Mehnaz Afridi: Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Muslims in Holocaust Memory

In this conversation, Mehnaz Afridi—Professor of Religion and Philosophy and Director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan University—discusses her groundbreaking work “Shoah Through Muslim Eyes”, the overlooked stories of Muslims in the Holocaust, the challenges of teaching about Zionism and antisemitism, and the urgent need for interfaith dialogue in today’s polarized world.00:00:00 – Opening00:01:32 – Introduction00:02:10 – Why a Muslim Scholar Wrote on the Holocaust00:05:45 – Reactions to Holocaust Testimonies at the Omaha Conference00:10:50 – Forgotten Stories: Muslims Who Died in the Holocaust00:16:46 – Gen Z, Zionism, and Making Sense of History00:24:07 – Islam, Antisemitism in Egypt, and Shared Lessons00:29:31 – Teaching the Shoah: Risks, Backlash, and Empathy00:35:01 – Islamophobia After 9/11 and Efforts to Humanize Communities00:36:48 – Practical Steps to Build Tolerance and Understanding