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Emily Tamkin

@emilyctamkin.bsky.social
11K followers 1.2K following 2.7K posts

Writer, reporter, editor, all-around delight. Work lots of places. Author of THE INFLUENCE OF SOROS and BAD JEWS. Working on new book on Holocaust remembrance. Don’t yell at me. emilyctamkin@gmail.com. emilyctamkin.substack.com.

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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 1h
That's relatively early Soros conspiracy theorist Dennis Hastert to you!
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Mark, I have a piece for you forward.com/opinion/8519...
forward.com
The choice in Michigan between El-Sayed and Rogers is one all American Jews have to make
Elections are between the candidates you have — not the ones you might want
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Dan Sinykin @dan-sinnamon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Working on this reported essay, just published, increasingly took over my life for the last two months. PEN America did a terrible disservice with its sloppy reporting about American Jews and Israelis in publishing in July. Josh Lambert and I tried to do better. jewishcurrents.org/what-pen-ame...
jewishcurrents.org
What PEN America Got Wrong About Antisemitism in Publishing
Misleading anecdotes, flawed data, and oversimplified analyses are at the heart of a narrative of Jewish exclusion promoted by the free expression…
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Aditya Mukerjee 🦦 🏳️‍🌈 @chimeracoder.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"And insisting that our understanding of antisemitism always and only adhere to one definition is like insisting that we always and only use a hammer for home renovation. Sometimes that is useful; sometimes that can result in destroying your house."
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"the decision not to select one definition shows that it is focused more on fixing the problem than prematurely picking just one method to solve it" Me for @forward.com on Mamdani's antisemitism strategy forward.com/opinion/8529...
forward.com
Mayor Mamdani's antisemitism strategy doesn’t define antisemitism. That’s a good thing.
Contrary to some critics' beliefs, we don't need a definition to fight hatred
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
For @forward.com, I wrote about Jewish Democrats in Michigan (and elsewhere) and how sometimes the most important part of a decision is understanding that you are deciding between a certain set of choices forward.com/opinion/8519...
forward.com
The choice in Michigan between El-Sayed and Rogers is one all American Jews have to make
Elections are between the candidates you have — not the ones you might want
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James Downie @jamescdownie.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Crazy how the guy who's definitely not a quack for money and his spouse and friends who are also definitely not in it for the money keep doing things for lots and lots of money.
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Congratulations to @akbarshahidahmed.bsky.social on the publication of Crossing the Red Line. There are so many who would have us forget that to report on foreign policy is to report on power. Fortunately, Akbar never does. wwnorton.com/books/978132...
wwnorton.com
Crossing the Red Line
A powerful and authoritative account of how the Biden administration fueled atrocities in Gaza, from an award-winning foreign affairs journalist., Crossing the Red Line, Biden, His Advisors, and Israe...
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
National Jewish Survey, Sep 1, 2026 Generic congressional ballot: 67% D, 26% R Approvals JD Vance: -68 MAGA: -59 Donald Trump: -53 ICE: -50 Benjamin Netanyahu: -40 Marco Rubio: -33 "Israeli policy in Gaza": -30 Barack Obama +32 jewishvoters.org/wp-content/u...
jewishvoters.org
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Some thoughts on Dana Nessel's remarks and the discourse emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/to-live-in...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
To live in the world
On a personal essay (by me) and a political speech (by someone else)
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
For @forward.com, a very personal essay on the stories we tell at the High Holidays and my last year of new motherhood and family health crisis. An early Shanah Tovah to you and yours. forward.com/opinion/8490...
forward.com
Why I yelled at God on Kol Nidre
On navigating new motherhood during an acute family health crisis
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Hadar Susskind @hadarsusskind.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
New op-ed from me in @haaretzcom.bsky.social. "A Netanyahu loss in this fall's election will present Israel with a profound opportunity for a reset. But messaging alone won't be enough to repair the damage of the last four years. www.haaretz.com/2026-09-07/t...
haaretz.com
Opinion | Ousting Netanyahu Won't Fix the U.S.-Israel Relationship
Netanyahu has done extraordinary damage to Israel's relationship with the United States, but replacing him this fall will not be enough for a reset. Israel will need broader policy changes to win bac...
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Matthew Budman, book guy @matthewbudman.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Will we see a comment on the election from JD Vance, purported champion of Jewry worldwide?
nbcnews.com
Trump administration emerges as a staunch defender of Germany's far-right AfD
In a recent interview with NBC News, Vice President JD Vance said governments shouldn't try to "delegitimize another competing political party."
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
"Germany's leading Jewish organization reacted with alarm to the result. 'I am personally appalled by this election result,' Central Council of Jews President Josef Schuster told Die Welt." www.haaretz.com/world-news/e...
haaretz.com
Far-right AfD set for historic win in German state election, exit polls show
Exit polls after the election in Saxony-Anhalt left it unclear whether the AfD could govern alone – potentially giving Germany its first far-right state government since World War II. The leader of th...
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Jeremy Cliffe @jeremycliffe.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Latest numbers from Saxony-Anhalt. Big picture: AfD is out-performing polls, CDU is under-performing them, and the BSW may hold the balance of power. All of those things are a nightmare for Friedrich Merz, whose political stock has fallen (further) tonight.
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Vanity Fair @vanityfair.com · 03/09/2026
Remembering Gloria Steimen, the leader of the second-wave feminist movement who dedicated her life’s work to advocating for women. www.vanityfair.com/story/gloria...
vanityfair.com
Gloria Steinem, Trailblazing Feminist Icon and Activist, Dies at 92
The leader of the second-wave feminist movement dedicated her life’s work to advocating for women.
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Nate Schenkkan @nateschenkkan.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Least surprising outcome
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Emily L. Hauser (she/her) ❌👑 @emilylhauser.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"JD Vance is the literal vice president. [Tucker] Carlson has arguably done more than anyone to push conspiracy theories about the Great Replacement and George Soros into the mainstream and is currently selling a hat that says 'Not Our War' in a font that you can see for yourself here."
Hat being sold by Tucker Carlson that reads "NOT OUR WAR." The font is made to look like Hebrew and in some cases, uses actual Hebrew letters.
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Wrote a little thing on JD Vance's attempt to address Jews emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/jd-and-jew...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
JD and Jews
This is about our vice president
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A mini interview on learning Czech for this month's ET Speak Home emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/et-speak-h...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
ET Speak Home, a monthly mini-interview
For August, Czech
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The Nexus Project @nexusproject.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
.@dovwaxman.bsky.social expanded this thread into a full post that also explores a recent federal case that ruled an Israeli flag "symbolizes the Jewish race." You can read it here:
zeteo.com
Conflating Jews with Israel Is Dangerous – Whether by Antisemites, U.S. Politicians, or the Israeli State
Amid the outrage over Hasan Piker’s remarks, a Jewish professor of Israel studies at UCLA argues that it’s important to acknowledge how Israel’s actions fuel a lot of the anger directed at Jews.
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Anton Barbashin @abarbashin.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Russian Jews who fled to Israel amid the war in Ukraine did not reverse their decision because of Middle East war; vast majority remained in Israel. War in Ukraine thus served primarily as a catalyst rather than the main reason for their relocation. ridl.io/israel-as-te...
ridl.io
Israel as Temporary Refuge or Permanent Home: The Fate of Russia’s Wartime Aliyah – Riddle Russia
Vladimir (Ze
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Tim Curry the first person I can remember watching and thinking "wow that's a great actor" (for I believe his star turn in Muppet Treasure Island but no matter)
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Some disorganized thoughts on conflation emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/two-things...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
Two things I think are true
Some poorly organized thoughts on conflation
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
2 measles-related deaths reported in Pennsylvania, the state’s first in 35 years www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...
washingtonpost.com
2 measles-related deaths reported in Pennsylvania, the state’s first in 35 years
Both people were unvaccinated. Their deaths, the first ones reported in the U.S. this year, came as the country registers the most measles cases in any year since 1991.
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Jessica Schulberg @jessicaschulberg.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Today is my last day at HuffPost. After 11 years, I was laid off as part of the 33% cuts at BuzzFeed. My team, the National desk, was cut from 7 reporters to 3, after being cut from 14 to 7 just over a year ago
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Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 23/08/2026
Europe editor of the Economist ⬇️
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The Nexus Project @nexusproject.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
This is not the first time accusations of antisemitism have been invoked against people with serious concerns about this merger, or against critics of Israel. But using claims of antisemitism as a shield against engaging with these criticisms in good faith is wrong. 3/3
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Julian Sanchez @normative.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
I see we are continuing the majority's pattern of "SCOTUS nominally defers judgement in a way that, for every practical purpose, gives Trump what he wants."
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Seth Maxon @methsaxon.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Gutted about today's layoffs at Vox. @constancegrady.bsky.social is brilliant on books, gender, pop culture, and how culture and politics intersect. @joshuakeating.bsky.social is an indispensible analyst on geopolitics, diplomacy, national security, and global news. Hire them!!!
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The Nexus Project @nexusproject.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
BREAKING: A whistleblower report describes the Trump administration's gross exploitation of Jewish Americans' legitimate fears to coerce and extort universities. These officials allegedly used the fight against antisemitism as cover for a campaign against institutions of higher education.
nexusproject.us
The Nexus Project Call for Full Investigation into Claims Trump Administration Officials Weaponized Antisemitism Claims to Coerce and Extort Universities - Nexus Project
The Nexus Project commends Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and the House Judiciary Committee for demanding accountability from the Department of Justice following whistleblower reports that senior Trump A...
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Wrote a little thing on a current use of the phrase “bad Jews” emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/a-little-o...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
A little observation about the phrase “bad Jews”
Just noticing!
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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
"how dare you attack a professional woman" you appointed a secdef who doesn't think moms should serve and is blocking women officers from being promoted because they are women
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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
the play here is to make ossoff defensive by calling him sexist, something liberals care about but they don't. The problem is, they *used* to pretend to care and now they're like "let's rip up anti-discrimination law, repeal the 19th and force most women to be homemakers" bsky.app/profile/matt...
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Ami Fields-Meyer @fieldsmeyer.com · 13/08/2026
Good. Now stop using Jews as a political cudgel to achieve your repressive agenda. Enough
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Wrote a little thing on my grandfather emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/on-my-gran...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
On my grandfather and Jewishness
For his yahrzeit
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Wrote this after New York's primary but feels relevant after Michigan's, too forward.com/opinion/8335...
forward.com
Israel's cheerleaders lost big in the New York primary
Israel was an issue in Congressional primaries in part because supporters insisted on litmus tests that backfired
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Scare-a Wrath 👻🎃 @toasterposey.art · 06/08/2026
For more on this, read Bad Jews by @emilyctamkin.bsky.social
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
It is interesting, to me, that people will debate whether El-Sayed poses a threat to Jewish voters and not ask the same of Rogers's election denial.
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Mia Brett @queenmab.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Max Miller & Graham Platner are examples of men who perform masculinity in ways that men drool over even if it harms women. Democrats don’t need to follow the republican masculinity playbook to win men. My latest for @rewirenewsgroup.com rewirenewsgroup.com/2026/08/04/e...
rewirenewsgroup.com
What Is 'Edgelord' Politics—and Why Are Democrats Flirting With It Before the Midterms?
Max Miller, Graham Platner, and the rise of edgelord politics on the left. Democrats don't need toxic men to win young male voters. Here's why.
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Louis Peitzman @louispeitzman.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
OK, thanks!
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Primo Levi's birthday so sharing this (again?) emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/the-topic-...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
The topic would be entirely up to you
This is a speech I recently gave
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
A friend sent me this post so blame him, not me, for this self promotion www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-jews-e...
barnesandnoble.com
Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities
Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
For @forward.com, I wrote about the Trump administration (deliberately) misunderstanding the point of the ICC forward.com/opinion/8395...
forward.com
The Trump administration's latest affront to Jewish history
Trying to disband the ICC is a way of ignoring some of the most important lessons of our people's past
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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
fields. Instead, he apparently laced into the company. According to the Financial Times, Eggers told the staff:

“The effect of ChatGPT on educators’ lives is catastrophic. Whether you intended to do it or not, you’ve made every teacher’s life infinitely more difficult than it was two years ago. So, just let that settle in… If students are using it to compose, which is the biggest tragedy of all, they’ll never learn to write. And their voice is stolen from them. They’ll never have the ability to say their truth and tell their own story. And that’s silencing an entire generation or two.”
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
It (third place) is coming home
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Arno is great in part because he takes different points of view seriously. I hope that you, reader, will take this piece seriously, too. Shabbat Shalom.
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Bethany Albertson @albertsonb2.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Without evidence. Also, don’t scare people about voting without giving them something to do. Check your registration. Tell your friends to check.
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Emily Tamkin @emilyctamkin.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
On antisemitism and what it’s not and is (yes again) emilyctamkin.substack.com/p/criticism-...
emilyctamkin.substack.com
Criticism v conspiracy
Yes, this is about antisemitism
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
I was curious about what the report says, so here's the relevant section. Beyond the sloppiness (there's a sentence repeated twice by mistake), note how the report doesn't make any real effort to DENY the racial origins of the Act, but instead just takes umbrage at people pointing out the history.
In addition to attacking America’s white Christian Founders, NMAH’s exhibits also portray
restrictive immigration laws as a tool of white supremacy. The Many Voices, One Nation
didactic entitled “Negotiating Inclusion” alleges that when “thousands of Chinese journeyed to
the American West, encouraged by the promise of gold rush opportunity” in the 1850s, “[t]heir
race…troubled white Americans,” leading to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, “the first of many
restrictive immigration laws.”457 Another states, “White laborers considered the Chinese
competition and responded with hostility.”458
One American Democracy didactic asks “How Diverse Should the Citizenry Be?” and notes that
“In a nation created by immigrants…One view is that ‘multiculturalism,’ the preservation of
diverse cultural heritage, enriches the country…Still others challenged diversity by seeking to
restrict immigration and exclude certain racial and ethnic groups.”459
In addition to attacking America’s white Christian Founders, NMAH’s exhibits also portray
restrictive immigration laws as a tool of white supremacy. The Many Voices, One Nation
didactic entitled “Negotiating Inclusion” alleges that when “thousands of Chinese journeyed to
the American West, encouraged by the promise of gold rush opportunity” in the 1850s, “[t]heir
race…troubled white Americans,” leading to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, “the first of many
restrictive immigration laws.”460 Another states, “White laborers considered the Chinese
competition and responded with hostility.”461One American Democracy didactic asks “How Diverse Should the Citizenry Be?” and notes that
“In a nation created by immigrants…One view is that ‘multiculturalism,’ the preservation of
diverse cultural heritage, enriches the country…Still others challenged diversity by seeking to
restrict immigration and exclude certain racial and ethnic groups.”462 Photo of “How Diverse Should the Citizenry Be?” didactic in NMAH’s “American Democracy” exhibit.
Another American Democracy didactic claims that “the calls for exclusion of certain groups span
the history of the nation” and is not limited “to certain ethnic and racial groups, but also sought
to exclude those of differing . . . sexual orientations.”463
This rhetoric mirrors language Director Hartig used in an April 13, 2024 address while serving as
the President of the Organization for American Historians, where she recounted the story of Juana Briones, a Mexican-American immigrant who “fought a long battle to retain title to her
lands” after “the American take-over of California in 1848,” stating:
Understanding Juana’s life thus also foreshadows and connects for us the long and ongoing histories of brutality in all European colonial regimes across the continent. In
particular, in California after 1848, Anglo-American ‘sexual violence, laws prohibiting
interracial and same-sex relationships, and controls on women’s reproduction helped establish and maintain white male supremacy and class hierarchy in North America. Each
served as scaffolding to slavery, Native American removal, Jim Crow, and immigration
restrictions.’
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Notice what Hartig repeatedly demonizes here—“European,” “Anglo-American,” “white
male”—and her characterization of “immigration restrictions” as a racist and oppressive practice
akin to “slavery,” “Native American removal,” and “Jim Crow.”465
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