Understanding Jew-hatred across the centuries (IN PERSON COURSE).
IN PERSON: Miami Beach JCC
MONDAYS, 10:30am-12:00pm ET Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30; Dec. 7, 14, 2026.
“In each and every generation they rise up against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, rescues us from their hands."
(Passover Haggadah)
Course Description :
Antisemitism has been described as a virus that mutates. In each historical period, hatred of Jews takes on a different form or focus, often as a reaction to the prevailing ideology of the time – be it religious, racist, or political.
In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre and the ongoing war in Gaza, antisemitism is, once again, reaching levels not seen since the Holocaust. Therefore, it is crucial for learners to understand the historical processes that have given rise to today's antisemitism. This understanding will help them comprehend the underlying forces and the recurring tropes used to depict Jews and the Jewish State over time.
In this six-part course, learners will explore pivotal periods, such as the interactions between Jews and early Christianity and Islam, medieval manifestations in Christian Europe, the rise of racially motivated antisemitism leading to the Holocaust, the influence of communism and Islamism on perceptions of Jews, and the contemporary landscape of antisemitism, encompassing both extreme right-wing and left-wing ideologies.
Join us (in person) to deepen your understanding of the development of antisemitism since ancient times.
Lesson 1 - Confrontation with Early Christianity
Lesson 2 - Confrontation with Early Islam
Lesson 3 - Medieval Antisemitism
Lesson 4 - The Holocaust
Lesson 5 - The Challenge of Communism and Islamism
Lesson 6 - The New Antisemitism
** Printed coursebooks and eBooks will be available for purchase through Amazon. Books are $30/printed book and eBooks are $2.95/eBook. Purchasers with Amazon Prime will not be charged shipping for the printed book. Learners will receive a link to order materials prior to the start of the course.
MONDAYS, 10:30am-12:00pm ET
Rachel Benaim-Abudarham is the Assistant Director of Adult Learning at CAJE.
She is a storyteller, scholar, and award-winning journalist passionate about bringing Jewish history to life. A third-year PhD student researching how Jewish communities have transmitted wisdom and burdens across generations, Rachel specializes in the lived experiences of diaspora Jews.
For more than a decade, Rachel has traveled the world reporting on religion, migration, and cultural memory for outlets such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, Haaretz, and The Weather Channel. Her work invites readers, and now students, to see the Jewish journey not through hardship, but through meaning and joy.
Rachel holds degrees from Columbia University and Yeshiva University, with additional studies at Oxford, NYU, and institutions in Jerusalem and Stockholm. She is thrilled to share stories of the “other 2,000 years” of Jewish life and help learners discover new perspectives about our global heritage.
A South Florida native, she recently moved back to Boca Raton with her husband and two kids.
