SAFETY THROUGH SOLIDARITY | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
Date and Time
Sep 8, 2024 5:00 pm
Location
Takoma
235 Carroll St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20012
Sep 8, 2024 5:00 pm
Takoma
Antisemitism is on the rise today. From synagogue shootings by white nationalists, to right-wing politicians and media figures pushing George Soros conspiracy theories, it’s clear that exclusionary, authoritarian movements are growing. By spreading division and fear, they put Jews, along with other marginalized groups and multiracial democracy itself, at risk.
And with horrific devastation ongoing in Gaza, debates around antisemitism have become more polarized and high-stakes than ever. How can we stand in solidarity with Palestinians seeking justice, while also avoiding antisemitism — and resisting those who seek to conflate the two? How do we forge the coalitions across communities that we need, in order to overcome the politics of division and fear? It's never felt more important to change the narrative on what antisemitism is and what it isn't, and to strengthen our movements for collective liberation.
SAFETY THROUGH SOLIDARITY takes the fight against antisemitism out of the hands of status quo defenders, and into the hands of social movements. Using history, analysis and interviews with front-line organizers, it situates the fight against antisemitism where it belongs– alongside the fight against all forms of oppression. Lorber and Burley help us break the current impasse to understand how antisemitism works, what’s missing in contemporary debates, and how to build true safety through solidarity, for Jews and all people.
Ben Lorber and Shane Burley are joining us on the Busboys stage alongside veteran Jewish organizer, strategist, and fundraiser Rebecca Ennen to dive deeper into the strategies discussed in this book and how we can share this guide with our communities. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Lorber and Burley will be signing following the program.
This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 5:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of SAFETY THROUGH SOLIDARITY will be available for purchase before and after the event. Please note that this event is in person and will not be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books
Ben Lorber is Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates, a social movement think tank, where he studies and publishes on antisemitism and white nationalism. He previously worked as national campus organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, supporting justice-driven young Jewish communities across the country, and has written extensively on antisemitism, Israel/Palestine and Jewish identity.
Shane Burley is known for his work on the far-right and left-wing social movements. He is the author of Fascism Today: What It Is and How to End It (AK Press, 2017) and Why We Fight: Essays on Fascism, Resistance, and Surviving the Apocalypse (AK Press, 2021), and editor of the anthology ¡No pasarán!: Readings on Antifascism (AK Press, 2022).
Rebecca Ennen is a veteran Jewish organizer, strategist, and fundraiser working at the radical edge of respectability. She loves giving advice, learning Torah, and eating leafy greens.
