The event, titled "Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism: The Keys to Understanding Them," was organized by ORT's Department of Jewish Studies and took place in the auditorium at the Pocitos Campus.
The conference offered an academic approach to a highly topical issue, one that is intertwined with political, historical, and identity-related discussions that occupy a central place in the international debate.
Current debate
During his presentation, Spektorowski, a visiting professor at Universidad ORT Uruguay, discussed the evolution of modern anti-Semitism and its connection to current forms of criticism of Zionism and the State of Israel.
Dr. Spektorowski argued that anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism are not equivalent concepts in all historical contexts, but he suggested that, in the current climate, certain anti-Zionist expressions can function as a contemporary form of anti-Semitism.
He also examined how conflicts in the Middle East influence public perception of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.
Historical Perspective
The lecture included references to the emergence of political Zionism, debates on the Jewish people’s right to national self-determination, and changes in anti-Semitism from the European modern era to the present day.
Spektorowski explained that modern anti-Semitism was directed not only against Jews perceived as different, but also against Jews who had integrated into European democratic societies.
From that perspective, he linked the development of political Zionism to the historical need for a Jewish national response to modern forms of exclusion and persecution.
Academic Background
Dr. Spektorowski is a specialist in political theory and comparative politics, with a focus on ideologies, nationalism, and the radical right in Europe and Latin America.
He is the author of an extensive body of academic work on fascism, populism, and the transformation of the nation-state. He has also served as a visiting professor at institutions such as Columbia University, the University of Notre Dame, the University of the Basque Country, and Torcuato Di Tella University.
In 2000, he also joined Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami’s team during the peace negotiations with the Palestinians and participated in the International Contact Group, which helped bring an end to the violence and dismantle the ETA organization in Spain.
Training and dialogue
This event is part of the work of the Department of Jewish Studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay, which promotes the study of topics related to Jewish history, culture, the Holocaust, Israel, and antisemitism.
The department promotes opportunities for learning and reflection that allow these issues to be addressed from an academic perspective, with an emphasis on historical understanding and informed dialogue.
The theme of this conference is also linked to civic education and democratic coexistence, in line with SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions—one of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as part of a global agenda to address challenges such as education, peace, justice, and institutional strengthening by 2030.