Rabbi Adam Raskin was on the edge of his seat during every one of Dr. Rachel Fish’s presentations at a rabbinic conference he attended on Zionism.
That’s why Raskin invited Fish, who calls herself a “scholar warrior,” to Congregation Har Shalom for the Potomac synagogue’s annual Scholars Weekend, established in memory of Rabbi Emeritus Leonard Cahan’s parents.
Fish, a professor at Brandeis University in antisemitism and modern Jewish studies, teaches Israeli history and society at George Washington University as a visiting assistant professor. From Nov. 7 to 9, she will discuss the uncertain future of American Jewry, antisemitism in higher education and hatred of Jews in the 21st century with the Har Shalom community.
“We have a deep culture of adult education,” Raskin said, adding that while Scholars Weekend is geared toward teens and parents, the doors are open to anyone who’s interested.
“[Fish’s] youthfulness and vigor makes the presentation accessible to people of all ages [and] backgrounds,” he said.
Har Shalom will kick off Scholars Weekend with a Nov. 7 Shabbat dinner, presentation and Q&A session titled, “How Worried Should American Jewry Be About Its Future?”
The talk covers the “complex and evolving” landscape of the American Jewish community, including both external challenges — the rise in antisemitism and politicization of Israel — and internal challenges, such as generational shifts in attitudes toward Zionism, the concept of Jewish peoplehood and the impact of perceptions on Israel’s actions in the Middle East, according to Har Shalom’s website.
The next day, Fish will delve into antisemitism on college campuses, including Jewish students’ experience and strategies and tools to respond.
Finally, she will speak broadly about antisemitism in the modern day.
“Jew hatred is something that has been around for thousands of years, and [Fish is] going to unpack how it has manifested in the 21st century — certainly around Israel and Zionism — but all the other ways antisemitism has had its most recent manifestation,” Raskin said.
These discussions are especially timely given the current political and geopolitical context.
“Whether it’s the [mayoral] election in New York City or politicization of Jewish identity or the residual effects of Israel’s war with Hamas or the shifting understanding of what Zionism means and how it’s used as a way to exclude Jews from various spaces, these are the most current, pressing issues facing Jews of all ages,” Raskin said.
This evolution of antisemitism requires new approaches, he said.
Raskin added that Fish’s talk transcends scholarly analyses and historical data: “It’s really about understanding current trends and giving people the tools and knowledge and empowerment to respond and be more educated around these issues.”
The topics are all too real for many community members.
“I know from countless conversations with people who have had direct experiences of antisemitism, either in the workplace or in educational settings,” Raskin said. “It’s just something that I think is unavoidable and [that] people are encountering all the time.”
He hopes Scholars Weekend will leave attendees feeling empowered.
“I honestly want them to feel less hopeless,” Raskin said. “I want them to feel like they have hope. Knowledge is power, and when we understand the reasons for some of these phenomena [and] trends, we’re better equipped to talk to our friends and neighbors and coworkers and family members and to not only feel like we have a better handle on things, but also to give strength and encouragement to others who are facing difficult times.”
That positive energy is part of the reason Raskin invited Fish to speak with the Har Shalom community: “While she certainly has the most impressive credentials in terms of her academic achievements and renown, she is young and charismatic and one of these newer voices on the scene that I wanted to amplify.”
“The way that she delivers this information is unlike the typical college professor [or] academic,” Raskin said of Fish. “That goes to her self-described title, ‘scholar warrior’ — she really wants to not only share facts and figures, she wants to energize people.”
Raskin himself felt that energizing power as he listened to her speak at the rabbinic conference.
“I’m always looking, for each year, to bring interesting scholars to the community,” he said. “There has been a very impressive array of scholars-in-residence who have come to our community over the years.”
