The enduring effect of antisemitic conspiracy theories

+ US interests in Ukraine; bioengineered food label US Edition - Today's top story: How antisemitic conspiracy theories contributed to the recent hostage-taking at the Texas synagogue [View in browser]( US Edition | 21 January 2022 [The Conversation]( Earlier this month, a gunman took a rabbi and three of his congregants at a Texas synagogue hostage, while asking them to use their perceived power as Jews to free Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted and imprisoned in 2010 for terrorist activities. Myths about “Jewish power” have been pervasive in America since before the Civil War. In the 19th century, conspiracy theorists targeted the Rothschilds, the famed European Jewish bankers, and more recently, billionaire and philanthropist George Soros has been blamed for many of society's problems today. The truth, as historian of Jewish history at Brandeis University Jonathan Sarna writes, is that such fictional stories [provide a simple explanation for the confusing social changes that are hard for people to confront](. Also today: - [Why omicron’s spread is unlikely to lead to herd immunity]( - [Biden administration ratchets up responses to Russian cyberattacks]( - [The sunsetting child tax credit narrowed food insufficiency]( Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Law enforcement officials outside Congregation Beth Israel synagogue on Jan. 15, 2022, in Colleyville, Texas. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez [How antisemitic conspiracy theories contributed to the recent hostage-taking at the Texas synagogue]( Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University Myths related to Jewish conspiracies to control the world have long circulated in the US and continue to fuel hatred. Politics + Society - [5 things to know about why Russia might invade Ukraine – and why the US is involved]( Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida Russia appears to be inching closer to invading Ukraine, despite warnings from the US and other Western powers. Here are a few key ideas to better understand what led to this looming crisis. - [A year after Navalny’s return, Putin remains atop a changed Russia]( Regina Smyth, Indiana University The Russian government, under President Vladimir Putin, has stepped up repression at home and aggression abroad in an effort to consolidate power within the country and on the world stage. - [Supreme Court rejects Trump’s blocking of Jan. 6 docs: 3 key takeaways from ruling]( Kirsten Carlson, Wayne State University Justices have cleared the way for hundreds of Trump administration documents to be handed to a panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack. A law scholar explains what that means for executive privilege. Environment + Energy - [What is bioengineered food? An agriculture expert explains]( Kathleen Merrigan, Arizona State University There’s a new label on many US food products – here’s what it means and who pushed to add it. Science + Technology - [How the Biden administration is making gains in an uphill battle against Russian hackers]( Scott Jasper, Naval Postgraduate School The US has made a dent in Russian cyber criminal gangs. But tensions with Russia and the shadowy nature of hacking keep the threat level high. Education - [About 1 in 3 child care workers are going hungry]( Colin Page McGinnis, The Ohio State University Child care workers are at the center of the food insecurity crisis in America. In 2020, nearly one-third of them were food insecure. Health + Medicine - [Alpha then delta and now omicron – 6 questions answered as COVID-19 cases once again surge across the globe]( Sara Sawyer, University of Colorado Boulder; Arturo Barbachano-Guerrero, University of Colorado Boulder; Cody Warren, University of Colorado Boulder People are buzzing with questions about the omicron variant and whether it could help usher in herd immunity. A team of virologists deciphers the latest findings. - [Conflicts between nursing home residents are often chalked up to dementia – the real problem is inadequate care and neglect]( Eilon Caspi, University of Connecticut Research shows that violence between patients is prevalent, often overlooked and largely unaddressed. - [The sunsetting of the child tax credit expansion could leave many families without enough food on the table]( Paul Shafer, Boston University; Katherine Gutierrez, University of New Mexico The 2021 child tax credit expansion helped lift millions of families with children out of hunger. After those payments ended in December 2021, those families may again face food insufficiency. Arts + Culture - [Willie O'Ree’s little-known journey to break the NHL’s color barrier]( Thomas J. Whalen, Boston University A debilitating eye injury and racial epithets weren’t enough to derail O'Ree’s resolve, which is now getting overdue recognition. Podcast 🎙️ - [The science of sugar: why we’re hardwired to love it and what eating too much does to your brain]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation; Gemma Ware, The Conversation Plus, a lawyer explains the legal battle over Canada’s discriminatory First Nations child welfare system. Listen to The Conversation Weekly. From our international editions - [Groundwater — not ice sheets — is the largest source of water on land and most of it is ancient]( - [Antimicrobial resistance now causes more deaths than HIV/AIDS and malaria worldwide – new study]( - [Rhino horn consumers reveal why a legal trade alone won’t save rhinos]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠About how many COVID-19 tests in the U.S. have been performed by medical laboratory professionals as of January 2022? - 320 million - 520 million - 860 million - 1 billion [Click here for the answer.]( Like this newsletter? 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