Bari Weiss

Bari Weiss
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Name	Bari Weiss
Birth date	1984
Birth place	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupation	Journalist, author, editor
Nationality	American

Bari Weiss is an American journalist, editor, and author known for commentary on antisemitism, free speech, identity politics, and Israel–United States relations. She has worked at major publications and founded a newsletter and podcast platform, becoming a polarizing figure across media bias debates and culture wars. Her career has intersected with controversies involving editorial disputes, public resignations, and debates over ideological conformity in journalism.

Early life and education

Weiss was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to parents of Ashkenazi heritage who emigrated from Romania and Hungary. She attended Taylor Allderdice High School before studying at Columbia University, where she earned a degree in History and Comparative Literature and contributed to student publications. During her time at Columbia she engaged with campus debates about free speech and student activism and developed interests in Jewish studies and European history that influenced her later reporting.

Journalism career

Weiss began her professional career at the New York Observer and later worked as book review editor at the New York Times and as an op-ed staff editor at the New York Times Book Review. She served as culture editor and staff editor at Tablet Magazine and was a contributor to outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post. In 2020 she resigned from the New York Times in a widely publicized letter and subsequently launched a Substack newsletter and podcast, joining a growing cohort of journalists moving to independent platforms such as Substack and The Dispatch. Weiss has appeared on programs produced by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and PBS, and has spoken at institutions including Harvard University, Princeton University, and the American Enterprise Institute.

Writings and public commentary

Weiss has written on topics including antisemitism, anti-Zionism, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, cancel culture, and political correctness. Her essays and reviews have discussed figures such as Karl Marx, Hannah Arendt, and George Orwell, and books by authors including Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. She authored the memoir and manifesto "How to Fight Antisemitism" and has edited collections of essays addressing Jewish identity and contemporary liberalism. Weiss's commentary has been syndicated and cited in publications such as The New Yorker, The Spectator, and The Atlantic, and she has participated in debates alongside public intellectuals like Ben Shapiro, Thomas Chatterton Williams, and Jonathan Chait.

Views and controversies

Weiss's advocacy on anti-Semitism in the United States and criticism of movements she describes as illiberal have provoked disputes with colleagues, activist groups, and academics. She has accused certain campus protests, including demonstrations related to the BDS and incidents at Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley, of fostering antisemitic climates. Editorial disagreements at the New York Times led to public disputes with staff such as Rana Ayyub and commentators including Jamelle Bouie and Michelle Goldberg. Weiss has been criticized by commentators from The Guardian, The Intercept, and Jacobin for positions on identity politics and transgender issues; supporters including Natan Sharansky and Irving Kristol-aligned conservatives have defended her stance on free speech. Her public resignation and subsequent book appearances drew reaction from politicians across the spectrum, including members of the United States Congress and figures associated with the Republican Party and Democratic Party.

Awards and recognition

Weiss has received fellowships and honors from institutions such as the New America think tank and was listed in media roundups recognizing influential journalists. Her reporting and essays have been shortlisted for journalism prizes administered by organizations like the National Jewish Book Awards and cited by editorial boards at The Wall Street Journal and other outlets. She has been invited to lecture at universities including Yale University and Stanford University and to participate in panels hosted by the Brookings Institution and The Hudson Institute.

Personal life and philanthropy

Weiss is married and has been involved with philanthropic efforts supporting Jewish education, Israel advocacy, and programs addressing antisemitism and religious pluralism. She has supported organizations that work on Holocaust remembrance and Jewish cultural institutions in New York City and has participated in fundraising and public awareness campaigns with organizations such as ADL and AIPAC. Weiss splits her time between New York City and other locations related to her speaking engagements.

Category:American journalists Category:American editors Category:Jewish American writers