Antisemitism has long been seeping into U.S. higher education. To fight it, Jewish and Zionist professors are doing what they do best: educating. No buzzwords or slogans. Just unadulterated, fact-driven conversations.
Our host Sarah Livingston, who serves as Director of Member Engagement at the Academic Engagement Network, sits down with leading academics to get their take on antisemitism at colleges and universities and in the greater U.S. academy — while learning what can be done to stop it.
Lights On
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The Host
Former faculty member Sarah Livingston sits at the intersection of Jewish history, higher education, and advocacy. As the Director of Member Engagement for the Academic Engagement Network (AEN), she works on the front lines daily, empowering faculty to counter antisemitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses.
Sarah brings this vital work to the airwaves as the host of Lights On, an AEN podcast where she interviews scholars and educators confronting hate and driving systemic change through education.
Before joining AEN, Sarah served as the Executive Director of Hillel at Ohio University, where she also shared her passion as an instructor of Jewish Studies in OU's Religious Studies department. A powerful voice in a formidable field, her academic research focuses on the diversity of Jewish food and culture. Her insights have been featured in The Forward, The LAist, and various local and national media outlets.
Sarah holds a B.A. in Russian Jewish history from The Ohio State University and an M.A. in Jewish food history from the University of Toronto.
Antisemitism Studies with Dr. Ayal Feinberg
Episode 3 | 10.22.26
How do we know if our efforts to fight antisemitism are working?
Sarah Livingston sits down with Dr. Ayal Feinberg, Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights at Gratz College, a longtime member of the Academic Engagement Network, and past Chair of the AEN Junior Faculty Section. During this hourlong episode, he explores how research can move beyond identifying hate to drive meaningful change.
From measuring prejudice and changing behavior to addressing Jew-hate in higher ed, Dr. Feinberg discusses how evidence-based strategies can help universities take action while protecting academic freedom and ensuring Jewish students can fully participate in campus life.
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Past Episodes
Academic Freedom Versus Hate Speech
Episode 2 | 10.15.26
How can universities confront hate speech while protecting academic freedom? Sarah Livingston sits down with Miriam Elman, Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network, for a thought-provoking conversation on the challenges facing higher education.
Drawing on her experience and thought leadership, Elman explores academic freedom and responsibility, effective university leadership, and how campuses can protect open inquiry while creating spaces where all students feel welcome and respected.
The Professor Who Wouldn’t Leave His Office
Episode 1 | October 8, 2026
After October 7, as Jewish students were harassed and targeted at UC Berkeley, Professor Ron Hassner staged a sleep-in protest to bring attention to rising antisemitism on his campus. For two weeks, he taught and ate in his office, slightly bigger than a one-car garage. At night, he slept on a mattress beside his desk.
After more than 300 hours of protest, administrators agreed to his list of demands to address Jew-hate at UC Berkeley. And they followed through.
In episode 1 of the Lights On podcast, he tells host Sarah Livingston what pushed him to act and what it taught him about courage on campus.
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