October 7, 2023, changed the Jewish world. Now, more than 117 days later we have the opportunity to understand and unravel the historical roots of Hamas, shedding light on its ideology and its impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is presenting a three-part webinar series delving into “The Origins and Ideology of Hamas.” Led by esteemed historian Jeffrey Herf and featuring experts like Benny Morris and Matthias Küntzel.

“Exploring the deep affiliations of radical Islamist Hamas with the antisemitic propaganda of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, this series exposes a painful point of intersection between Eastern European Jewish history and contemporary events,” said YIVO Executive Director and CEO Jonathan Brent. “The YIVO Institute is uniquely positioned to illuminate that nexus and unflinchingly probe its implications.”

Key Points 

• Revelations Uncovered: Explore the deep affiliations between radical Islamist group Hamas and the antisemitic propaganda of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
• Painful Intersection: Examine the point of intersection between Eastern European Jewish history and contemporary events, exposing a connection that challenges conventional narratives.
• Expert Insights: Historians Jeffrey Herf, Benny Morris, and Matthias Küntzel discuss the ideological background of Hamas, tracing its roots from the 1930s to its formation in 1988.
• Webinar Series Details: The three-part series covers topics like Islamic antisemitism, the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, and responses to the October 7th massacres.

“As shocking and awful as the Hamas attack of October 7 on Israelis was, it was not a surprise for those of us who have examined the Jew-hatred at the core of Hamas’s ideology,” said Herf. “It is a set of ideas that combined a distinctly Islamist interpretation of Islam that took shape in the 1930s and 1940s, survived in the Muslim Brotherhood after World War II, and persisted in the formation of Hamas in 1988.

How to Attend:

• Event 1: “Hamas and the Origins of Islamic Antisemitism”
  • Date: Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 | 12:00pm CST
  • Where: On Zoom
  • Cost: Free
  • Register: yivo.org/IdeologySeries1
• Event 2: “Colonialism, Racism, and the Arab Israeli War of 1948”
  • Date: Monday, March 25, 2024 | 12:00pm CST
  • Where: On Zoom
  • Cost: Free
  • Register: yivo.org/IdeologySeries2
• Event 3: “Responses to October 7th”
  • Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 | 12:00pm CST
  • Where: On Zoom
  • Cost: Free
  • Register: yivo.org/IdeologySeries3

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