Warsaw joined on Friday the ranks of major world capitals — including Washington, London, Berlin, and Paris, among others — to have adopted the International Working Definition of Antisemitism.
Warsaw’s move was welcomed by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), with CEO Sacha Roytman Dratwa thanking Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski for “recognizing the importance of this definition to combating Jew-hatred.”
Warsaw has joined Washington, London, Berlin, and Paris as a major capital city to have adopted @theIHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism!
Thank you, Mayor @trzaskowski_, for recognizing the importance of this definition to combating Jew-hatred.https://t.co/onEe4qih1L
— Sacha Roytman (@SachaDratwa) July 28, 2023
Dignitaries in attendance at Friday’s signing ceremony in the Polish capital included Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich and Israeli Ambassador to Poland Yacov Livne.
Good news. #Warsaw became today one of the first capital cities to adopt @TheIHRA definition of antisemitism. The Polish government did the same in 2021. Thank you mayor @trzaskowski_
Zero tolerance for Antisemitism and xenophobia! 🇵🇱🤝🇮🇱 @ pic.twitter.com/CVxFBw6pXd— Amb. Yacov Livne 🇮🇱 (@YacovLivne) July 28, 2023
According to data compiled by the CAM Antisemitism Research Center and Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, a total of 1,192 entities worldwide had adopted or endorsed the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism as of the end of June. This number represents a broad array of international institutions and organizations, national and local governments, NGOs, universities, athletic clubs, and corporations that have embraced the definition as a framework for recognizing all contemporary iterations of Jew-hatred, training and educational programs, and policymaking initiatives.
The largest category for adoptions and endorsements globally in 2022 was non-national government entities, including municipalities, counties, state and provincial authorities, with 58 in total for the year .
(For more information on past data, please see the “IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism 2022 Adoptions & Endorsements Report,” published in January by CAM and Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, here.)
The definition says, “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The non-legally binding definition includes 11 explanatory examples detailing specific discriminatory behaviors targeting Jews.
