Jeffrey Herf on the Transformation of Radical Speech into Violence

Jun 6, 2025

Jeffrey Herf, a historian and analyst of anti-Semitism, delves into the alarming rise of domestic terrorism targeting Jewish individuals in the U.S. He connects recent violent acts to ideological movements, exploring both historical influences and contemporary radicalism. Herf discusses the complex dynamics of anti-Israel sentiment, radical speech on campus, and the repercussions of political rhetoric. He urges a critical examination of these issues, emphasizing the responsibility of society to confront rising antisemitic violence and promote informed discourse.

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INSIGHT

Hidden Bloodlust in Leftist Violence

Beneath the left's peace rhetoric lies a quick escalation to violence.
There is sometimes a hidden bloodlust that makes violence the preferred recourse.

ANECDOTE

1960s Radical Left Turned Terrorist

In the 1960s, radical left groups like the Weather Underground turned anti-war sentiment into terrorism.
Their violence was apocalyptic, aimed at overthrowing the system through revolutionary deeds.

INSIGHT

Campus Ideology Fuels Antisemitism

Academia increasingly promotes a narrative vilifying Israel and sanitizing Palestinians.
This ideological climate can cause students to sympathize with violence despite not approving specific acts.

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On April 13, 2025, an arsonist set fire to the residence of the governor of Pennsylvania. When apprehended, he told law-enforcement officers that he did so using Molotov cocktails. The attack took place just hours after the governor, an American Jew, and his Jewish family, had concluded their Passover seder.

The next month, a far-left activist murdered two members of the Israeli embassy staff in the name of Palestine, having gone to a Jewish venue hosting a Jewish event in order to hunt down and kill Jewish people. Not long after, on May 28, a Michigan man was apprehended outside of a Jewish preschool, after threatening Jewish parents and children. It was later discovered that he had attempted to acquire firearms and had planned to kill members of the school.

Then there was the most recent news. On June 1, an Egyptian national came to a solidarity walk for Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado. There, he threw Molotov cocktails and used a homemade flamethrower in order to burn the attendees. While hurling the explosives, he was recorded yelling "Free Palestine," and other like phrases.

A new season of violence has descended upon the Jews of America. Or, perhaps, one ought to say that a new season of violence has descended upon America with the Jews as its central of target, revealing for all to see the dangers of domestic terrorism.

The historian and analyst of anti-Semitism Jeffrey Herf, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, joins Jonathan Silver to discuss this spike in domestic terrorism. It is his contention that the phenomenon has an antecedent in the 1960s radical movements that, then as now, transformed leftist ideas into violent action. The slogan "globalize the intifada," has been a hallmark of campus and leftist protest since October 7, but it has slipped the bounds of speech and resulted in violence, with deadly results. Drawing on the work of the writer Paul Berman, Herf goes on to argue that if history is any guide, violence against Jews is likely to increase. He laid this out in an article he published in the Free Press just hours after the Boulder attack.