Five Positive Stories From the Global Fight Against Antisemitism in January 2023

The Combat Antisemitism Movement publishes a regular feature highlighting “good news” in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred.

Here are five such stories from January 2023:

2023 Gets Underway With Series of New IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism Adoptions

Recent weeks have seen a series of new adoptions of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, marking a strong start to the new year, following a 2022 that saw a total of 91 adoptions and endorsements worldwide.

The latest adoptees include the country of Croatia; cities of Kansas City, Missouri, and Florence, Italy; Westchester County in New York; and the University of Melbourne in Australia.

The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism is a major tool in the fight against Jew-hatred that continues to be adopted by a variety of entities around the world. After all, if we want to fight antisemitism we must first define it!

Learn more 👉 https://t.co/jKQNQOgwi5 pic.twitter.com/VxrV1AGbBM

— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) January 24, 2023

#KansasCity, #Missouri has joined the 1,100+ entities around the world that are fighting the rise in global Jew-hatred by adopting @TheIHRA Working Definition of #Antisemitism! 💪

See the 2022 IHRA report for more details: https://t.co/2NzGQjSRWf pic.twitter.com/uzXdeV35TG

— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) January 22, 2023

Black Eyed Peas Dedicate Poland Concert to Jews, Other Minorities

The Black Eyed Peas showed support for the Jewish community during their New Year’s Eve concert in Zakopane, Poland, when they dedicated one of their songs to those who were targets of hate throughout 2022.

“The Jewish community — we love you,” frontman Will.i.am said. “This song is dedicated to unity.”

Brooklyn Gyms Have an Answer to Antisemitism: Teaching Jews to Fight Back

Emanuel Landsman, a Lubavitch father of five who lives in Crown Heights, found the recent rise in antisemitic attacks to be very concerning. But instead of being afraid, he decided to learn how to fight.

Over the past three years, Landsman has become proficient in the Israeli martial art known as Krav Maga (literally, “close combat”). “I’m a visibly Jewish man,” Landsman told the New York Jewish Week. “I came to train because of all the antisemitic attacks and what was going on around us. I would get hollered at by cars driving by. My kid came home and said others were walking down the street and yelling at him.”

Italian Government to Focus on Combating Antisemitism in Schools

Italy’s Education Ministry has signaled that it will work to combat antisemitism in the country’s schools.

Italian Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara has signed a protocol of intent with the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) to cooperate on education initiatives in Italian schools to fight antisemitism.

The memorandum of intent between the Ministry and the UCEI “ratifies the collaboration to promote initiatives in Italian schools to combat antisemitism,” the Italian Education Ministry said.

UCL Launches Partnership Program To Counter Holocaust Mistruths And Antisemitism In The Classroom

The new collaboration between the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education, Star Academies and Outwood Grange Academy Trust (OGAT) is part of a renewed effort to eradicate mistruths and confusion about the Holocaust in England’s schools and counter the rise of antisemitism.

Involving schools and teachers from across both MATs, the initiative will see thousands of Key Stage 3 pupils taught about the Holocaust, its lasting impact and the many prejudices, misunderstandings, and falsehoods that have pervaded.