Special Event: Anti-Semitism in America

By UNLV Media Relations

U.S. Senator and UNLV Distinguished Fellow in Law and Policy Harry Reid, in partnership with the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law and the Nevada System of Higher Education, will welcome two of the foremost experts on anti-Semitism in America on April 11 for a conversation at UNLV.

Award-winning author/historian Deborah Lipstadt and acclaimed journalist Jonathan Weisman will discuss modern manifestations of anti-Semitism and bigotry that are on the rise nationwide, pulling from their own scholarly work and experiences.

The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. in UNLV’s Richard Tam Alumni Center. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and registration is required.

“Combating Anti-Semitism, injustice and hate is one of the most important causes of our time, and this conversation couldn’t come at a more critical moment in our nation’s history,” said Senator Reid. “I’ve been alarmed by increasing reports of Anti-Semitism and hate in Nevada and throughout the country, and I am determined to help give this issue the spotlight and focus it deserves. I’m grateful to have two highly respected leaders join me for this important conversation. Hatred and bigotry go against everything our country stands for, and we need to come together to fight this evil ideology.”

Lipstadt, the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, is one of the nation’s leading scholars on anti-Semitism and served as a consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. She is the author of Antisemitism: Here and Now, which traces escalating expressions of anti-Semitism in the U.S. and Europe.

Her landmark book, Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory,garnered national acclaim and was the first full-length study on those who attempt to deny the Holocaust. Lipstadt’s work also includes History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier, which won the 2006 National Jewish Book Award and was the basis for the 2016 movie, “Denial.”

Weisman is a veteran Washington journalist with a career that spans more than 30 years. He is the deputy Washington editor at The New York Times, and author of (((Semitism))), a powerful book that captures his own experiences and examines the rise in anti-Semitism in America and what can be done to confront it. Weisman has also reported for The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and others.

“This is an extremely important conversation we as a nation, as a community, and as people must continue to have,” said Thom Reilly, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. “I am grateful to Sen. Harry Reid for his leadership and generosity in helping create and organize this event.”

The event is presented by Sen. Reid, UNLV Boyd School of Law, and the Nevada System of Higher Education in collaboration with the College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College. Event sponsors include the Nevada regional office of the Anti-Defamation League and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

“I want to thank Senator Harry Reid for making it possible to bring nationally recognized authors, like Deborah Lipstadt and Jonathan Weisman, to UNLV to discuss the critical issue of anti-Semitism in America,” said Daniel W. Hamilton, dean of the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law. “It is more important than ever that we come together to have this conversation.”

About U.S. Senator Harry Reid

Born in Searchlight, Nevada, Harry Reid served 30 years in the U.S. Senate and is the longest serving Senator from the state. During his Senate career, he served as the Senate Majority Leader, Democratic Leader, Majority Whip, and Minority Whip. Senator Reid is renowned for tirelessly working to improve conditions in his home state by promoting economic development, investing in infrastructure and clean energy development, and championing Nevada’s role as the country’s premiere entertainment and gaming destination. In addition to his role as a Distinguished Fellow in Law and Policy at UNLV Law, Senator Reid recently launched the MGM Resorts Public Policy Institute with Speaker John Boehner.

About UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law

Established in 1998, the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has nearly 400 students and offers three juris doctor degree programs: a full-time day program, a part-time day program, and a part-time evening program. The school also offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Gaming Law and Regulation and three dual degree programs: the J.D./MBA, J.D./M.S.W., and J.D./Ph.D. It is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. For more information about UNLV Law, please visit law.unlv.edu and stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.