A new academic initiative between Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the University of Southern California will study and combat antisemitism and how it spreads into broader forms of hate.
Funded by the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation, the program will be based at HUC’s Louchheim School for Judaic Studies and develop coursework open to both Jewish and non-Jewish students, organizers said. The curriculum aims to provide a scholarly framework for understanding antisemitism as a “gateway” to other forms of bigotry.
The initiative gained urgency in the aftermath of the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which were followed by increased antisemitic incidents in the United States and on college campuses, according to project supporters.
“The world began to fall back into old, hateful trends,” said Sharon Nazarian, president of the Nazarian Family Foundation. “Fighting hate is the ultimate goal.”
College officials said the partnership builds on more than five decades of institutional collaboration between HUC and USC in Jewish studies and related academic programs.
“It felt like a natural and important collaboration,” Nazarian said. “One aimed at developing new solutions to old problems.”
Andrew Rehfeld, president of Hebrew Union College, said the initiative reflects a sustained commitment to combating antisemitism through rigorous scholarship and campus engagement.
