Catching up with Dr. Matthias Becker – Decoding Antisemitism

The ground is shaking, the world is in flames. From despicable acts of flag burning to the defacement of historic sites in Washington yesterday with messages proclaiming, “Hamas is coming”, from images equating Jews to Nazis to death threats against the Israeli Olympic team, from cyber hacking that reveals private information about the team to anti-Western speeches and calls for intifada—it feels like an apocalypse. Yet, here I am, bringing you conversations with innovators, researchers, policymakers, and other members of a tribe I proudly belong to those who are striving to combat antisemitism and hate. These are the warriors in the battle for civilization.

This blog will dive deeper into understanding contemporary antisemitism while mainly concentrating on how to innovate the fight against what has traditionally been a heavily reactive and non-technological effort.

I welcome you to join us here and, even when it is hardest, to know that there is always something we can do about the problem—especially if we do it together.

In an ongoing effort to explore the complexities of antisemitism and its modern manifestations, I reached out to Dr. Matthias Becker, a leading researcher in the field of decoding antisemitism. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Becker has delved into the subtle, sneaky and often coded language that perpetuates antisemitic sentiments. In our conversation, we discussed the hidden – coded language and antisemitic messages and the role of technology in identifying and combating them. Our exchange provides valuable insights into the challenges of detecting antisemitism in various cultural and political contexts, making it an essential read for anyone interested in understanding and addressing this pervasive issue.