American Public Square Forum Addresses Rise of Antisemitism

American Public Square recently hosted its latest in a series of forums on race and identity, entitled: “The Rise of Antisemitism From the Left and the Right.” The event was held at Union Station, where an exhibit on the Auschwitz concentration camp is running until January 2022.

The event was staged against a backdrop of declining public acknowledgement of the topic and rising antisemitic violence.

About one in five Americans say they have never heard of the word antisemitism. Meanwhile, the FBI found that 60% of religious hate crimes during 2019 targeted Jews, which account for less than 2% of the population.

An array of panelists offered differing perspectives on the historic, social, political and economic causes and effects of antisemitism during the hour-long discussion. There was a spirited exchange about whether antisemitism is rising among political progressives.

Watch the video above to hear more from the panelists on the rise of antisemitism. The full panel discussion can be found on the American Public Square website. Tickets to the Auschwitz exhibition at Union Station are available here.

Catherine Hoffman covers community affairs and culture for Kansas City PBS in cooperation with Report for America.