Upcoming events

In American Jewish life, few questions are as fraught — or as revealing — as this one: Is Donald Trump Good for the Jews?

For some, the answer lies in his record. As president, Trump moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, brokered normalization deals between Israel and Arab states, and cast himself as an unflinching ally of the Jewish state. In recent months, he has demanded action on campus antisemitism and positioned himself as a defender of Jewish students.

But others see a more cynical calculus: a president who invokes Jewish loyalty tests, traffics in antisemitic tropes, and redefines criticism of Israel as bigotry — thereby narrowing the space for dissent and civil discourse. They worry that his brand of politics is less about safeguarding Jewish life than about instrumentalizing it, often at the expense of liberal values many American Jews hold dear.

In this launch of The SAPIR Debates, two prominent Jewish voices take opposing sides of this urgent and emotionally charged question: Jason Greenblatt, who served as Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East and worked for him for 20 years, and Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Obama, Mayor of Chicago, and US Ambassador to Japan. Moderated by SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens, this is a timely, unsparing exchange on identity, power, politics — and what it means to stand with the Jews in America today.

The SAPIR Debates is a new series that will feature a spirited but civil exchange of views on the most consequential issues facing the Jewish community.

In a time of rising antisemitism, extremism, and anti-Zionist sentiment, are we too discerning about our allies? Or does the moment demand that Jews hold fast to our values and insist that our partners share them? 

On June 9 at 1:00 PM ET, join essayist David Hazony and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Amy Spitalnick for a conversation with SAPIR’s Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens about the challenges and opportunities of forging alliances and building coalitions in a post-10/7 world.  

Do we still expect journalists—and the outlets they represent—to be objective? Or have we come to accept that much of today’s media falls into the realm of activist journalism?  What are the consequences when activist journalism and objective reporting become indistinguishable? 

On June 16 at 12:00 PM ET, join SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens alongside Israel’s chief political analyst for Channel 12 news, Amit Segal, as they engage in a discussion about the merits and pitfalls of activist and objective journalism in the U.S. and Israel.

In the wake of October 7, many American Jews have grappled with what it means to not only engage in activism—a longstanding tradition in Jewish history and culture—but to advocate effectively for themselves across diverse environments. 

Join SAPIR’s Editor-in-Chief, Bret Stephens, for a conversation on new forms of Jewish political and legal activism with Sara Forman, Executive Director of the New York Solidarity Network (NYSN) and Mark Rotenberg, Senior Vice President for University Initiatives and General Counsel at Hillel International, on June 23 at 12:00 PM ET.