Rory Lancman Speaks at the JBN Nassau Business Leadership Breakfast

On January 13, Brandeis Center Director of Corporate Initiatives Rory Lancman was the keynote speaker at the Jewish Business Network (JBN) Nassau Business Leadership Breakfast. JBN Nassau is a nonprofit organization forging connections between Jewish business leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs.

Lancman spoke on the topic “Antisemitism, Activism & Corporate Risk: What Business Leaders Need to Know.” He discussed his work combatting anti-Semitism at universities and labor unions and gave advice for Jewish business leaders to address anti-Semitism in their own businesses. He explained that “unfortunately, anti-Semitism is not limited to the college campuses; it’s not limited to our streets, it is a very present threat and danger in our workplaces.” Therefore, he stressed the importance of combatting its manifestations in the workplace. 

Lancman explained three vectors in which anti-Semitism appears in the workplace: corporate communications, corporate DEI programs, and outright anti-Israel advocacy. He then outlined four measures employees and employers can take to combat anti-Semitism in the workplace: defining anti-Semitism (using the IHRA definition for guidance), emphasizing employers’ authority to prohibit political advocacy in their organizations, modernizing corporate anti-discrimination policies, and educating the workforce on anti-Semitism.

Watch Lancman’s full speech below:

Authored by: Yonah Cohen