Antisemitism in Albany

My daughter was contemplating going with a friend to hear a speaker who created some of her fav TV shows, Marc Guggenheim, writer, producer and novelist. But we had a feeling that there would be Jew-hating protesters on campus.

Why? Because he also happens to be Jewish and pro-Israel. So much so that he withheld his dues from the Writer’s Guild of America because they refused to condemn the Hamas October 7th attacks. He is one of the State University of New York at Albany’s most well known grads. She also had her eye on a feminist panel event.

SUNY Albany, from a distance. Photo credit: Rosie Diamond, with permission.

I told her I just had a funny feeling about the Book Festival at the SUNY campus. The literary world has completely turned on Jewish writers – never mind their politics – or even their progressive credentials – but just for being Jewish.

Few of you may be hearing me when I say that the Keffiyeh Klux Klan is infecting every nook and cranny, every sphere in America. You’re thinking gas chambers. But what preceded the early 1940’s Nazi Death Camps – in the 1930’s?

Kicking out Jewish professors, scholars and barring students from University campuses. Check ✔️ Eliminating Jews from public spaces. Check ✔️ Beating up Jewish students. Check ✔️ Canceling Jewish authors from book readings and panels. Check ✔️ And on and on and on.

On Thursday, award-winning feminist author, Elisa Albert, slated to be a panel moderator on Saturday morning, was kicked off a panel scheduled by the New York State Writer’s Institute Book Festival, an event held at SUNY Albany, a public university which receives significant State and Federal funds. The NYS Writer’s Institute is part of SUNY Albany.

Why? Because two of the panelists suddenly refused to appear on a panel with a Zionist aka a Jew. Albert actually promotes a peace organization to dialogue with Gazans, featured on her website. DOES NOT MATTER. She graciously offered to speak by herself. The NYS Writer’s Institute Book Festival said no. At the very last moment, she was out. The panel was canceled. The topic, Girls Coming of Age, had nothing whatsoever to do with Israel. DOES NOT MATTER.

This made international news overnight. The CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt stated on X: (formerly Twitter)

“Refusing to sit alongside a Jewish woman on a panel to talk about feminist literature and trying to rationalize your prejudice by calling her a Zionist is ANTISEMITISM. It’s HATE. It’s INEXCUSABLE.”

The Times of Israel political senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur remarked on the same platform:

“I just bought Elisa Albert’s book, which is way outside my wheelhouse. But, well, a couple nasty antisemites assured me she’s a Zionist and some book reviews I just perused online assure me she’s a literary genius. So I’m about to learn about Albany, doula training and “embroidering local community.” This is scary new ground for me. But there’s a Jew in trouble, so here goes nothing. Who’s with me?”

Congressman (D-NY) Ritchie Torres posted this on Instagram:

“First came the cancellation of a progressive Rabbi and now comes the cancellation of a feminist writer. There is a concerted effort to impose a presumption of guilt on Jewish identity. If you’re a Jew who’s presumed to be a “Zionist,” you’re presumed guilty. You’re considered fair game for discrimination.

Anti-Zionist witch-hunts are in danger of becoming a new normal in America.”

Ritchie was of course also referencing the much-covered scandal of a Brooklyn bookstore employee’s recent last minute cancelling of a renown leftist’s book reading by Joshua Leifer. The reason? The event moderator, Brooklynite, progressive Rabbi Andy Bachman, Director of Jewish Content at The 92nd Street Y, supports Israel. Can you imagine? The Rabbi is a Zionist! Ironically, Leifer, author of “Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life” subsequently announced he was making aliyah. This was all less than a month ago.

At the same time I noticed feminist writer (friend) Leah Lax posted this on her Facebook author page:

“Not the 1st time my complacent belonging died when a group turned on my Jewishness. No longer Left. –Wary Individual Flying Solo”

Her reading tour for her new book on immigrants, “Not From Here: the Song of America” was receiving too many cancellations for it to be possible to market her book effectively.

These are just a few vignettes among way too many. Jews who write about and speak about progressive ideals – reproductive rights, immigrants, even Palestinian rights – are being shut down, in essence, having tape placed over their mouths, for the crime of being Jewish in America.

Let me tell you how fckg good it feels that these Literary Moral Paragons and SUNY Albany or whatever they’re calling themselves these days have put Albany, New York, the capitol of one of the largest Democratic states in America – on the map – for ANTISEMITISM. Somehow they ignored the fact that Jews are a protected class under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It seems there is a plague of collective amnesia among educators. And elected officials.

But they underestimate to their detriment just how profoundly resilient we are, especially just how strong Jewish feminists are. We’re born that way – it’s in our dna – and we’re forged that way.

The thing is, my daughter and I live in Albany. We relocated here during the pandemic. But I wouldn’t say we really live here. It’s more like we exist here.

The Capitol of New York State, Albany. Photo credit: Rosie Diamond, with permission.

We know a rabid antisemite lives on our floor in our apartment building because their packages screaming support for Hamas started appearing alongside ours on our shelf in the mail/package room. Some of our packages are from Israel since we support Israeli artists and businesses. And after checking out their social media it was clear from their public posts that they think “Hitler didn’t finish the job.” Who is going to tell that person that the beautifully restored Victorian apartment building we live in has art celebrating Jews, replete with Hebrew lettering and all?

Art deco painting. Photo credit: Dana Janine Diamond

I know we’re not the only ones to have a mezuzzah on our door, though there are very few of us here. But this year instead of our usual Hanukkah door decorations I put out an outer welcome mat designed with evil eyes and hung a foot long evil eye amulet charm on our door, as well. I figured, might as well summon every protection.

Mezuzah designed by Dorit Judaica, over my door post. Photo credit: Dana Janine Diamond

My evil eye welcome mat, to ward off antisemitic malevolence. Photo credit: Dana Janine Diamond

Elisa Albert and I have lived in the same three cities – Los Angeles, Manhattan and now Albany. We might have a whole lot in common, we might have just some. But it outraged and wounded me to learn of what happened to her this weekend. Her writing is funny, real, complex and I relate to her voice, the way her mind works. Seeing the connections.

I looked at her insta story this morning and saw that she has the exact same hamsa banner that I have hanging over my window. I usually change banners with the seasons and Jewish holidays but I love this banner too much to take it down. Within it are written seven Jewish blessings. I find it oddly comforting that we share this joy – that amidst all the seemingly endless hate out there, our homes here in upstate New York celebrate abundant blessings together.

My hamsa banner with blessings for: love, compassion, lovingkindness, peace, healing, honor, and justice. Photo credit: Dana Janine Diamond

Elisa Albert is the author of The Snarling Girl, Human Blues, After Birth, The Book of Dahlia, and How This Night Is Different. Sold where books are sold. Get them while you still can.