Antisemitism, the world’s oldest disease, is infecting the US healthcare sector. Can we stop it from spreading??

Imagine a nurse who works for a local hospital posting on her Instagram page that she won’t treat Black people, whom she refers to as “monkeys” and “apes.” Following an uproar from the Black community, the hospital fires the nurse. Only a few months later, however, the state nursing ethics board renews her license to practice for another two years.

Who would ever believe that this (fictional) racist nurse would be allowed to continue practicing short of a heartfelt public apology to Black leaders? And even that would likely be insufficient for her to have her license renewed.

Now imagine that the nurse’s vitriol is directed not at Black people—but at Jews. She calls Jews “vermin” and “dogs,” and insists she won’t treat “animals.” The hospital fires her, yet her license is subsequently renewed for two more years.

Still improbable? If you believe so, then you’re ignoring the double standard when it comes to antisemitism as distinct from other forms of hate.

Last March, in a series of Instagram posts, a nurse with the Portland-based Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) not only referred to Jewish people as “vermin” and “dogs,” she also wished for them to “meet their ancestors soon.” She even justified Hamas’ murder of Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young children, writing that Shiri was “fair game to be killed as military personnel.” Although OHSU fired her after an outcry from the local Jewish community, the Oregon State Board of Nursing renewed her license in November with no conditions or restrictions.

Sadly, the case of this antisemitic nurse is hardly an anomaly. Whereas much of the spotlight in the last two years has been on the failure of American universities to confront antisemitism on their campuses, the increasing normalization of antisemitism in the US healthcare sector receives much less media coverage.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, a growing number of Jewish practitioners in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities have found themselves marginalized for perceived Zionist sympathies, attacked on social media, and shunned in professional forums. Medical schools are now incorporating social justice education, often with an anti-Zionist slant leading to what Jewish students and professors describe as a torrent of anti-Israel hostility directed toward them with little or no support from peers.

A disturbing example of this antisemitism couched in anti-Israel rhetoric is Dr. Mobeen Rathore. A decorated pediatric infectious disease specialist in Jacksonville, Florida and active leader within the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Rathore takes issue with Zionists, posting on X such gems as, “Zionism is the root of all evil” and “We pray for the disappearance of Zionism and Israel.”

In October, offensive posts notwithstanding, he was honored by the Florida Chapter of the AAP for his “tireless dedication and inspiring leadership.” Apparently, being a rabid antisemite doesn’t disqualify one from receiving a prestigious award.

Even where there has been pushback against antisemitic behavior, the consequences have been minimal. Two years ago, a blacklist of “Zionist” therapists in Chicago was started in a Facebook group. The blacklist collaborators were looking for names that “sounded Jewish” and adding them to the list of therapists to whom colleagues “should avoid referring clients.” Most of the those blacklisted had never publicly spoken about Israel or openly self-identified as Zionists.

Last April, Illinois’ professional licensing body issued a formal reprimand of Heba Ibrahim Joudeh, the blacklist’s creator. However, it didn’t require her to apologize to the therapists whose names she shared publicly, nor did it affect her ability to continue practicing.

Antisemitism has also been pervasive in the American Psychological Association (APA). Jewish members have reported being harassed and ostracized by their colleagues because of their Jewish or Zionist identity. Their complaints to the association—including the APA offering credits for members to attend conferences featuring speakers who endorse “violence against Jews and Israelis, antisemitic tropes, and Holocaust distortion”—have gone unanswered.

In 2024, the Association of Jewish Psychologists applied to be recognized by the APA as an official ethnic group. They were denied. A memo in response to their application claimed Jews are “too white,” “too privileged” and not victimized enough to be granted official status.

In response to these challenges, the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA) was formed to empower a community of Jewish healthcare professionals and medical students committed to combating antisemitism. With over 3,000 members, AJMA, in partnership with organizations such as the Jewish Federations of North America and Hadassah, has advocated for the inclusion of Jewish voices in DEI initiatives and organized a network of attorneys to assist members in fighting discrimination.

It’s imperative that these efforts succeed. They must ensure that in a profession dedicated to treating disease, the virus of antisemitism spreads no further.