A Smarter Way to Fight Antisemitism
We’re not Reforming the Old, We’re Building the New
Bridges for Change is a faculty-led initiative created in response to the growing recognition that the rise in antisemitism after October 7 reflects a deeper institutional challenge.
Rather than expending energy in entrenched ideological battles, we are starting fresh—developing a center dedicated to academic excellence, independent funding, and honest inquiry.
This is the first step toward a permanent center for open discourse at the University of Washington. We will host lectures, bring visiting scholars, support research, and empower students, all without ideological litmus tests. This is not oppositional work. It is constructive. We are laying the foundation for a lasting academic home that values ideas over identity, and truth over tribalism.
Leadership
Bridges for Change is a truly interdisciplinary effort, where faculty from six UW schools—including Medicine, Public Health, Law, Business, and more—have come together to build a new kind of academic space.
Led by Professor Janet Baseman, a highly respected epidemiologist and Co-Chair of the UW Antisemitism Task Force, the initiative is guided by academic integrity and institutional clarity.
a Positive Vision
Promote research, inquiry, and discussion free from the constraints of ideological conformity.
Host bold, thoughtful voices that challenge groupthink and deepen campus understanding.
Provide space at UW for academic voices committed to shaping a positive future for America, the American Jewish community and the US relationship with Israel.
Create a serious intellectual home where questions about Israel, the Middle East, and their relationship to U.S. culture, foreign policy, and innovation are explored openly.