Juju Chang on rising hate, her Jewish family and the news

PROVIDENCE – Journalist Juju Chang brought her insights on antisemitism and Asian hate to the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center on Nov. 20, when she spoke at the Annual Campaign Thank You event.

More than 120 people gathered in the JCC’s Social Hall to hear Chang discuss her Jewish journey, the rise in antisemitism, Asian hate, and bits and pieces from her 35 years in the news industry.

Chang, co-anchor of ABC’s “Nightline,” has worked hard to give a voice to marginalized communities, is active in AAPI [Asian-American Pacific Islander] advocacy and has served on the board of her synagogue in New York City.

Born in Korea, Chang was raised an atheist in California. The Stanford University graduate said, “I came to New York with advice from my antisemitic father to ‘watch out for the Jews.’ I promptly fell in love with a nice Jewish man. I told him I’d never convert.”

But after seven years of courtship and five years of marriage, she did convert. She and husband, Neal Shapiro, have three sons, who have been raised Jewish.

Chang said that during her decades in the news industry, she’s seen “a tonal shift.”

“I like to remind people that we [at ABC News] have lawyers who look at every word we say. It’s different in cable news. There is regular news and the opinion page [mostly evening shows]. That’s a distinction that’s often lost on people.”

On rising hate incidents against Asians, she said, “This has nothing to do with the [COVID] virus and everything to do with fear. The Jewish community knows this well.”

Chang suggested that building community, as the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island strives to do, is one way to combat hate and increase understanding.

She pointed out that both the Jewish and the Asian communities are quite diverse, and said both communities need to make all members feel welcome.

At the end of Chang’s talk, Alliance President and CEO Adam Greenman asked her several Jewish-oriented questions in a “lightning round” modeled on his popular “Chutzpah!” podcast. It turns out that Chang likes matzah ball soup, bagels with lox, and Passover – but she would add kimchi to the seder plate.

FRAN OSTENDORF (fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.