At 5pm GMT (just a few minutes to go) we welcome attendees to “History Repeating: Has Antisemitism Taken Root in Feminism?” our online event. We will be live posting thoughout the event – though may not be able to reply to any comments immediately. Please remember the posts are not a transcript of what the speakers are saying, but are the poster’s understandering of the points being made. The event is being recorded and will be made available at a later date.
Antisemitism has simmered in feminist spaces for decades, but after October 7 it boiled over, spilling into a new phase of an old, ugly pattern: Jew-hatred disguised as social justice. Today, that hostility often takes the form of Antizionism: a movement built on demonisation and delegitimisation, fuelled by myths of “colonisation,” “genocide,” and “apartheid.”
But how did we get here?
This event is designed for anyone who wants to understand what’s happening – no prior knowledge required.

We’ll look at how critical theories changed feminist thinking and created a culture that often pushed Jewish women to the margins. We’ll dive into the Spare Rib controversy in the 1980s, when Britain’s leading feminist magazine split over fierce arguments about Zionism, racism, and antisemitism. And we’ll look at how antisemitism is showing up again in today’s feminist spaces.

This discussion will turn down the heat and expose what’s beneath the surface, helping women make sense of what they’re witnessing. Together, we’ll ask: What does this mean for the future of feminist solidarity, and for the place of Jewish women in the movement?

Kara Jesella – Author and scholar whose forthcoming Routledge book (2026) traces the history of antisemitism within the feminist movement. Kara holds a PhD and MA in Performance Studies from NYU and a BA in Women’s Studies and English from Vassar College. She served as managing editor of a feminist academic journal and is currently a fellow at the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. Her expertise illuminates the intersection of feminist theory, Jewish identity, and exclusionary politics.
Zoe Strimpel – Telegraph columnist and social historian, Zoe writes extensively on feminism, identity politics, and cultural trends. She has researched the Spare Rib controversy of the 1980s in depth and published on the magazine’s role in shaping feminist discourse, including chapters in Women’s Periodicals and Print Culture in Britain and articles in Social History of Medicine. Her work offers valuable insight into how debates over Zionism and antisemitism fractured the feminist movement and why those fault lines matter today.
Nicole Lampert (Moderator) – Freelance journalist, broadcaster, and commentator who writes regularly on antisemitism, Israel, and women’s rights for outlets including The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Independent, The Sun and the Jewish Chronicle. A former showbusiness editor of the Daily Mail, she uses her media expertise to clarify complex social issues. She was recently awarded the Pete Newbon Award for her outstanding contribution to public understanding of antisemitism by the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. Our spokeswomen Freya is introducing the event and speakers. We will be exploring how Antisemitism is currently being manifested in feminist spaces.