was no point in debating with people who fundamentally disagreed with you; if you believed in Israel’s right to exist, I wrote, and someone didn’t, you really have very little reason to sit down and chat. Apparently, Israel’s academic detractors were paying attention.  This weekend, the American Studies department at NYU held a conference titled 'Circuits of Influence: U.S., Israel, and Palestine.' With a morning session about the history and efficacy of boycotts and a lunchtime workshop devoted to organizing students on campus and featuring representatives of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace—both organizations being strong advocates of BDS—there could be little doubt about the conference’s true aim."