The founders of IJAN speak to MEMO about attacks on anti-Zionist Jews, the far-right's alliance with the Zionist movement and whether the genocide in Gaza is the beginning of the end of the Zionist movement

In this week’s MEMO in Conversation we are discussing opposition to Zionism from the Jewish community. We are pleased to have on the podcast the founders of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Michael Kalmanovitz and Sam Weinstein, who discuss the organisation's history, core values and current challenges. Established in 2008, IJAN is committed to the liberation of Palestinian people and land, differentiating itself from Zionist ideologies whilst maintaining a strong Jewish identity.

Michael and Sam discuss the weekly protests they’ve been holding since October 2023 against Israeli leaders. highlighting the challenges faced by protesters, including harassment and intimidation from counter-protesters, and instances of arrests based on what they describe as spurious allegations. Expressing concern about the growing alliance between global far-right movements and Zionism, they outline how this is affecting the anti-Zionism movement.

Beyond protesting, IJAN is working to hold Israeli figures like Tzipi Hotovely accountable for genocide and are concerned by efforts to silence anti-Zionist Jews.

With the rights abuses we see in Gaza, Michael and Sam share their views on whether the genocide in the Strip represents the beginning of the end of Zionism.  
Michael Kalmanovitz is a founding member of IJAN and a member of Payday, an antiracist and anti-imperialist network of men working with the Global Women’s Strike.    
Sam Weinstein, born in the United States, is a long-standing member of IJAN and a founding member of Payday. Sam spent most of his working life as a fulltime union organiser who came up through the ranks as a gas fitter.