Poisoning the Wells: Antisemitism in Contemporary America

In the United States, antisemitism has once again risen, and is spread in all our major institutions and political and cultural venues. In a series of essays by leading scholars, this work provides a detailed analysis of contemporary antisemitism and examines its origins, development, and alarming implications for the future. In twenty-first century America, antisemitism is on the rise, especially on the extreme left, the radical right, and within political Islamism. Expressions of this oldest hatred are also increasingly prevalent in popular culture, where they are spread by politicians, entertainers and celebrities, the media, social justice activists, and religious leaders, as well as in universities, in schools, on the streets, and even, in some instances, by Jews. Once, Jews regarded the United States as die Goldene Medina–the Golden Land–where they could escape persecution and finally be free. However, this dream has not been realized and major trends are moving in the opposite direction. In Poisoning the Wells, leading scholars analyze contemporary antisemitism in the United States.