Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam What The Headlines Mean For American Jews with Bret Stephens
Mar 18, 2026
Bret Stephens, opinion columnist and editor who writes on politics and Jewish affairs, joins to tackle antisemitism, Israel, and the war with Iran. He discusses how Americans should respond to attacks at home. He explains why this conflict with Iran is different. He calls for stronger, more rigorous Israel studies and urges young Jews to engage with their heritage.
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Invest In Jewish Identity Not Just Security
- Do invest in Jewish identification, education, and affiliation rather than only spending on security or publicity campaigns.
- Bret Stephens urges funding youth engagement and knowledge so Jewish identity isn't defined solely by anti-Semitism or victimhood.
Don't Let Persecution Define Jewish Identity
- Anti-Semitism shouldn't become the primary source of Jewish identity; defining identity by persecution is a cultural trap.
- Stephens warns that Sartre's idea 'anti-Semitism makes the Jew' would be a tragedy if accepted as the main identity.
Two Historical Patterns Shape American Jewish Future
- American Jewish history fits two patterns: cyclical anti-Semitism waves and the long diaspora pattern where flourishing often precedes catastrophe.
- Stephens says our future depends on whether current hostility is a wave that will ebb or a deeper rupture.
