Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam Clarity to Confusion: Reflections on Purim With Justin Pines & JBS
Feb 25, 2026
Justin Pines, host and producer for Jewish Insights at JBS, joins to reflect on Purim and Zahor. They explore remembering Amalek, how clarity and confusion shape responses to antisemitism, the role of youth and social media, and the tension between principled stands and communal safety. The conversation highlights Purim’s mix of grief, joy, communal mitzvot, and strategies for strengthening Jewish solidarity.
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Zahor Frames Amalek As Model For Modern Antisemitism
- Zahor commands perpetual memory of Amalek as a model for understanding irrational anti‑Jewish hatred.
- Mijal frames Amalek as an early example of violence without political or economic motive, a template for modern antisemitism.
Conspiracy Thinking, Not Party, Fuels Modern Antisemitism
- Anti‑Semitism flourishes where conspiratorial thinking and the erosion of truth or liberal norms occur.
- Mijal links both left and right outbreaks to conspiracy culture rather than a single political party.
Anti‑Zionism Often Operates As Anti‑Semitism In Effect
- Anti‑Zionist movements function as anti‑Semitic ideologies in consequence even if many participants are naive non‑antisemites.
- Mijal warns movements can be used as a fig leaf benefiting actors like Hamas.