Combating Antisemitism in the Digital Age with Israel's Special Envoy Michael Cotler-Wunsch

In the premiere of our new series 30 Minute Mensches, Jonah Platt sits down with Michal Cotler-Wunsh — former Knesset member and Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism — for a long-overdue conversation about the eighth front of war: the battle for public opinion. Jonah and Michal discuss how antisemitism has manifested itself today, particularly through using anti-Zionist rhetoric, and how Israelis may feel a disconnect from that. Michal gives her perspective on how institutions such as the UN, Amnesty International, and elite universities have not only tolerated but enabled and normalized antisemitic double standards under the guise of progressive activism. Jonah challenges Michal to help make sense of the widespread moral confusion and media failures that culminate to chants such as “Death to the IDF,” and asks how we can bridge the gap with well-meaning people who have been misled by catchy headlines and ill-informed outrage. This episode answers the question of why antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, but a global one, and what we can do to fight it. This episode tackles: 🧠 Why Michal’s role as Israel’s antisemitism envoy is so crucial today, especially in combating widespread misinformation and harmful rhetoric. 🎓 How university presidents and U.S. officials have failed to take a stand in the face of rising Jew-hatred 🕍 Why most Israelis don’t understand global antisemitism — and why they need to 📖 The 3 R’s: Remember, Reclaim, Renew — a framework for Jewish pride 👤How human rights advocacy has been hijacked and weaponized by anti-Zionists. — 🎙️ 30 Minute Mensches is a new short-form edition of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt — spotlighting diverse voices doing meaningful work across Jewish and allied communities. 00:00 Introduction to 30 Minute Mensches 00:56 Meet Michal Cotler-Wunsh 01:22 The Role of Israel's Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism 02:54 Challenges and Strategies in Combating Antisemitism 04:52 International Collaboration and Public Awareness 08:36 Addressing Misconceptions and Media Influence 18:26 The Importance of Remembering and Reclaiming the Jewish Story 26:55 Hope and Optimism in the Fight Against Antisemitism 28:43 Conclusion and Farewell Host & Production Team Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sasha Nelson; Content Director: Alexandra Fugère; Associate Producer: Emma Webb, Nathan Wheatley, Valerie Patterson); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Graphic Designer: Noah Bell MENTIONED IN EPISODE: Official Biography of Michal Cotler-Wunsh: https://bit.ly/michalcotler-wunshbio The Story of Queen Esther: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/esther-bible IHRA Definition of Antisemitism: https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-defini… UN Speech: Michal Cotler-Wunsh Addresses Global Antisemitism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTFV1t9_AuQ Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: https://rabbisacks.org/life-of-rabbi-jonathan-sacks/biogr… Glastonbury Festival: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-859304 Jewish concerns about Mamdani: https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-jewish-democrats-in-us… Calling Out Glastonbury Festival for Antisemitic Messaging: https://x.com/CotlerWunsh/status/1940364366731157926 The 1948 War against Israel’s Existence: https://israeled.org/the-arab-israeli-war-of-1948-a-short… UN 1975 Resolution Equating Zionism with Racism: https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-181963/ Durbin Conference: https://www.ajc.org/durban The Story of Raphael Lemkin: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/coining… Double Standards & Natan Sharansky’s 3 D’s of Antisemitism: https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/defining-anti… Iran’s Recent Strikes on Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-second-day-in-row-iran-… Anti-Jew bias in Human Right Watch: https://unwatch.org/whistleblower-from-human-rights-watch… Al-Ahli Hospital: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-… Hamas Terror Tunnels: https://tunnels.honestreporting.com/ Elite University Presidents Criticized for Antisemitism Hearing Responses: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/harvard-mit-penn-pr…