Between Criticism and Hostility: Jewish Experiences in a Polarized Time

On Thursday at Arendalsuka, Samfunnsteltet at Ferjekaia was filled to maximum capacity as Kos & Kaos, together with our partner Stiftelsen Rettferd, invited the audience into a conversation about what it means to be Jewish in Europe today.

The panel brought together Shany Mor, lecturer in political thought at Reichman University and senior researcher at BICOM; Shannon Seban, Executive Director of European Affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement; and Ester Nafstad, deputy leader and co-founder of Kos & Kaos, commentator and writer.

At the heart of the discussion was a question that many Jews in Norway and across Europe live with every day: when does legitimate criticism turn into hostility? The speakers looked at how polarization in recent years has shaped public debate, how antisemitism is experienced in everyday life, and what this means for the Jewish minority – and for democracy, the climate for free expression and an inclusive society as a whole.

Drawing on academic research, European policy work and personal experience, the panel explored the line between political criticism and attitudes that target Jews as Jews, and asked what an open society owes the minorities living within it.

The conversation was honest, at times uncomfortable, and deeply necessary – a reminder that protecting open debate and protecting minorities go hand in hand.

Missed it? Watch the full conversation here.