JSWC Challenges Antizionism in US Social Work

Documented incidents of exclusion on professional listservs and reports of discriminatory clinical practices raise concerns about the treatment of Jewish social workers and clients.

The Jewish Social Work Consortium (JSWC) condemns the growing normalization of antizionism and antisemitism within the social work profession. Documented incidents of exclusion from professional listservs, along with reports of therapists promoting explicitly “antizionist therapy,” raise serious concerns about discrimination against Jewish social workers and clients in the United States.

Jewish social workers are increasingly facing ideological litmus tests that make professional participation conditional on disavowing Zionism. In recent listserv exchanges, participants have declared Zionism incompatible with antiracism, asserting that promoting Zionist events violates community guidelines and commitments to dismantling white supremacy.

For most Jews, Zionism reflects support for Jewish self-determination in their ancestral homeland and Israel’s continued existence as a Jewish state. While Jewish identity is diverse, excluding Jewish professionals on this basis is discriminatory. Antizionism seeks the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state, a position fundamentally different from criticizing the policies of any government.

Using antiracism principles to justify the exclusion of Jewish social workers runs counter to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, which calls on social workers to challenge discrimination, respect cultural diversity, and uphold the dignity and worth of every person.

The JSWC also strongly condemns the reported practice of therapists refusing to treat Jewish clients or requiring them to reject Zionism as a condition of receiving care. “Antizionist therapy” is not an established, evidence-based therapeutic modality, and political ideology should never determine who receives care. Such practices are discriminatory and unethical.

The JSWC calls on professional associations and regulatory bodies to recognize discrimination against Jewish social workers and clients, including exclusion based on Zionist identity, as unethical. We urge these bodies to establish transparent complaint procedures, consistently enforce professional ethical standards, and strengthen education about antisemitism and Jewish cultural identity.