On Oct. 15, Trinity Students for Justice in Palestine (TSJP) hosted an event entitled “Understanding the Difference: Anti-Zionism vs. Antisemitism.” The goal was to educate the student body on why the two concepts should not be equated, according to TSJP.

“We hope tonight is an event that facilitates critical discussion and engages with multiple perspectives on this subject matter,” TSJP President Julia Williams, junior international studies major, told the audience at the beginning of the talk.

The event itself centered around four panelists who are part of Jewish Voice for Peace San Antonio (JVPSA), a Jewish anti-Zionist organization. The speakers included Judith Norman, professor of philosophy, Sarah Pinnok, professor of religion, Sara Beth Kaufman, associate professor of sociology and anthropology, and Brielle Insler, managing partner and creative director at Duable Brand Trust, a digital branding and advertisement agency.

Pinnock moderated the event and asked the speakers several questions. They discussed questions like, “What is the history of Zionism and the establishment of the state of Israel?” and “How has the failure to distinguish Judaism from Zionism created difficulties in understanding the Palestinian struggle for liberation?”

The panelists shared their experiences with antisemitism. They discussed how its concept differs from critiquing the idea of Zionism and Israel. Norman said that TSJP invited members of JVPSA to serve as panelists because they present an alternative voice and viewpoint. According to Norman, TSJP students independently chose the topic for the panel and the speakers.

“The students looked around at the campus climate, at some of the obstacles that they faced at advocating for Palestinian liberation,” Norman said. “And they thought that this topic would be really helpful for creating a richer information environment.”

Norman said the group aimed to distinguish Judaism from Zionism. “This project of distinguishing Judaism from Zionism is important, instrumentally, towards that goal of stopping the genocide of Palestinans and liberating Palestine, because the equation of Zionism and Judaism has been a powerful way to silence people who object to the erasure of Palestinan people,” Norman said.

In regards to the environment on campus, Norman said there could be a much healthier campus climate for these conversations, and hopes this panel contributes to the greater health of conversations.

Norman also discussed the history of the current genocide in Gaza, and defined Zionism as a colonialist and political project as opposed to a religious one. Members of JVPSA want nothing to do with what they called Zionism’s colonialism, Norman said.

“Clearing my name is not a political priority. I am glad to have my name and my religion distinguished from this political enterprise,” Norman said about the Title VI she has received.

TSJP treasurer Berenice Alcott, sophomore anthropology major, said the event aimed to clarify confusion surrounding the terms anti-Zionism and antisemitism. “We understood that among the people we knew, and just looking at the news and general interactions, the term Zionism, and the history of Israel is very hazy, at best,” Alcott said.

She said that this event was meant to answer two questions: What is the truth? And what is Zionism?

“We wanted the event to clear up any misconceptions that have been going on at Trinity, and also just the San Antonio community in general for the past two years, especially with some legal definitions that have come out that have conflated and equated antisemitism with anti-Zionism,” a TSJP board member told the Trinitonian.

This board member requested to be anonymous for safety reasons. A TSJP board member also confirmed that the organization did not request the bag-checks and presence of TUPD. They stated that TSJP was not aware of the bag-checks until right before the commencement of the event.

At the end of the debate, Kaufman, among the other speakers, answered a question regarding if and how one should speak about Israel and the genocide to their pro-Zionist family. Kaufman said that her mother had never heard the term Nakba, a word used for the mass displacement of Palestinians.

“I think there are a lot of silences around the establishment of Israel that a lot of Jews are not taught, and I think it’s a good place to start, to say, ‘Did you know that this happened,’” Kaufman said.

*Hillel declined to comment on the coverage of this event.