Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, and the American Racial Order: Revisiting the American Council for Judaism in the Twenty-First Century

Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, and the American Racial Order:Revisiting Council for Judaism in Twenty-First Century Matthew Berkman (bio) In recent years, Jewish communal agencies, civil liberties watchdogs, pro-Israel advocates, supporters of Palestinian rights have publicly debated meaning antisemitism wisdom introducing certain formal definitions to adjudication US law.1 The self-assurance with which these political actors attempt delimit boundaries stands marked contrast far less conclusive efforts studies scholars address fundamental definitional questions. As one overview observed, academic treatments increasingly find themselves stymied by "the absence a general scholarly consensus about very definition dimensions phenomenon under investigation."2 Uncertainty as whether "antisemitism" represents coherent or useful category analysis has turn motivated scholarship that aims historicize term itself mapping ways its meanings shifted over time response developments changing conceptions interest. [End Page 127] David Feldman, example, traces evolving usages twentieth-century Anglo-Jewish spokesmen concludes functioned "flexible allowed Jews non-Jews make sense respond successive challenges." new threats emerged relationship between state was radically transformed after 1948, representatives Britain's community adapted their operative invariably "drew attention value project concerning being violated."3 By examining those projects, Feldman demonstrates constructions often reveal more contemporaneous understandings interests than they do supposedly transhistorical phenomenon. Like British counterparts, leaders also articulated differently at different points revisiting historical articulations can likewise shed light on fears, priorities, imaginations who embraced them. Moreover, competing occasionally come into conflict another, fueling intra-Jewish disputes resource struggles clarify stakes politics given period. This article analyzes conception approach that, while now defunct, once exercised nearly unrivaled hegemony institutions before imploding blaze during immediate postwar decades. An examination final institutional advocate, Judaism, highlights this paradigm's embeddedness pre-civil-rights racial order obsolescence epochal social transformations 1960s. Central Council's view antisemitism, earlier iterations paradigm question, an understanding Zionism racializing force. Established waning years Jim Crow, affluent leadership waged rearguard battle against ethnonational identity, effort—as saw it—to safeguard antisemitism. follows excavates largely forgotten post-1948 history Council; establishes ideological continuity earlier, politically dominant forces life; explores linkages anti-Zionism, 128] conservative politics.4 Far from purely antiquarian significance, reveals how are part reflection way proponents understand position order.5 closing section sketches development hegemonic wake downfall—the so-called "new antisemitism" paradigm—and role reconstituted anxieties own formulation.6 Both 129] advanced link race, anti-Zionism unique assemblage intended advance adherents. Juxtaposing two shows persistent structuring force contests the...