Exceptional Hatred – Antisemitism and Free Speech in America, Past and Present

Join us for a book talk 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

Has antisemitism always been woven into American history or are we witnessing something fundamentally new? Why do Jews and Israel stand at the center of so many battles over free speech? And can we confront hate speech without sacrificing the freedoms we hold dear? Drawing on his acclaimed new book, historian James Loeffler tackles these urgent questions head-on, illuminating what our current crisis reveals about the fragility and resilience of liberal democracy, and where we might go from here.

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

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