A conversation you almost never hear outside academic circles, this webinar cuts through theory and speaks directly to the activists who’ve been sensing something is wrong in feminist spaces but haven’t heard it named clearly until now. Our first Feminists Against Antisemitism webinar was a sweeping exploration of how antisemitism has threaded itself through feminist movements—historically, academically, and right into the present day. Moderated by journalist Nicole Lampert, with speakers Zoë Stimpel and Dr Kara Jesella, the discussion traced the story from the women’s conferences of the 1970s, through the battles inside Spare Rib and the Women’s Liberation Movement, to the rise of intersectionality, queer theory, DEI frameworks, and the new wave of Antizionist ideology in feminist spaces today. Speakers: 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. The conversation was grounded in real experience, archival research, and first‑hand accounts of how Jewish women have been excluded, targeted, or erased within feminist spaces that claim to stand for all women. Within 90 minutes, the panel unpacked: How antisemitism and Antizionism became intertwined in feminist organising Why Jewish women—central to the civil rights, gay liberation, and anti‑apartheid movements—became reframed as oppressors The UN women’s conferences of 1975 and 1980, and how they seeded narratives still shaping the left today The collapse of Spare Rib under the weight of increasingly extreme anti‑Israel politics The migration of academic theories into mainstream activism, online culture, and DEI policy Why modern feminism so often centres everything except women Where Jewish women—and feminist allies—can go from here Attendees told us that the event helped them to make sense of dynamics they’ve been feeling but haven’t had the language or historical context to express. If you care about feminism, Jewish women’s safety, movement‑building, or the integrity of progressive spaces, this conversation is essential viewing. This is only the beginning. Feminists Against Antisemitism is building a community where women—Jewish and non‑Jewish—can speak openly, learn together, and push back against a tide of antisemitism that has gone unchallenged for far too long. If this resonates, please share the recording, join our Substack, and stay with us for the next conversations.
