Confronting Antisemitism in Medicine and Dermatology

Once considered mostly a relic of history, antisemitism has resurfaced in public discourse, our schools, and even our medical institutions. As a physician and dermatologist, I believe it is essential not only to acknowledge this trend but to actively address it, especially within our profession.

Antisemitism can play a role in undermining optimal patient care and health outcomes. As such, we as medical professionals must confront it head-on.

ANTISEMITISM IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
The Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 audit reported more than 9,000 incidents of antisemitism across the United States.¹ This marked a nearly 350% increase over the past 5 years and almost 900% over the previous decade. These incidents range from verbal slurs to violent assaults, and they are growing not only in frequency but in boldness.

They are also increasingly visible in daily life. In one instance, media personality Dave Portnoy was accosted during a video shoot.² In a school in California, Jewish children were asked by classmates what their “numbers” were, in reference to Holocaust tattoos.³ This is not just ignorance. It is evidence of an emergence of an insidious cultural regression, and it is happening in our communities, in our schools, and yes, in our exam rooms.

A TROUBLING LEGACY IN MEDICINE
Antisemitism has a deeply embedded history in the field of medicine. Many of the diseases we study, particularly autoimmune and dermatologic conditions, were documented through Nazi experimentation during World War II. Even today, many disease names have borne the legacy of Nazi physicians, such as Wegener’s granulomatosis (now granulomatosis with polyangiitis). Yet, there is resistance within our field to changing these names, despite their origins. Prominent members of the field have expressed outrage at efforts to replace one such eponym—revealing how normalized these remnants still are.

Even the history of Jewish participation in dermatology reflects prejudice. In the early days of Nazi Germany, Jewish physicians were often relegated to dermatology because it was viewed as a less desirable specialty.⁴ This historical marginalization has echoes today in the microaggressions and implicit biases Jewish physicians and patients still experience.

WHEN HATE ENTERS THE EXAM ROOM
I have experienced these biases firsthand, and I have seen them directed toward my staff and toward my family.

One patient once told an employee at my practice that she wanted her nose corrected with hyaluronic acid but that she did not want it to look “Jewish.” That staff member was not Jewish, but the comment was appalling regardless. We asked the patient to leave.

In another incident, my father, dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Beer, received a voicemail in which a caller whispered antisemitic slurs, called him a “greedy Jew,” and concluded with a veiled threat about visiting his house or synagogue. This was not decades ago. This was in 2024.

Antisemitism in medicine does not always announce itself so loudly, however. Sometimes, it is cloaked in stereotypes and assumptions. Patients have questioned whether a biopsy or procedure was medically necessary, or implied it was motivated by profit. It is not uncommon for Jewish physicians to be confronted with the trope that we are driven by greed, a stereotype rooted in centuries of discrimination. We must recognize how these subtle, often unconscious beliefs can influence patient care and trust.

COMBATTING ANTISEMITISM:WHAT PHYSICIANS CAN DO
Addressing antisemitism in medicine requires more than awareness. It demands action. Here are 3 critical steps we can all take:

1. Recognize and Understand Antisemitic Tropes
Common stereotypes, such as Jews having “dual loyalties” to Israel, controlling media or finance, or being depicted as subhuman through facial features or slurs, are not harmless. They are insidious and dehumanizing, and they fuel violence. As professionals, we must educate ourselves and others to recognize and reject these narratives.

2. Empathize and Listen
Jewish patients and colleagues often feel that their concerns are dismissed. Like any marginalized group, they deserve to be heard. If someone speaks up about a harmful comment or stereotype, listen. Do not minimize it. Empathy is not agreement with everything someone says; it is acknowledging their humanity and experience.

3. Condemn Hate Unequivocally
Often, condemnations of antisemitism are met with calls for condemning Israel. This is a phenomenon that is seen too often in the Jewish community. Regardless of an individual’s beliefs on a geopolitical issue, hate and violence should be condemned. We, as physicians, cannot play into a narrative that caveats must be made prior to condemning violence and hate. We must be consistent in our condemnation of hate. The safety and dignity of Jewish people, and all people, should never be conditional.

BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE CULTURE
Medical practices should proactively create environments where antisemitic comments are not tolerated. That starts with leadership. When something offensive is said, whether out of malice or ignorance, it must be addressed.

At our clinic, we have made it a point to discuss these incidents with staff and trainees, including how to respond respectfully but firmly. We ask them to consider: “If someone said this about your identity, would it feel OK?” If the answer is no, then it should not be said about anyone else.

Antisemitism does not always wear a swastika or shout slurs. Sometimes it speaks softly, disguised as skepticism or “harmless” jokes. But its impact is cumulative and corrosive.

Physicians must lead by example, not only in how we treat our patients but in how we create safe, inclusive spaces for our colleagues and communities. As hate continues to rise, silence is no longer an option. Condemn it. Confront it. Above all, replace it with empathy, education, and unwavering humanity.

1. Anti-Defamation League. Audit of antisemitic incidents 2024. Anti-Defamation League. 2025. Accessed March 2, 2026. https://www.adl.org/resources/report/audit-antisemitic-incidents-2024

2. TMZ Staff. Dave Portnoy antisemitic heckler arrested, charged by police. TMZ. November 10, 2025. Accessed February 26, 2026. https://www.tmz.com/2025/11/10/dave-portnoy-antisemitic-heckler-arrested-charged-police/

3. Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. California sued. Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Accessed February 26, 2026. https://brandeiscenter.com/california-sued/

4. Burgdorf WHC, Parish LC. Jewish dermatologists in Nazi Germany. Thomas Jefferson University Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers. Published 2014. Accessed February 26, 2026. https://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1126&context=dcbfp