ISGAP and the Anatomy of Modern Antisemitism
About a year ago, I made a deliberate choice: I no longer wanted to observe the global rise of antisemitism from the sidelines. I wanted to be proactive.
That decision led me to connect with the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). My formal entry point was as an intern—not because I lacked qualifications, but because it was my way of meaningfully participating in and connecting with the organization’s work.
This past summer, I had the privilege of serving as a scholar-in-residence at the ISGAP Oxford Summer Institute for the Development of Curriculum in Critical Contemporary Antisemitism Studies at St. Catherine’s College, in Oxford. Learning from some of the most serious scholars and policy thinkers in the world was eye-opening and deeply transformative.
We are experiencing an all-time high rise in antisemitism worldwide. This is not theoretical. It is empirical, visible, and unfolding in real time—particularly across university campuses. One of the most dangerous phenomena of our time is the so-called “anti-Zionist” movement, which in practice often functions as a socially acceptable cover for antisemitism.
ISGAP recognized long before October 7 that antisemitism rarely announces itself openly. It often disguises itself through academic language, moral rhetoric, and activist framing.
Under the leadership of Dr. Charles Small, ISGAP has undertaken this work with extraordinary courage and persistence. This is not a temporary initiative—it is Dr. Small’s life’s work. Despite limited resources, ISGAP traced funding trails and ideological networks behind organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine, revealing coordinated financial and institutional support reaching elite universities, including Yale, Harvard, and Columbia.
Alongside him, David Harris has played a critical role, bringing decades of leadership experience, policy expertise, and a deep understanding of global antisemitism.
Together, their work reflects the seriousness and moral clarity that this moment demands.
I commend ISGAP’s scholars, professors, and researchers who continue their relentless efforts to expose, educate, and advocate against antisemitism, prejudice, and hate. I consider myself part of that collective responsibility.
But this is not only a story about ISGAP. It is a call to action for all of us.
It is easy to continue with our busy lives and assume that governments, intelligence agencies, or institutions will address these threats. History teaches us that this assumption is dangerous.
Pirkei Avot teaches: “It is not upon you to finish the task, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
Antisemitism behaves like a disease. Without treatment, it spreads. Without resistance, it strengthens. We are the treatment. We are the remedy.
ISGAP’s work proves that individuals who refuse to wait for permission can confront forces far larger than themselves. This is a modern David and Goliath moment.
Each reader must ask: What am I doing? What kind of world am I helping shape for my children and grandchildren? If we remain passive, nothing improves—it only worsens.
The responsibility is ours. The moment is now.