{{Short description|American civil rights attorney}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
'''Amanda Berman''' is an American civil rights attorney. She is the founder and executive director of the Zioness Movement, also known as Zioness,<ref>{{cite news |last=Carvajal |first=Jill |date=March 6, 2024 |title=Progressive and Zionist: Social Justice and Jewish Identity with Amanda Berman, Zioness |url=https://politicsny.com/2024/03/06/progressive-zionism-social-justice-and-jewish-identity-with-amanda-berman-zioness/ |work=Politics NY}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Bodner |first=Zack |date=September 1, 2022 |title=At 125th anniversary of Zionism, looking forward to Zionism 3.0 |url=https://jweekly.com/2022/09/01/at-125th-anniversary-of-zionism-looking-forward-to-zionism-3-0/ |work=JWeekly}}</ref> a progressive Zionist organization.<ref name="r233" />
==Early life and education== Berman graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in diplomatic history. She also earned a Master of Governmental Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from the Cardozo School of Law.<ref name="s672">{{cite web |date=2018-04-17 |title=Amanda Berman at UC Berkeley Law |url=https://brandeiscenter.com/amanda-berman-at-uc-berkeley-law/ |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Brandeis Center - Advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Amanda Berman |url=https://zioness.org/members/amanda-berman/ |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=Zioness Movement}}</ref>
Berman was on the youth leadership board of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which raises money to support Israeli soldiers.<ref name="forward.com"/>
==Zioness Movement == In 2017, Berman and Brooke Goldstein set up Zioness, a liberal Zionist feminist organization that advocates for the inclusion of Zionists in progressive spaces.<ref name="forward.com">{{Cite web |date=2017-10-05 |title='Zioness' Group Adds Pro-Israel Voice To Racial Justice Marches — And Sows Bitter Controversy |url=https://forward.com/news/384385/zioness-group-adds-pro-israel-voice-to-racial-justice-marches-and-sows/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=The Forward |language=en}}</ref> The group gained early visibility around the 2017 SlutWalk Chicago after participating in response to the event's exclusion of certain Zionist symbols.<ref name="forward.com" />
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of the rabbinic human rights group T’ruah, has said the group's aim is "looking for a provocation" and "inserting a wedge issue where there is not blanket agreement.”<ref name="forward.com"/> Though the Lawfare Project initially did not disclose its involvement in the group, and Berman initially denied any connection,<ref name="forward.com"/> in a trademark dispute case in 2024 Berman stated the group was "definitely a project of the Lawfare Project".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zioness Movement, Inc. v. The Lawfare Project, Inc., No. 1:2021cv07429 - Document 257 (S.D.N.Y. 2024) |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1:2021cv07429/566113/257/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=Justia Law |language=en}}</ref>
Prior to setting up Zioness, Berman did not have a background in progressive advocacy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-22 |title=Musician In 'Zioness' Logo Says She Has No Connection To Group |url=https://forward.com/fast-forward/392577/musician-in-zioness-logo-says-she-has-no-connection-to-group/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=The Forward |language=en}}</ref> Despite this, Berman has expressed the view that it is possible to be both Zionist and politically progressive.<ref name="b852">{{cite web |title=Can You Be Zionist and Progressive? (Of Course!): Weintraub Israel Center to Bring Zioness Founder and Executive Director Amanda Berman to Tucson J, AZ Jewish Post |website=Arizona Jewish Post |date=2024-12-29 |url=https://azjewishpost.com/2023/can-you-be-zionist-and-progressive-of-course-weintraub-israel-center-to-bring-zioness-founder-and-executive-director-amanda-berman-to-tucson-j/ |access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref> She describes Zionism as a progressive liberation movement, and argues that Zionists have made longstanding contributions to progressive movements. She has called antisemitism in the British Labour Party harmful and has noted that white supremacist ideologies often target Jews for supporting other minority groups.<ref name="g125">{{cite web |last=Melman |first=Lana |title=REFLECTIONS WITH Lana Melman: It's not a Sophie's Choice |website=Sun Sentinel |date=2023-09-12 |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/09/12/reflections-with-lana-melman-its-not-a-sophies-choice/ |access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
In 2020, Zioness issued a statement condemning the murder of George Floyd and released a guide aimed at addressing antisemitism while supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.<ref name="j195">{{cite web | last=Jeffries | first=Virginia | title=26 Jewish organizations speak out on the death of George Floyd | website=The Forward | date=2020-06-01 | url=https://forward.com/news/447792/26-jewish-organizations-speak-out-on-the-death-of-george-floyd/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref><ref name="z794">{{cite web | last=Sobel | first=Ariel | title=This Guide Helps Jews Tackle Anti-Semitism While Supporting Black Lives Matter | website=Jewish Journal | date=2020-06-10 | url=https://jewishjournal.com/news/317198/this-guide-helps-jews-tackle-anti-semitism-while-supporting-black-lives-matter/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
In late 2023, Berman criticized the comparison of racism in the United States to Israeli apartheid. She expressed concern over skepticism among feminists regarding reports of sexual violence committed by Hamas and argued against portraying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of Israel as the oppressor and Palestinians as the oppressed.<ref name="r233">{{cite web | last=Schoenberg | first=Shira | title=Is there a future for Jewish progressivism after Oct. 7? | website=BostonGlobe.com | date=2023-11-13 | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/13/opinion/israel-hamas-war-progressives-zionism/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref><ref name="i186">{{cite web | last=Ziri | first=Danielle | title=On Tree of Life shooting anniversary, liberal US Jews mourn alone over Hamas atrocities | website=The Times of Israel | date=2023-10-27 | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/on-tree-of-life-shooting-anniversary-liberal-us-jews-mourn-alone-over-hamas-atrocities/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref> She also opposed intersectional efforts that treat antisemitism and Islamophobia as equivalent or inseparable.<ref name="t257">{{cite web | last=Deutch | first=Gabby | title=Concerns rise over WH linkage of antisemitism, Islamophobia | website=Jewish Insider | date=2023-11-17 | url=https://jewishinsider.com/2023/11/white-house-language-antisemitism-islamophobia/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
In August 2024, Berman stated in an interview with ''The Washington Post'' that American Jews largely still identify with the Democratic Party and believed anti-Zionism on the political left has grown since the October 7 attacks.<ref name="o731">{{cite news |last=Alemany |first=Jacqueline |title=Amid DNC protests, Jewish Democrats seek to claim political home on the left |newspaper=Washington Post |date=2024-08-23 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/22/jewish-democrats-dnc-gaza-protests/ |access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref> On the sidelines at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, she moderated a Zioness panel on freedom of speech and antisemitism at universities featuring Erwin Chemerinsky and Catherine E. Lhamon.<ref name="w848">{{cite web |last=Fink |first=Rachel |date=2024-08-22 |title=Antisemitism in the Academy: A DNC Panel Tries to Tackle Jewish Students' Fears on Campus |url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024-08-22/ty-article/.premium/antisemitism-in-the-academy-a-dnc-panel-tries-to-tackle-jewish-students-fears-on-campus/00000191-7bb2-de04-af9b-7bb3dc4f0000 |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Haaretz.com}}</ref><ref name="v544">{{cite web | last=Steinberg | first=Josh | title=Ha'aretz Covers Zioness DNC Event: Antisemitism in the Academy: A DNC Panel Tries to Tackle Jewish Students' Fears on Campus | website=Zioness Movement | date=2024-08-23 | url=https://zioness.org/haaretz-covers-zioness-dnc-event-antisemitism-in-the-academy-a-dnc-panel-tries-to-tackle-jewish-students-fears-on-campus/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
In September 2024, Berman served as emcee at a Rosh Hashanah ceremony held at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. Attendees included Michael Herzog, Deborah Lipstadt, and Anne Neuberger.<ref name="g386">{{cite web |last=Rod |first=Marc |date=2024-10-01 |title=Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, Michael Herzog calls for Israel to 'reflect deeply' on mistakes surrounding Oct. 7 |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/10/rosh-hashanah-oct-7-israel-ambassador-michael-herzog/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=Jewish Insider}}</ref>
==Views on pro-Palestinian campus protests==
In April 2024, Berman stated in an interview with NewsNation that Columbia University was not doing enough to protect Zionist Jewish students during the Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupations.<ref name="i437">{{cite web | title=Columbia officials 'degrading the institution' for handling of protests: Amanda Berman | website=NewsNation | date=2024-04-22 | url=https://www.newsnationnow.com/video/columbia-officials-degrading-the-institution-for-handling-of-protests-amanda-berman-newsnation-now/9627849/ | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
In November 2024, she told ''Moment'' magazine that targeting Hillel organizations on college campuses constitutes an attack on Jewish campus life.<ref name="f503">{{cite web | last=Forman | first=Jacob | title=Why Do Campus Protesters Want to #DropHillel? | website=Moment Magazine | date=2024-11-20 | url=https://momentmag.com/drop-hillel/?srsltid=AfmBOopCFVP_pBgrzeQDXY35iwf8OM8oWCP2yReJwWIDWq-Cz3vGqkzA | access-date=2024-12-29}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://zioness.org/members/amanda-berman/ Zioness profile] *[https://www.newsnationnow.com/video/columbia-officials-degrading-the-institution-for-handling-of-protests-amanda-berman-newsnation-now/9627849/ NewsNation interview on Columbia protests] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsTGY2qikSA NewsNation interview on Netanyahu's speech to Congress] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH9FsLtJiQ4 NewsNation interview on Congressional hearing on campus antisemitism] *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkOsRoxMcaw NewNation interview on allegations of 'genocide' in Gaza]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berman, Amanda}} Category:Living people Category:American civil rights lawyers Category:American LGBTQ rights activists Category:American women civil rights activists Category:American Zionists Category:Activists against antisemitism Category:Activists against anti-Black racism Category:Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law alumni Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:21st-century American women lawyers Category:Year of birth missing (living people)