Join us for an evening of conversation with esteemed scholar and author James Loeffler as he discusses his new book Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight Over Free Speech in Modern America.
How has antisemitism shaped American life, and what makes this moment different? Join Hartman Senior Fellow at the Kogod Research Center, historian James Loeffler, for a conversation about antisemitism, free speech and the challenges facing American democracy. Drawing on Loeffler’s new book, Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight over Free Speech in Modern America, the evening will explore why Jews and Israel so often stand at the center of debates over free expression, and how we can confront hatred while protecting fundamental freedoms. We will consider what history reveals about the fragility and resilience of liberal democracy, and where we might go from here.
Books will be available for purchase at the evening of the event.
Date: Thursday, November 12th, 2026, 8:00-9:15 PM
Location: Temple Emanuel - 385 Ward St, Newton, MA
James Loeffler is the Felix Posen Professor of Jewish History at Johns Hopkins University, where he directs the Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Jewish Studies Program. An award-winning author, his books include Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and the Fight over Free Speech in Modern America (2026) and Rooted Cosmopolitans: Jews and Human Rights in the Twentieth Century. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and other publication. In 2025, he received the Rockower Press Award for Excellence in Commentary on Antisemitism. He serves as the Robert Kogod Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America.
Questions? Email Zoe Korelitz at zoe.korelitz@shalomhartman.org