34 | MAY 16 • 2024 
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ince Oct. 7, it’s been one thing after 
the other. Right now, anti-Israel 
protests on college campuses are the 
No. 1 story in the country. It’s a toxic envi-
ronment on these campuses and in many 
other sectors of society. In many cases, the 
Jewish community is bearing the brunt of 
the toxicity. In these times, it’s important to 
talk it out. 
On the evening of May 23, Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek (CSZ) is hosting an import-
ant community conversation with Dr. 
Brandy Shufutinsky and Rabbi Yoni Dahlen: 
“
Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, and Racism 
on Campus and in Society.
” The program is 
free and open to the community. 
Shufutinsky is the director of Education 
and Community Engagement at the Jewish 
Institute for Liberal Values (JILV). She is a 
social worker, writer, researcher and advo-
cate. Shufutinsky’s credentials and qual-
ifications have led members of Congress 
to invite her, as one of several specific 
researchers, to speak about crucial insights 
into the crisis in American public education 
and what’s going on at college campuses. 
She first got involved with JILV as a 
board member and has always worked in 
the realm of education to some degree — 
even while working predominantly in social 
services. 
Shufutinsky has taken part in a number 
of these conversation events before. 
“I think in the larger American Jewish 
context, many people have been very 
shocked and surprised by the level of 
antisemitism coming from what were con-
sidered liberal or progressive spaces,
” she 
says. “That shock has led to, I think, a bit of 
fight or flight where people kind of freeze, 
where it’s not necessarily not acknowledging 
the problem, even though there is some 
of that, but really no clear idea of how to 
address it.
“I hope the conversation leads people to 

more positive action in addressing antisemi-
tism, being more courageous and creative in 
how we address antisemitism, and I really 
hope it makes people understand that bat-
tling antisemitism is not a partisan issue.
”
This will be Shufutinsky’s first time in 
Detroit, and she’s excited to see what the 
city and its people have to offer. 
“I hope people come with great questions 
and are ready to engage in great conver-
sation. It’s really easy for all of this stuff to 
devolve into divisiveness and hate and ugli-
ness, and that shouldn’t be the point. The 
point is to come to a greater understanding.
” 
Rabbi Dahlen has a few goals for the 
event. The biggest goal, he says, is to nor-
malize having tough conversations. 
“Right now, the status quo in our country 
is to pick a team, dig our heels in and then 
remain as steadfastly loyal to our team as we 

can. That’s dangerous and also just not what 
community, especially Jewish community, 
is about.
”
Shufutinsky brings a level of expertise 
that should be “insightful” and “illumin-
ating” for everyone in attendance, Rabbi 
Dahlen says.
“Her firsthand experience, vast know-
ledge of the data and trends, and willingness 
to buck the mainstream narrative for 
the sake of constructive thought and 
conversation represent the courageous 
approach to our divided society that we 
need right now.
” 
Sponsors for the event include CSZ, 
JILV
, Volunteers for Israel, Frankel Jewish 
Academy, National Council of Jewish 
Women-MI and Hadassah Greater Detroit. 
The event begins at 7 p.m. RSVP by May 
21 at https://tinyurl.com/3w22txn3. 

The Congregation Shaarey Zedek event 
is free and open to the community. 

An Important Conversation 
on Antisemitism

DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

OUR COMMUNITY

