Soviet Refuseniks and Modern Zionism ft. Izabella Tabarovsky

In this episode, I sit down with Izabella Tabarovsky — senior scholar of Soviet and contemporary antisemitism and author of Be a Refusenik: A Jewish Student Survival Guide — for one of the most important conversations about Jewish identity, Zionism, and campus life after October 7.We cover:Why American Jews feel afraid and disoriented in the current climateHow antisemitism from the far left, far right, and Islamist movements has converged into a single narrativeWhat today’s students can learn from the Soviet Jewry / Refusenik movementThe tension between working inside institutions vs. grassroots activismWhy traditional “fight antisemitism” programs don’t work, and what doesHow to build thick Jewish identity, resilience, and peoplehoodWhat parents and students need to know before choosing a collegeWhether Jews actually have true allies in American politicsWhy anti-Zionist Jews today differ from historical Jewish movements like the BundIf you're a Jewish student, parent, educator, or campus professional, this conversation offers the historical framework, language, and mindset to navigate this moment with strength—not fear.📘 Order Isabella Tabarovsky’s book: Be a Refusenik: A Jewish Student Survival Guide (Amazon)🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on Jewish history, Zionism, campus culture, and contemporary antisemitism.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro00:15 Why American Jews feel fear today03:00 Antisemitism from left, right & Islamists07:20 Inside vs. outside strategy on campus12:00 What the Refusenik movement teaches us18:00 Rebuilding Jewish identity & peoplehood29:00 Anti-Zionist Jews: then vs. now45:00 Do Jews have allies in America?51:00 Advice for parents & Jewish students54:30 How to move forward strategically#IsabellaTabarovsky #BeARefusenik #jewishstudents #CampusAntisemitism #zionisme #jewishidentity #Americanjew #sovietunion #israel #AntiZionism #jewishpodcast #isalmic