A Labour MP resigned from the party’s frontbenches citing a “campaign by the right wing media” against him, after he was forced to apologize for anti-Semitic comments. Lloyd Russell-Moyle had been facing pressure over his position after he had to issue two separate apologies: one for comments in which he called Zionism a “dangerous nationalist idea” and accused Israel of terrorism. Read Here
Please forward to your family and friends and ask them to join the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement today!
THIS WEEK’S CONTENT
WATCH THE WEEKLY CAM NEWSLETTER SUMMARY BELOW
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ACTION
(1 Piece)
1. EVERY NAME COUNTS: HELP US BUILD A UNIQUE DIGITAL MONUMENT
By The Arolson Archives
Millions of people were persecuted and murdered by the National Socialists. Please help us to enter their names in the largest online archive on victims of Nazi persecution. The corona pandemic has made it impossible for people to come together at memorial sites to remember the many millions of victims who were imprisoned and murdered by the National Socialists. The “Every Name Counts” project provides a simple way for anyone to take part in active remembrance without leaving the house. Our goal is to ensure that all the names in the millions of documents stored in the Arolsen Archives can be found in the online archive – so that people all over the world can easily access information on the fate of their relatives.
SPECIAL FEATURE
(4 Pieces)
1. THE COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM MOVEMENT CALLS FOR OBJECTIVE AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARD TO ASSESS ONLINE ANTI-SEMITIC CONTENT
By JNS Wire
The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM) is calling on social media companies to enforce their prohibition of content that promotes or condones violence or incites hatred. Far too often, language on social media platforms is a threat to the safety and dignity of Jewish people around the world. The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement stands ready to support social media companies in clarifying and enforcing standards on anti‐Semitism. Read Here
2. FRANKFURT MAYOR JOINS COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM MOVEMENT’S ADVISORY BOARD
By CAM
Frankfurt Mayor, Uwe Becker, who is also the German State of Hesse’s anti-Semitism commissioner, has joined the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement’s Advisory Board. Becker joins an impressive list of advisors helping the organization spearhead the fight against anti-Semitism across the world. Since July 2016 he has served as Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main. In April 2019, Becker was appointed State Commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against Anti-Semitism of the State of Hesse by the Hessian state government.
Mayor Uwe Becker said, “The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement’s unique, grassroots, apolitical approach has never been more important, with anti-Semitism flourishing across the world. My own determination to fight the evil of anti-Semitism in all its forms, wherever it is found is no secret. I am therefore delighted and honored to join the organization’s Advisory Board and to help CAM’s tireless efforts to defeat the scourge of anti-Semitism.” Read Here
3. COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM MOVEMENT WELCOMES SPAIN’S ADOPTION OF IHRA ANTI-SEMITISM DEFINITION
By CAM
The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement warmly congratulates the Spanish government on its decision to adopt the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism. At a time when anti-Semitism is worryingly growing in strength in Europe and across the world, the IHRA definition has never been more important. It is a gold standard which spells out exactly what Jew-hatred looks like, making clear that it has no place in free, democratic and tolerant societies such as Spain. Read Here
4. ANTI-SEMITISM: WHAT EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS TO KNOW AND HOW TO STOP IT
By ICEJ
Anti-Semitism is seeping into the United States via college campuses, politics, and the internet. It is evident in both the far-left and far-right political movements that hatred towards Jews is on the rise. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has put together a new resource to help the Christian community better understand anti-Semitism and how to stop it. The booklet is available to download for free and we encourage everyone to get themselves a copy and share it with people in their network. Read Here
UNITED STATES
(12 Articles)
1. JAZZ PLAYER CALLED OUT OVER APPARENT SUPPORT OF NICK CANNON’S ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS
By Alyssa Marks
Utah Jazz player Justin Wright-Foreman faced scrutiny after tweeting in support of Nick Cannon’s anti-Semitic remarks. “Nick Cannon said nothing wrong. Everyone just sensitive and hates the truth.” Justin Wright-Foreman has since publicly apologized, along with the Jazz organization. Read Here
2. ALLEN IVERSON ADDRESSES LOUIS FARRAKHAN POST, SAYS HE DOES’T SUPPORT ANTI-SEMITISM
By Jack Baer
Allen Iverson became the latest star athlete to signal support for Louis Farrakhan. Two days later, he ended up disavowing the Nation of Islam leader’s rampant anti-Semitism, but did not apologize. The matter began when Iverson posted a three-year-old picture of himself meeting Farrakhan on Instagram, including the hashtag “#BucketListMoment” in his post. Read Here
3. CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD SAYS NICK CANNON WAS FIRED BECAUSE JEWS ‘HAVE POWER’
By Mairead McArdle
Radio host Charlamagne tha God said that he believes Nick Cannon was fired by ViacomCBS because Jewish people “have the power” in the media landscape. “And if there’s one thing Jewish people have shown us, it’s they have the power,” he said during a broadcast of the radio show The Breakfast Club. Read Here
4. MADONNA INSTAGRAM POST OF LOUIS FARRAKHAN VIDEO RACKS UP 700,000 VIEWS
By JTA
Madonna posted a video to her Instagram account that was a trailer for a speech by Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who has spouted anti-Semitic rhetoric over the years. It has since racked up 710,000 views. Madonna has more than 15 million Instagram followers. Some of the comments on the video express surprise that Madonna would boost a man with a long history of anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ statements. Read Here
5. NICK CANNON DAYTIME TALK SHOW NO LONGER LAUNCHING IN THE FALL
By Katie Scott
Nick Cannon’s daytime talk show is no longer launching this fall, following the controversy over his comments felt by many to be anti-Semitic, and his subsequent apology. The new show was supposed to start in September, but Lionsgate says it wants to continue the healing process as Cannon meets with leaders of the Jewish community. Read Here
6. NEO-NAZI THUGS PARADE THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA CITY WAVING SWASTIKAS AND YELLING EXPLETIVES
By Ben Cohen
Screaming anti-gay, anti-Semitic and anti-black invective, about two dozen members of an American neo-Nazi organization marched through the streets of a central Pennsylvania city. The neo-Nazi thugs were largely unchallenged as they paraded through Williamsport. Under the banner of an organization calling itself the “National Socialist Movement” (NSM), the marchers wore swastika armbands and carried flags bearing the Nazi symbol. Read Here
7. ADL OFFERS $10,000 REWARD FOR INFO ON ASSAILANTS IN ANOTHER ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACK IN BROOKLYN
By Algemeiner Staff
A Jewish man wearing a yarmulke was walking down a street while talking on the phone was suddenly attacked and hit in his face with a bat or stick by an unknown individual. The violent attack resulted in several injuries to the victim’s face. Read Here
8. ‘TEACH ME, FIX ME’: NICK CANNON OPENS UP TO RABBI AFTER MAKING ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENTS
By GABE FRIEDMAN
In a nearly two-hour discussion with Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center published on YouTube, Cannon traversed several topics: He apologized again for making anti-Semitic comments on his online show; spoke about his study of multiple religions and his religious father; and exchanged philosophies of forgiveness and evil with Cooper. Read Here
9. CALIFORNIA DEPUTY PUBLIC DEFENDER SAYS HE WAS TRAUMATIZED BY ANTI-SEMITIC TREATMENT
By Shomik Mukherjee
A Humboldt County deputy public defender who is suing a Superior Court judge said that the judge singled him out as a target for bullying because of the attorney’s Jewish heritage. Rory Kalin, a Humboldt County deputy public defender, is suing Superior Court Judge Gregory Elvine-Kreis for civil damages, accusing the judge of calling him an anti-Semitic slur before shoving him into Lake Shasta during a boat party in May 2019. Read Here
10. OAK CREEK, WI MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO WISCONSIN SYNAGOGUE VANDALISM AS PART OF A NEO-NAZI GROUP PLOT AGAINST JEWS
By Sophie Carson
Yousef O. Barasneh spray-painted swastikas and anti-Semitic words on Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine last September and plotted other acts of vandalism against minority residents with the white supremacist group “The Base,” according to a plea agreement. Barasneh admitted in the agreement that he talked on online message platforms with other members of The Base about “acts of violence against Jewish Americans and non-white Americans, Base military training camps, and ways to make improvised explosive devices.” Read Here
11. MIDDLEBURY, VT POLICE INVESTIGATE HATE SPEECH GRAFFITI
By John McCright
Middlebury police are asking for the public’s help in looking for someone who painted hate speech on sidewalks in Middlebury. Several hate symbols were found painted along the Cross Street Bridge and along the route into the Marble Works. Images showed spray painted messages of “WLM” with one accompanied by a swastika. Read Here
12. ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI FOUND AT VALRICO PARK IN FLORIDA
By Josh Cascio
Swastikas and anti-Semitic language were found graffitied onto the grounds of Bloomingdale East park in Valrico, Florida. The county sheriff’s office is investigating the vandalism as a possible hate crime. The graffiti was found on the sidewalk, the bathroom wall and the basketball court. Read Here
WORLD NEWS
(4 Pieces)
1. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UK
UK LABOUR SHADOW MINISTER STEPS DOWN AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR ANTI-SEMITISM
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
CONTROVERSIAL CARTOONIST STEVE BELL TO LEAVE THE GUARDIAN
By Lee Harpin
The controversial Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell is to leave the Guardian after 40 years with the newspaper. Mr Bell – who has repeatedly faced claims that some of his drawings where anti-Semitic and racist – has been told that his contract will not be renewed. Read Here
COUNCILLOR LOUISE GRIFFITHS SPEAKS OUT OVER HORRIBLE ANTI-SEMITIC ABUSE FACED IN WORCESTER
By Christian Barnett
City councillor Louise Griffiths recounted the shocking moment when the mezuzah – a case filled with specific verses from the Jewish holy book the Torah – was ripped from the front door of her home in Worcester and posted through the letterbox with a swastika drawn on it. Cllr Griffiths said: “Antisemitism was not something I experienced on a regular basis, but it has seemingly become part of my daily life in recent years. Read Here
UK JEWISH TV STAR AND ACTIVIST AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM RACHEL RILEY WINS LEGAL VICTORY OVER INTERNET TROLL
By Benjamin Kerstein
UK Jewish television presenter and activist against anti-Semitism Rachel Riley has won a major legal victory against an internet troll who harassed her. A High Court judge had found that Daniel Bennett — who harassed Riley under the name “Harry Tuttle,” must disclose all tweets referring to Riley. The judge further ruled that Bennett had used his Twitter platform “as a medium to attack a number of Jewish people by harassing and defaming them.” Read Here
POLICE OFFICER SUSPECTED OF ETCHING SWASTIKA ONTO COLLEAGUE’S BELONGINGS
By JEWISH NEWS REPORTER
A police officer in Manchester is suspected of emblazoning a colleague’s belongings with a swastika. Greater Manchester Police said it has sparked an “internal investigation” after the “disgraceful and disgusting act”, which has been declared a hate crime. Read Here
COURT RULES AGAINST PANORAMA CHALLENGE
By Lee Harpin
An attempt to mount a formal legal challenge to Ofcom’s decision not to investigate complaints about the BBC Panorama programme ‘Is Labour anti-Semitic?’ has been rejected by the High Court on the grounds that it came nowhere near reaching the high threshold for such a challenge. Read Here
LABOUR LOSES CONTROL OF BRIGHTON COUNCIL AFTER ANTI-SEMITISM RESIGNATIONS
By Lee Harpin
Labour has lost control of Brighton Council after a second councillor resigned from the party on the same day after being investigated for anti-Semitism. Councillor Nichole Brennan resigned from the local Labour Group and will now serve as an independent representing the East Brighton ward. Her exit came only hours after the departure of another councillor Kate Knight. Read Here
FORMER MOMENTUM CHAIR SUSPENDED FROM LABOUR
By Jo Wadsworth
The former chair of Brighton and Hove Momentum, who oversaw the slate promoting three Labour councillors now accused of anti-Semitism, has been suspended. Greg Hadfield was suspended from the party pending investigation of a series of tweets he posted. Just hours before, Councillor Kate Knight had also resigned and the previous week, Councillor Anne Pissaridou was suspended. All three have been accused of alleged anti-Semitism. Read Here
ASSAILANTS OF LONDON RABBI SENTENCED
By CAM
An anti-Semitic incident in the UK from last November is back in the headlines after two teenage suspects were convicted and sentenced for an aggravated assault on a rabbi. The two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault. Nonetheless, they were found to be guilty and sentenced 2 months of youth rehabilitation, an electronically monitored curfew for the next 30 days, and a nominal fine. Read Here
CORBYN-ERA LABOUR FIGURES MAY CHALLENGE ANTI-SEMITISM SETTLEMENT
By Jessica Elgot and Lisa O’Carroll
Key figures in Labour when Jeremy Corbyn was leader are mulling a challenge to the party’s settlement with a BBC journalist and seven of its former staff over a libel case relating to a Panorama programme last year about its handling of anti-Semitism. The former Labour leader himself as well as his former director of communications Seumas Milne have taken legal advice about the settlement and apology set to be read at the high court. Read Here
JEREMY CORBYN COULD FACE LEGAL ACTION AFTER CRITICISING LABOUR ANTI-SEMITISM APOLOGY
By Sky News
Jeremy Corbyn could be facing legal action after the ex-Labour leader claimed the party’s decision to pay a journalist damages risked “giving credibility to misleading and inaccurate allegations”. Opening up a major rift with his successor Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Corbyn described the party’s decision to apologise and make payments to the former staff as a “political decision, not a legal one”. Read Here
TWITTER SAYS IT ACCIDENTALLY CLOSED THE ACCOUNTS OF SOME USERS FOR POSTING STAR OF DAVID
By MARCY OSTER
Twitter acknowledged that it accidentally closed the accounts of some users for posting the Star of David. Several Twitter users reported to a British anti-Semitism watchdog that their accounts were locked after they posted the Jewish symbol. Twitter informed the users that they violated the social media platform’s rules against posting “hateful imagery,” according to the Campaign Against Antisemitism in the United Kingdom. Read Here
2. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY
2 GERMANS ARRESTED OVER WEBSITE THAT CALLED TO KILL JEWS
By AP
Two German men were arrested on suspicion of spearheading a far-right group that posted pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic material online. A suspect accused of co-founding the “Goyim Party Germany” group in 2016 and identified only as Fadi J, was arrested in the Dutch town of Heerlen. The second suspect, Marcus B, who allegedly joined the group in 2018, was arrested in Berlin. Read Here
FAR-RIGHT GERMAN ACTIVIST TO BE JAILED FOR INSULTING JEWISH LEADER
By TOBY AXELROD/JTA
A far-right activist will go to jail for insulting a German Jewish leader after the country’s highest court denied his appeal. Sascha Krolzig, who heads the small far-right Die Rechte party, will serve a six-month sentence for calling the head of the Jewish community in Herford-Detmold an “insolent Jewish functionary” and praising the SS. Read Here
JEWISH JOURNALIST THREATENED BY NEO-NAZIS
By TIL BIERMANN
Ex-NPD member Rüdiger Hoffmann spoke on the speaker stage and accused Jews of lying and finally pointed his finger at the journalist. With the cheering of the crowd, he says, “Satan is the father of lies.” Hoffmann also asked who killed Jesus Christ and heard the answer “the Jews!” from the crowd. Read Here
NEO-NAZI GUNMAN WEARS ‘BIG GRIN’ AS COURT VIEWS FOOTAGE OF YOM KIPPUR ATTACK ON GERMAN SYNAGOGUE
By Ben Cohen
The second day of the trial of a German neo-Nazi for a gun attack on a synagogue in the central city of Halle on Yom Kippur last year saw the defendant smiling widely as video footage of his outrage was broadcast on a screen in the courtroom. The 29-year-old gunman, Stephan Balliet, wore a “big grin” as prosecution lawyers replayed the same video that Balliet had livestreamed during the attack on Oct. 9, 2019. Read Here
EX-NAZI GUARD, 93, FOUND GUILTY OF COMPLICITY IN 5,230 CONCENTRATION CAMP DEATHS
By AGENCIES
A 93-year-old former Nazi concentration camp guard was handed a suspended sentence of two years in prison as a court in Hamburg found him guilty of complicity in World War II atrocities. Bruno Dey was convicted for his role in the killing of 5,230 people when he was an SS tower guard at the Stutthof camp. Read Here
GERMANY: BACKLASH AFTER DÜSSELDORF ENLISTS RAPPER FARID BANG FOR CORONAVIRUS VIDEO
By DW
The anti-Semitism commissioner from Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, sharply criticized a video featuring controversial German rapper Farid Bang which calls on people to observe COVID-19 social distancing regulations. The video was produced in collaboration with the city of Düsseldorf. “The choice of rapper, Farid Bang, for a public project is hard to bear,” Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, said. “The role model function of a musician like Farid Bang must be questioned and discussed when he propagates anti-Semitism…” Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
YEMEN SPREADS FALSE REPORTS ON JEWS TO HARM ENEMIES
By GIL HOFFMAN, TZVI JOFFRE
The embassy of Yemen in Washington quoted incorrect reports in various news outlets with tweets about false accusations about Jews in order to harm their Iranian-backed enemies, the Houthis. When asked about the matter, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it had been queried about the report many times and it appears to be false. Another international organization with ties to Yemen’s Jewish community said it had probed the reports and found them to be far from true and that there were no Jews in the region. Read Here
QATAR FINANCES HEZBOLLAH TERRORISM, DECLARES ‘JEWS ARE ENEMIES’ – REPORT
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
A German private security contractor, who has worked for the federal republic’s intelligence and security services, leveled bombshell allegations against Qatar’s regime, stating Doha finances the US and EU-designated terrorist movement Hezbollah and has declared Jews to be the enemies of the tiny Gulf state. The German weekly news outlet Die Zeit first reported about the security contractor Jason G. who obtained explosive details about Qatari terror finance. Read Here
PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CLAIMS THE JEWS CONTROL APPLE AND GOOGLE
By Benjamin Kerstei
Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki claimed in a recent interview that Jews controlled the giant tech companies Apple and Google. Appearing on Palestine TV, Maliki was asked about a claim that appeared on Instagram – which was later proved to be false — that Apple Maps and Google Maps had removed the name “Palestine” from their apps. Maliki said “It is obvious who owns them, and the Israeli-Jewish influence on them is also obvious.” Read Here
4. IN DEPTH: OTHER WORLD NEWS
FRENCH FAR-LEFT LEADER ACCUSED OF VOICING ANTI-SEMITIC ‘JEWS KILLED JESUS’ TROPE
BY Benjamin Kerstein
The leader of France’s main far-left political party is being accused of espousing an anti-Semitic trope during a recent radio interview. Asked by his interviewer whether police should “be like Jesus on the cross and not reply” when provoked by demonstrators, Jean-Luc Mélenchon replied, “Listen, I don’t know if Jesus was on the cross. I know who put him there, it seems that it was his own compatriots” — an apparent reference to Jews. Read Here
CALLS MADE FOR CANADIAN AUCTION HOUSE TO DROP THE SALE OF NAZI MEMORABILIA
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
A Jewish organization has called on a Canadian auction house to drop the sale of dozens of Nazi memorabilia items, which are being sold as part of a broader estate sale. Shackelton Auctions near Aylmer, Ontario has been commissioned to sell thousands of items amassed by a prolific collector in his lifetime; among them dozens of items from the Nazi era ranging from guns and swords to flags and lapel pins bearing the swastika. Read Here
CANADIAN POLICE APOLOGIZE FOR CALLING ANTI-NAZI VANDALISM HATE CRIME
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Canadian police issued an apology after saying they launched a hate crime investigation into the vandalizing of an Ontario cemetery memorial that was linked to Nazis. Halton Regional Police announced that someone had vandalized a monument at the St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery in Oakville, Ontario, by spray-painting “Nazi war monument” on it. The memorial was made to commemorate those who served in the unit of Ukrainian volunteers that fought for the Nazis. Read Here
CANADIAN GREEN PARTY ZOOM DEBATE DISRUPTED WITH ‘F—KING JEW,’ N—-R’ MESSAGES
By Aaron Bandler
A primary debate for candidates vying to be the leader of the Canadian Green Party held on Zoom was disrupted with messages of anti-Semitic and racial slurs. Among the slurs used in the Zoom chat from outsiders were “f—ing Jew” and “n—-r.” One of the candidates in debate, Annamie Paul, tweeted, “My kids were watching. As a Black Jewish candidate, I’ve been subject to months of anti-Semitic & racist attacks. Party silence emboldened hate. It ends when I win.” Read Here
ON CAMPUS
(2 Articles)
1. BIAS AND BIGOTRY AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
By Justine Murray
What appeared to be a noble effort to discuss bias at Syracuse University turned into a vicious exercise in bias and bigotry, as the conversations turned into an anti-Semitic witch hunt. A few students recently created multiple Instagram pages inviting fellow students and faculty to post stories about incidents of bias on campus. One of the pages warned students to look out for “openly Zionist” professors on campus, naming one professor in particular and attacking students who support the faculty member. Read Here
2. ‘BURN IN AN OVEN’: STUDENT THREATENED WITH A KNIFE
By REBECCA DAVIS
Another former Jewish student of Brighton Secondary College in Australia revealed his experiences of anti-Semitic bullying, alleging he experienced verbal and physical abuse, including being threatened with a knife. The boy says in year 7 he was labeled “Jew boy”. “Students were swearing at me in the corridors, yelling at me to go ‘burn in an oven’,” he recalled. Then in year 9, he claims he was shoved into the boys’ toilets and threatened with a knife to remain silent and not fight back. Read Here
ANALYSIS
(5 Pieces)
1. WE MUST DEFINE ANTI-SEMITISM IN ORDER TO FIGHT IT EFFECTIVELY
By BRIAN SIEGAL AND ANDREAS SIEGEL
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition is an important tool for police, prosecutors and judges and for monitors and data collectors, making it easier to track and prosecute anti-Semitic crimes. Only by defining anti-Semitism, understanding how it manifests itself in society, confronting hate and bias crimes, and combating all forms of hatred can we uphold our values of democracy, pluralism and mutual respect toward the goal of ensuring the safety and dignity of our societies. Read Here
2. MY FIRST BRUSH WITH BLACK ANTI-SEMITISM CAME EARLY. IT WAS WRONG THEN. IT’S WRONG NOW
By LZ GRANDERSON
There is something troubling about our society’s tendency to explain away or justify anti-Semitism. This hypocrisy has been made particularly evident during this age of racial reckoning. A time in which Drew Brees can be raked across the coals by his peers for mischaracterizing Colin Kaepernick’s protest but many of those same peers all but ignore Jackson’s thinking Hitler was a good source to quote. Part of this has to do with ignorance. Read Here
3. DESPITE RECENT ANTI-SEMITIC COMMENTS, JEWS AND BLACK PEOPLE HAVE LONG BEEN ALLIES
By John Blake
These stories about supposed Black-Jewish tensions fit a pattern. They hibernate and then re-emerge every couple of years to feed a perception that there is pervasive anti-Semitism in the Black community or some historical “tension” between Black people and Jews. But that perception is bogus. No one should let the uninformed musings of a few Black celebrities convince us otherwise. When people think about relations between Blacks and Jews, I hope one day more will think not of Nick Cannon or DeSean Jackson but of these three names: James Earl Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman. Read Here
4. FAR MORE UNITES BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICANS THAN DIVIDES THEM
By Ethan B. Katz and Deborah Lipstadt
To advance the cause of Black-Jewish relations, the great challenge is for voices of compassion and mutual respect to rise above the prevailing din of acrimony, misunderstanding and distrust. Such voices should begin with a greater understanding of both Jews’ and Blacks’ complex, often painful histories — and how the past has shaped each group’s collective identity. Without wishing to compare the challenges of our daily lives to those of African Americans, Jews need their Black fellow citizens, and particularly supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, to be willing to listen as well to the experiences and community narratives of Jews. Read Here
5. THE LINKS BETWEEN BLACK LIVES MATTER AND BDS
By CAM
Dan Diker’s analysis for JCPA raises a few concerns going forward for Jews in America and around the world. The continuing connection between BLM and BDS puts Jews who believe in fighting for racial equality in a challenging conundrum. This linkage also puts African-Americans who strongly oppose anti-Semitism in a difficult spot. Diker hopes that the leaders of the BLM Movement will look back at the remarkable history of Black-Jewish cooperation and use that to guide them going forward, rather than embracing BDS. Read Here
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
(1 Piece)
1. TWO-THIRDS OF US VOTERS VIEW THEMSELVES AS PRO-ISRAEL, NEW POLL FINDS
By Algemeiner Staff
Around two-thirds of US voters describe themselves as pro-Israel and oppose reducing American security aid to the Jewish state, according to a new poll performed by The Mellman Group for the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI). 67% of all voters, 68% of Democrats and 68% of voters in battleground states view themselves as pro-Israel. Among Democrats, 72% called Israel a “strong US ally,” and 71% wanted to see a party platform adopted this year that was at least as favorable to Israel as the 2016 one. Read Here
FEATURED PARTNER
Combat Anti-Semitism is proud to be a partner of HonestReporting, a nonprofit that monitors the news for bias, inaccuracy, or other breach of journalistic standards in coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Learn more about HonestReporting in the video below.
‘#WEREMEMBER: SO SHOULD OUR JOURNALISTS’
By DANIEL POMERANTZ
HonestReporting CEO, Daniel Pomerantz, discusses how journalists have a critical role to play in the fight against anti-Semitism by providing context, fact checking, and rebuttals. Pomerantz posits that in a healthy society, free speech cannot stand on its own. Free speech and the safety of our society depends not only on judges and police, but also on the ethics and professionalism of journalists everywhere. Read Here
HonestReporting monitors the news for bias, inaccuracy, or other breach of journalistic standards in coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It also facilitates accurate reporting for foreign journalists covering the region. HonestReporting believes that a fully informed public is essential to progress and understanding in conflict resolution and that it is not enough to just correct inaccurate reporting and expose breaches of journalistic ethics. Through its MediaCentral project, HonestReporting also provides support services for journalists based in or visiting Israel, the Palestinian territories, and the region to ensure the free flow of information.
PARTNER CONTENT
AJC NEW ANTI-SEMITISM DIRECTOR: JEW-HATRED MUST BE HELD TO SAME STANDARD AS OTHER PREJUDICE
By Jackson Richman
Israel and the Jewish people are always looking for friends, and they seemed to have found one in Holly Huffnagle. A Christian now employed to help tackle anti-Semitism in the United States, she has more than one thing in common with the Jewish and pro-Israel community of late. On July 12, Huffnagle was targeted by the anti-Israel group IfNotNow, which retweeted a post by the American Jewish Committee, where in April she was named its US Director for Combating Antisemitism, claiming that she can’t be part of the fight against Jew-hatred. Read Here
VISITING AUSCHWITZ IS NOT THE ANSWER
By Shoshana Bryen, Senior Director of the Jewish Policy Center
When football player DeSean Jackson made blatantly anti-Semitic remarks, Patriots player Julian Edelman invited him to visit Auschwitz. In fact, Jackson accepted an invitation from Edward Mosberg, a Holocaust survivor. That’s OK. He will learn something about Jewish history in Europe, the Holocaust and about not throwing Hitler’s name around like a football. But that isn’t where the problem lies. It lies with the erasure of American Jewish history, and to suggest the answer is in Poland is unhelpful. In our country, Jews have been and remain partners in civil rights. And they need to know that. Read Here
Government & Policy Update
This section highlights the work of government officials around the world that are combating anti-Semitism in their official capacities.
(10 Pieces)
1. SPAIN ADOPTS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE’S DEFINITION OF ANTI-SEMITISM
By Marcy Oster
The government of Spain has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism. The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain issued a statement thanking the Spanish government for its decision. Spain has been a member of the alliance since 2008. It is one of 34 member countries. Read Here
2. UK LABOUR APOLOGIZES, AGREES TO PAY DAMAGES TO WHISTLEBLOWERS OVER ANTI-SEMITISM
By AP and TOI STAFF
Britain’s opposition Labour Party apologized “unreservedly,” withdrew its accusations, and agreed to pay substantial damages to seven whistleblowers who sued the party for defamation over an anti-Semitism dispute. The seven former employees, who were responsible for investigating complaints about misconduct within the party, including anti-Semitism, appeared on a BBC investigative program last year looking into whether Labour was anti-Semitic. Read Here
3. EU MUST DESIGNATE HEZBOLLAH AS TERROR ORGANIZATION, 230 LAWMAKERS SAY
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Some 230 lawmakers have urged the European Union to designate the Lebanon-based Hezbollah organization as a terrorist group. In their letter, the lawmakers urged “the EU to end this false distinction between ‘military’ and ‘political’ arms – a distinction Hezbollah itself dismisses – and ban the entire organization,” the lawmakers said. Signatories included 131 members of European national legislatures, 73 members of the European Parliament, 17 members of the US Congress, eight members of the Parliament of Canada and six Knesset members. Read Here
4. NEW YORK SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION TO MANDATE EDUCATION ON SYMBOLS OF HATE
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The New York State Senate passed a bill sponsored by Senator Todd Kaminsky that will make it mandatory for students to learn about symbols of hate, such as the swastika and noose – labelling them as “symbols of bigotry.” The legislation will mandate that New York middle and high schools include such education in their curriculums. If signed into law, it would be the first bill in the US to require schools to educate their students on symbols of hate. Read Here
5. CITY OF AVENTURA, FL CALLS ON FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY TO REMOVE ANTI-SEMITIC STUDENT SENATE PRESIDENT
By CAM
The city commission of Aventura, Florida adopted a resolution that calls on Florida State University (FSU) to remove Student Senate President Ahmad Daraldik from his position. The language of the resolution spotlights Daraldik’s anti-Semitic social media posts and a website belonging to him that compares Israel to Nazi Germany and enaages in blood libel. The resolution states, “The City denounces the anti-Semitic social media posts made by the Florida State University Senate President and the City encourages citizens to stand up against anti-Semitism in all its forms…” Read Here
6. US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TAKES ACTION AGAINST NEW YORK VILLAGE TARGETING ORTHODOX JEWS
By FAYGIE HOLT
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York notified the Village of Airmont in Rockland County, N.Y., that they plan to file suit against the village on the grounds that are violating terms of the Federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its letter that the Village’s zoning code “substantially burdens, discriminates against and unreasonably limits the practice of religion by the Village’s Orthodox Jewish community.” Read Here
7. NEW LIKUD MK FORMS CAUCUS ON FIGHTING ANTI-SEMITISM
By GIL HOFFMAN
The Knesset will enter the fray in fighting anti-Semitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel around the world, thanks to a new caucus officially formed by new Likud MK Ariel Kallner. MKs from Likud, Blue and White, Yesh Atid and Yamina are in the caucus. Kallner intends to meet with the leaders in Israeli efforts against anti-Semitism. Read Here
8. ARGENTINE PRESIDENT TELLS JEWISH LEADERS HE WANTS RESULTS IN AMIA BOMBING TRIAL
By JTA
In the days before the 26th anniversary of the Buenos Aires AMIA Jewish center bombing that killed 85 in 1994, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez has conveyed to Jewish leaders his desire to end the decades-long legal case that followed the attack, which has been complicated by corruption allegations and the likely murder of Jewish prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Fernandez said “condemnation of terrorism can’t be under discussion, as the Holocaust, it can’t be neglected nor tolerated.” Read Here
9. ARGENTINE JEWISH MP PROPOSES ‘DAY OF REMEMBRANCE’ FOR VICTIMS OF THE NAZIS THE COUNTRY GAVE REFUGE TO
By Jacob Judah
Argentina is considering declaring July 15 a ‘day of remembrance’ for the victims of the Nazi war criminals it gave sanctuary to in the aftermath of the Second World War. The draft law was proposed by Jewish parliamentarian Waldo Wolff. Argentina, Mr Wolff wrote, hosted at least 180 individuals who were “suspected, accused, tried and/or sentenced” for war crimes in Europe after the Second World War. July 15 has been proposed as it was the first full day that Adolf Eichmann spent in Argentina on his arrival in 1950. Read Here
10. DUTCH GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS FUNDING OF TERROR-LINKED PALESTINIAN NGO
By Benjamin Kerstein
The Dutch government has frozen funding of a Palestinian NGO with links to a terrorist group that murdered an Israeli teenager last year. The move came in response to a campaign by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) that called attention to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC), which had received Dutch funds totaling some $23 million. UKLFI petitioned the Dutch government after it was revealed that two UAWC employees were involved in the 2019 bombing at a West Bank spring that killed 17-year-old Israeli Rina Shnerb and wounded her father and brother. Read Here
HUMANITY
(10 Pieces)
1. GERMAN CARDINAL REINHARD MARX SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM
By CAM
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx strongly condemned anti-Semitism and spoke of the obligation that Christians have in speaking out against anti-Jewish prejudice. In a letter to Josef Schuster, the president of the Council, Max wrote, “Not only as citizens, but also as Christians, we are obliged to oppose anti-Jewish prejudices and to stand up against anti-Jewish attacks. We must not and will not look away again.” Read Here
2. AMAR’E STOUDEMIRE OFFERS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN BLACKS AND JEWS
By ADAM WELLS
Former NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire said there is a “lack of leadership” in the Black community that has led to expressions of anti-Semitism, and he has offered to bridge the gap between Jews and Blacks. Stoudemire, who lives and plays professionally in Israel for Maccabi Tel Aviv, was reacting to a number of recent anti-Semitic social media posts by Black sports figures and celebrities. Stoudemire said that due to the leadership vacuum, many Black people have turned to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan for inspiration. Read Here
3. WORCESTER COUNCIL IN ENGLAND ADOPTS IHRA DEFINITION FOLLOWING ALLEGED ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENT
By Aleks Phillips
A Worcester councillor has successfully lobbied the council to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, after being the subject of an alleged anti-Semitic attack. Conservative councillor Louise Griffiths claims a mezuzah was ripped from the front door of her home and posted through her letterbox with a swastika drawn on it. Following the incident, councillors unanimously agreed to adopt the IHRA definition. Read Here
4. ‘AM I CRAZY?’: WHOOPI GOLDBERG COMMENTS ON NICK CANNON BEING FIRED FOR ANTI-SEMITISM
By HANNAH RICE
Whoopi Goldberg wants the world to know that she condemns the anti-Semitic comments made by television host Nick Cannon on his podcast. In a clip released by The View, Goldberg expressed her disgust for Cannon’s bigotry, comparing his anti-Semitism to racism. “You can’t start on people because of their religion, just like people shouldn’t be starting on us for our color,” the television personality explained. Read Here
5. NBA HALL OF FAMER CHARLES BARKLEY CALLS OUT BLACK SPORTS FIGURES AND CELEBRITIES FOR ANTI-SEMITISM
By MARCY OSTER
Former NBA star Charles Barkley has become the latest sports star to speak out against anti-Semitism among Black celebrities. “Listen, DeSean Jackson, Stephen Jackson, Nick Cannon, Ice Cube,” Barkley said in a video tweeted out by NBA on TNT, where he serves as a studio analyst during pre-game and halftime shows. “Man, what the hell are y’all doing? Y’all want racial equality. We all do. I don’t understand how insulting another group helps our cause. And the only person who called y’all on it was Kareem.” Read Here
“I don’t understand how you beat hatred with more hatred.”
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) July 17, 2020
Charles on the recent anti-Semitic comments by athletes & entertainers. https://t.co/g2EfvXAxOv pic.twitter.com/DtF2aO6N5m
6. PITTSBURGH STEELERS LINEMAN ZACH BANNER TASTES CHALLAH FOR FIRST TIME
By Shiryn Ghermezian
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner tried challah for the first time and shared the experience with his social media followers. The 26-year-old NFL player tasted plain challah and a coffee crumb challah. He said trying challah was part of his ongoing efforts to educate himself more about Judaism. The athlete also noted that Challah Back Girls had vowed to donate half of its sales, for one day, to his B3 Foundation, which works to empower children. Read Here
7. JEWISH NFL PLAYERS DISCUSS NEED FOR MORE EDUCATION ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM AFTER DESEAN JACKSON CONTROVERSY
By Shiryn Ghermezian
Nine current and former Jewish NFL players participated in a three-hour live stream event to talk about what they believed the proper response should be to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson after his recent anti-Semitic social media activity. The virtual conversation about anti-Semitism was broadcast on Aish.tv and moderated by Michael Neuman, a winner of Lebron James’s athletic competition “Million Dollar Mile.” Read Here
8. ISRAEL AND INDIA TO COOPERATE ON TESTING NEW CORONAVIRUS DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGY
By Algemeiner Staff
Israel’s Defense, Foreign Affairs and Health Ministries will cooperate with India’s Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to test a number of new diagnostic techniques to detect the coronavirus. A senior delegation from Israel’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development will travel to India to be present during the tests. The delegation will be accompanied by Israel’s ambassador to India, Ron Malka, who will also bring equipment donated by the Foreign Ministry and the private sector, including ventilators. Read Here
9. PITTSBURGH’S TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE MOVES FORWARD WITH REBUILDING PLANS
By Marcy Oster
The Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha congregation in Pittsburgh has taken more steps toward rebuilding. The synagogue has hired a consultant to create a plan and one to come up with a fundraising campaign to pay for renovating the site of the October 2018 attack that left 11 worshippers dead. In October 2019, one year after the shooting, the congregation said it would rebuild and return to the building. Read Here
10. UK MUSLIM ACTIVIST PRAISES JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR SPEAKING OUT FOR UIGHURS
By AARON REICH
A British Muslim activist praised the Jewish community for their activism in raising awareness of the persecution of Uighur Muslims by China. “My Jewish brethren are the only ones I ain’t gonna call out,” Maajid Nawaz, who is on a hunger strike to draw attention to the plight of the Uighurs, said over Twitter. “They’ve stepped up already and are here with me right now.” Read Here
OVER 280,000 INDIVIDUALS AND 260 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED OUR PLEDGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
“Combat anti-Semitism (CAM) is a non-partisan, global grassroots movement of interfaith individuals and organizations united to combat anti-Semitism. CAM exposes anti-Semitic activity from across the ideological spectrum and highlights those working to fight against its resurgence. One of the most pernicious forms of modern anti-Semitism is the effort to deny and delegitimize the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and their profound historic, religious and cultural connection to their ancestral homeland, Israel. Humanity flourishes when religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity is respected, and we hope to encourage understanding and set an example through our work. Anti-Semitism is the oldest form of bigotry and by working to eliminate it, we hope tragedies like the holocaust or any incidents of hate inspired speech or violence perpetrated against the Jewish people, Israel, or any discriminated group are reduced significantly.”
