It has now been a year and a half since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack — not only the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, but one that also ignited a global surge of antisemitism in its wake. As someone whose research anticipated a post-10/7 spike in Diaspora antisemitism, even I was unprepared for the velocity, intensity and normalization of Jew-hatred that followed.

The empirical evidence is staggering. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2023 audit reported a 361% increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. after Oct. 7, with antisemitic hate crimes exploding in urban areas with large Jewish populations, like New York City. Campus antisemitism surged, with over 70% of Jewish college students reporting they felt unsafe or harassed. And internationally, data from the Global 100 survey shows that Holocaust denial and antisemitic attitudes remain disturbingly prevalent, often strongest where Jews are most vulnerable.

Yet for many Jews, what hurts even more than the statistics is the societal gaslighting: when antisemitism is explained away, weaponized or dismissed entirely. We are witnessing hatred repackaged as political discourse, from the mainstreaming of apologists for Nazi salutes to the tearing down of hostage posters.

This crisis begs a fundamental question: Who, exactly, are the “experts” we’ve empowered to counter antisemitism?

For the past 18 months, critiques of Jewish legacy organizations have been fierce — and in some cases, deserved. But we must first interrogate an even more basic issue, one that transcends time and place: What qualifies someone to be an expert in antisemitism in the first place?

Antisemitism is an inherently interdisciplinary phenomenon. It demands fluency in psychology to understand prejudicial attitudes, sociology and political science to grasp systemic discrimination, communications and rhetoric to unpack dangerous narratives, and history to contextualize it all. Mastery in even one of these fields is rare. Mastery in several is rarer still.

Moreover, the field lacks professionals trained to rigorously evaluate and implement interventions that actually reduce antisemitism. Despite record levels of funding, we are suffering from a drought of practitioners equipped with the empirical skills necessary to meet this moment.

Why? A toxic mix of American Jewish exceptionalism, academic gatekeeping, organizational insularity and antisemitism itself has discouraged rigorous scholarship and delayed professional development in this space.

But that is changing.

In April 2024, Gratz College launched the nation’s first master’s program in antisemitism studies, designed precisely to cultivate the kind of interdisciplinary and applied expertise the moment demands. In just one year, enrollment has surpassed 30 students — from pulpit rabbis and pastors to civil rights lawyers, social workers, K–12 educators and higher education leaders. Our students also include several of the most prominent Jewish influencers across social media today.

What are they doing?

They are developing and testing scalable antisemitism education curricula — not limited to Holocaust memory, but inclusive of contemporary hate dynamics. They are consulting with counter-extremism and legal organizations to incorporate antisemitism-specific frameworks and interventions into policy efforts. They are designing and leading campus initiatives that build resilience, offer Jewish students support and actively counter radicalization.

This is not theory. This is praxis.

Now, we’re taking the next step.

It is with pride and purpose that I announce the launch of the world’s first doctoral program in antisemitism studies at Gratz College. Where our master’s program trains professionals to identify and analyze problems, our Ph.D. program will equip scholars to solve them — through original, empirical research designed to close the gaps in our knowledge and practice.

Developed in consultation with global leaders in antisemitism research and advocacy, the program centers methodological rigor, real-world applicability and academic depth. It draws on my own years consulting with Jewish institutions to understand which skills are most needed and most effective.

As antisemitism continues to mutate across ideological and institutional lines, we cannot afford to rely on vague and contested definitions, reactive strategies or untrained spokespeople. We must set a new standard for what counts as expertise, and credential it. That’s what we’re doing at Gratz College. I hope you’ll join us — by partnering, supporting or enrolling — in building the institutional foundation our community has long needed: a rigorous, research-based program prioritizing how antisemitism is understood and confronted.

Ayal Feinberg is the director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights and an associate professor of political science and antisemitism studies at Gratz College.