Emma Saltzberg, a progressive Jewish activist and leader, fully expected to be criticized as a result of a winning streak on Jeopardy.
By Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
From her years of experience in progressive Jewish groups, including IfNotNow, a group founded in 2014 to galvanize American Jews to oppose Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, she knew that her appearance on one of the most popular TV shows in the United States would likely generate negative comments from those who believe criticizing the occupation is antisemitic.
So when those comments started to appear on social media, especially after IfNotNow touted her third win, and then her fourth and final contest, Saltzberg wasn’t surprised.
“That was priced in to my decision to do something public,” she told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I was totally expecting it.”
What she hadn’t counted on, she said, was her fellow contestants standing up for her. On Monday, Lawrence Long, the nursing student and self-described “stay-at-home uncle” from North Carolina who defeated Saltzberg on Monday’s episode reached out to let her know that he was distressed by the attacks and would be donating to IfNotNow in her honor.
Recent Posts
In Southern Lebanon, Residents Fight Israeli Occupation
February 5, 2025
Take Action NowBarred from returning home, displaced civilians from southern Lebanon are setting up camps outside their villages where Israeli…
Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Blitz, a Zero Hour Conversation with Sonali Kolhatkar
February 5, 2025
Take Action Now Richard and Sonali criticize the misinformation spread by the administration, noting that many arrests are non-violent or involve…
‘A Day Without Immigrants’: Protests Against Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans Across U.S.
February 4, 2025
Take Action Now “D.C. depends deeply on immigrants, who work vital jobs in our local economy, pay taxes, and make the city a vibrant place to…
Fed Employee Unions Sue Over Musk’s Government Takeover
February 4, 2025
Take Action Now“It is disgraceful that the Trump administration has allowed unelected billionaires and their lackeys unfettered access to…