Prospect Podcast

Rachel Shabi: The truth about antisemitism

November 27, 2024
Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

Are Jews white? Is criticism of Israel antisemitic? Why is the “Judeo-Christian” grouping a myth?

To unpack these big questions, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Rachel Shabi, whose new book Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism was released earlier this month.

Rachel explores the rising tensions of the past year, including the impact of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon, and a slew of misinformation and bad faith arguments on social media. She discusses her own identity as a British-Israeli with Iraqi heritage, how antisemitism has historically intersected with other forms of racism, and how it gets weaponised today. And she forces us to confront our own dark history—the idea that Britain’s antisemitism was “the first and the worst”.

To watch this thoughtful discussion on race, privilege and prejudice, visit our YouTube channel, where episodes are published every Thursday.