Magda Teter, a leading scholar of antisemitism and professor of history at Fordham University, was recently named the inaugural Scholar-in-Residence of the Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism (YPSA).
During the spring semester, Teter will host five events, sponsored by YPSA, that aim to engage both members of the Yale community and the general public in dialogue on the history of antisemitism, its spread today, and challenges facing the field of antisemitism studies.
"I am looking forward to exploring these complex issues with different audiences, especially now when we see both the resurgence of antisemitism and its politicization," Teter said.
Teter's appointment marks the beginning of a program that YPSA "plans to repeat in the coming years," said Linda Maizels, the managing director of the program. "We feel especially fortunate to have a scholar of Professor Teter's caliber as our inaugural speaker."
Teter, whose work explores how early modern religion and culture have shaped the development of antisemitism, will draw upon this expertise for her first event: a Feb. 11 public lecture titled "On Jewish Suffering, Empathy, and the Need to Rethink Antisemitism."
In the lecture, Teter will explore ways to consider antizionism and its relationship to antisemitism within the context of religious conceptions about Judaism.
Teter was first drawn to the study of antisemitism while growing up in Poland. There, she said, "the remnants of the Jewish presence made me interested in Jewish history and culture at a time when these topics were still a taboo."
As the Shvidler Chair in Judaic Studies and Co-Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Fordham, Teter has aimed to use her expertise to illuminate Jewish history for scholars and the public alike, including curating exhibitions with her students and building library teaching collections.
Teter "thinks creatively about pedagogy," said Sarit Kattan Gribetz, an associate professor of religious studies and Jewish studies in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. "[She] is an outstanding teacher and scholar. We are honored to have the opportunity to learn from her this semester."
Teter's deep engagement with Jewish history extends to her current post as president of the American Academy for Jewish Research. Previously, she was vice president for publications at the Association for Jewish Studies and joint editor-in-chief of AJS Review; her work has been supported by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Her recent books include "Blood Libel: On the Trail of the Antisemitic Myth" (Harvard University Press, 2020), the winner of a National Jewish Book Award; "Christian Supremacy: Reckoning with the Roots of Antisemitism and Racism" (Princeton University Press, 2023); and "Blood Libels, Hostile Archives" (Amsterdam University Press, 2025).
Dates and locations for Teter's events are available on the Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism's website. Free copies of her books will be distributed to student attendees.
Reporting contributed by Lisa Prevost.
