Episode 53: Joseph Cohen "Facing Antisemitism & Antizionism"

JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Confronting the Challenges of This Generation

Joseph Cohen, the founder of the Israel Advocacy Movement, addresses the meteoric rise of antisemitism and antizionism around the world. Zionism is a concept that means different things to different people, and unfortunately, it often gets a bad rap, particularly on campuses and in the media these days. He helps us understand why this is the case and the different interpretations of Zionism. Joseph clears up many misconceptions about the Israel-Palestine conflict, such as the Palestinians being descendants of the ancient Philistines, or that Israelis were Jewish European colonialists, or that Israel is an Apartheid state committing genocide. At the same time, he's very hopeful about a harmonious future between Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Israel and throughout the Middle East. Joseph broke down the differences and similarities between left-wing and right-wing antisemitism, as well as the latest phenomenon of Kanye, Kyrie, and Black Hebrew Israelites denying our identity as Jews. These groups tend to pick on the Ashkenazim as "Khazar imposters" and use other misleading tactics to win over uneducated people on social media. We discussed the stance of many Haredi Jews who believe that the land of Israel should only be governed by the Jews when God delivers it in a supernatural way, such as the Third Temple descending from the heavens. They rely on the Aggadic "3 Oaths" as support for their claim, so we challenge their position using Torah arguments. Joseph, being a religious Zionist, shares his experiences debating Muslims, Jihadists, and Neo-Nazis and makes the case that doing so is a fruitful endeavor. Join us as we dive into these important and complex topics in an explosive interview you don't want to miss. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/judaismdemystified/support