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Resources - Data - Podcasts - Articles -
The Shalom Alliance stands firmly against antisemitism and hate in all forms. We also believe that a healthy, thriving Israel cannot and should not be mutually exclusive with the safety, dignity, and self-determination of all people in the region.
By sharing these resources, we seek to promote constructive and compassionate dialogue within the Jewish community
and between Jewish and non-Jewish communities across Vermont.
Great Questions
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The Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group who trace their origin to the land of Judea. There are about 15.5 million Jews living worldwide, about 0.2% of the world population and 2% of the United States Population.
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A Zionist is a person who believes in self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland, the land of Israel.
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Surveys show 85-90% of Jews globally are Zionists – meaning they support Israel’s right to exist and defend its borders.
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Antisemitism is hostility or prejudice against Jewish people. (Source: Oxford English Dictionary)
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Yes. In 2023, Vermont saw the second-highest per-capita increase in antisemitic hate crimes in the nation, a 200% increase from 2022. (Source: Anti-Defamation League 2023 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents)
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Not all criticism of Israel is antisemitic.
Criticism of Israel becomes antisemitic when it presents as one of the “three D’s” as defined by
Israeli human rights advocate Natan Sharansky:
Delegitimization: denial of the Jewish people’s right to self determination
Demonization: portrayal of Israel and Jews as evil, demonic, satanic
Double standards: criticizing Israel and only Israel on certain issues, but choosing to ignore similar or worse situations in other countries. Holding Israel to higher and impossible standards.
Experts to Follow -
Experts to Follow -
Noa Tishby
Noa Tishby is a NY Times best-selling author and Israel’s former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization.
Debbie Lechtman
Since October 7, Debbie Lechtman's Instagram account, @rootsmetals, have been a constant source of inspiration and raw data to her 115,000 followers worldwide. With clear & concise language, her posts creatively dispel the myths that are plaguing the Jewish world today.
Debbie writes educational content on Jewish history and identity for a variety of organizations. She has written for Tablet Magazine, Jewish Unpacked and currently creates content for Creative Community for Peace and Honest Reporting.
John Spencer
John Spencer is an award-winning scholar, professor, author, combat veteran, national security and military analyst, and internationally recognized expert and advisor on urban warfare, military strategy, tactics, and other related topics. Considered one of the world’s leading expert on urban warfare, he served as an advisor to the top four-star general and other senior leaders in the U.S. Army as part of strategic research groups from the Pentagon to the United States Military Academy.