Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster has condemned “all expressions of hatred” after anti-Semitic graffiti was daubed across shops, cafes and a synagogue in London. “The recent anti-Semitic graffiti in north London brings shame to us all,” said the cardinal. Read Here
Please forward to your family and friends and ask them to take the Combat Anti-Semitism pledge today! Taking a pledge can be the start!
THIS WEEK’S CONTENT
TAKE ACTION
(1 Piece)
TELL JERSEY CITY THAT THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
By New Tolerance Campaign
CAS Partner American Sephardi Federation shared a campaign to unseat Jersey City School Board Member Joan Terrell Paige after anti-Semitic comments she made regarding the December 10th shooting at a New Jersey kosher market. The campaign aims to put public pressure on Terrell Paige to resign from the school board by calling on her fellow board members to demand she step down. CAS has previously drawn attention to this situation in the December 19th newsletter.
SPECIAL FEATURE
1. Jewish college student attacked on New York subway
By Joseph Wolkin
Yonatan Herzfeld was taking the S train from Grand Central Station to Times Square when he was chased off the subway car by an African-American male “shouting about my kippa and drawing a circle, referring to my kippa [skullcap] saying, ‘what’s that you got on your head,’” Herzfeld said. As the situation escalated and the assailant shouted more slurs, Herzfeld took out his phone to record the anti-Semitic incident. Herzfeld ran away from the suspect, shouting for help on the subway platform in the middle of one of New York City’s busiest stations. However, no one attempted to help him. In videos posted on Facebook, witnesses are seen staring at the student while he runs across the platform. Read Here
After the incident on the New York Subway, Yonatan Herzfeld joined our movement and the signed the Combat Anti-Semitism pledge.
UNITED STATES
(20 Articles)
1. Man stabs multiple people at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, NY
By RON KAMPEAS
A man wielding a machete walked into a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, and stabbed five people. Police later identified the suspect as Grafton
E. Thomas, 37, of Greenwood Lake, New York. Police Chief Brad Weidel said that he will face five counts of attempted murder and one count of
burglary. Read Here
2. 25,000 march against anti-Semitism in New York City
By BEN SALES
An estimated 25,000 people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and held a rally to protest rising anti-Semitism in and around New York City. The rally drew throngs of Jews from the state, which is home to nearly two million Jews and delegations came in from cities across the country like Washington, D.C., and Cleveland. The march included the state’s most senior politicians, including Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Read Here
3. Bail reform is setting suspects free after string of anti-Semitic attacks
By Israel Salas-Rodriguez, Khristina Narizhnaya, and Laura Italiano
Suspects arrested in the spree of eight anti-Semitic attacks are being quickly released right back into the neighborhoods they terrorized thanks to “bail reform” legislation — which doesn’t even take effect until Jan. 1. The most recent case of revolving-door justice came with the release, with no bail, of a woman charged with punching and cursing at three Orthodox women in Crown Heights. Read Here
4. Man enters Chabad world headquarters in Brooklyn and threatens to shoot it up
By LAURA E. ADKINS
A man entered the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn and threatened to shoot up the place. According to the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, “There were no reported injuries as a result, there are no arrests at this time and the investigation is ongoing. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force was notified and is investigating this incident.” Read Here
5. Jewish man attacked by two women after trying to film anti-Semitic tirade
By Larry Celona, C.J. Sullivan, Craig McCarthy, and Ebony Bowden
Two female attackers yelled “F— you Jew” and “I will kill you Jews” at a Brooklyn man before shoving him to the ground when he tried to film their anti-Semitic screed. Officers responded to the assault and had two people in custody. The first woman began yelling at the victim before the second woman grabbed his cell phone, broke it in half and threw it to the ground. Read Here
6. Jewish teen robbed at knife-point in Brooklyn
By Tina Moore and Ebony Bowden
A Jewish teen riding a bus in Brooklyn was threatened at knife-point by two assailants who snatched his earbuds and yarmulke while making anti-Semitic remarks. Zachary Hershkovich, 15, was on the MTA’s B3 bus when two strangers flashed a knife at him and removed his earbuds and yarmulke. Read Here
7. Video emerges of another, unreported assault on Orthodox Jew in Brooklyn
By SAM SOKOL and AGENCIES
A community activist in Crown Heights tweeted footage of a previously unreported assault against a Hasidic Jew, indicating that a recent uptick in anti-Semitic attacks may be more widespread than previously estimated. In the video, a group of what appear to be African-American teenagers can be seen throwing a folding chair at a young man wearing traditional Hasidic garb before punching him in the head. Read Here
8. Assault on 2 Young Jewish Boys Among 4 anti-Semitic Attacks in New York City in 48 Hours, Cops Confirm
By Algemeiner Staff
An assault on a pair of Jewish children was among recent anti-Semitic attacks in New York City. The two boys, ages 6 and 7, were allegedly struck from behind by a group of teenagers in the lobby of a residential building in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. The victims were treated for minor injuries. Read Here
9. Man Punched in the Face in Possible Anti-Semitic Attack, Video Shows
By NBC New York
An attacker blocked a Jewish man’s path and punched him in the face in one of at least eight incidents police are investigating as possible anti-Semitic attacks in New York City. The 40-year-old, who was dressed in “traditional Jewish clothing,” was left with a cut on his lip, but refused medical attention, police said. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the attack. Read Here
10. TV weather anchor Scott Steele charges WTMJ with anti-Semitism
By Cary Spivak
Scott Steele, a Jewish weatherman in Milwaukee, filed a lawsuit against Scripps Media, Inc. over anti-Semitic incidents, including having a yarmulke and cross left on his desk and being demoted to a lesser time slot for taking off for the Jewish holidays. Read Here
11. Police looking for sicko who spat on a Jewish woman
By Tamar Lapin
The NYPD is searching for a man who spit on a Jewish woman and yelled anti-Semitic slurs to her in front of a Yeshiva in Queens. The suspect attempted to barge into the Talmud Torah Siach Yitzchok school in Far Rockaway. The suspect walked to a car stopped near the yeshiva and spewed anti-Semitic slurs at the mother of a student sitting inside. He then spat at the 44-year-old woman through the open passenger window and took off. Read Here
12. A leader in Delaware under fire for post about Jews
By MARCY OSTER
A Republican party leader in Delaware is under fire for Facebook comments about Jews. Sussex County Republican Party Vice Chair Nelly Jordan singled out Jews as mainly responsible for the impeachment of President Donald Trump in a Facebook post. The post read “What amazes me the most in these theatrical Congress hearings, is to see how many Jews ‘In Name Only’ lend themselves to be in the hoaks of the pure made-up story of Impeachment that the Democrats have woven as spiders catching flies and bugs.” Read Here
13. Special emergency hotlines offered to synagogues after anti-Semitic attacks
By Melissa Klein
Special hotlines that will provide instant access to emergency services are being offered to New York City synagogues. The Shomrim, a Jewish volunteer safety patrol, is offering the emergency “shul phones” in the wake of anti-Semitic incidents that have rocked city neighborhoods and Monsey. The response has been swift, with some 200 synagogues expressing interest. Read Here
14. Man screams ‘Kill Jews’ from bicycle at Jewish man in Brooklyn
By Tina Moore and Craig McCarthy
A bicyclist spewed anti-Semitic slurs at a 61-year-old Jewish man as he rode through Flatbush in yet another bias incident in Brooklyn. A man in his 30s rode by the 61-year-old while screaming “Kill Jews! F–k Jews! Murder Jews!” police said, adding the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Read Here
15. Mastercard, Visa, AmEx all pull option to fund terror group-linked NGO
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
Credit card holders will no longer be able to use them to donate to a North American NGO that is a front for Palestinian terrorism, thanks to lobbying by the International Legal Forum. Mastercard, Visa, and American Express have all removed the option to give money to Samidoun, after the Forum presented extensive evidence of Samidoun’s ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP). Read Here
16. JEWISH FAMILY REPORTEDLY ABUSED BY FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON AMERICAN AIRLINES
By Campaign Against Anti-Semitism
A Jewish family has alleged that they were subjected to anti-Jewish racial abuse by a flight attendant on American Airlines. The family was boarding flight AA142 at New York City’s JFK Airport en route to Heathrow, and whilst stowing their bags were accosted by a female crew member who allegedly shouted: “you f***ing Jews think you control the plane.” Read Here
17. Jewish man threatened on NYC subway after No Hate No Fear march
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Jewish man in New York said that he was insulted and threatened by a woman on the subway after she spotted his kippah. Jonathan Gray revealed the episode on social media, stating that he also reported it to the police. “This lady started yelling and cursing at me. Including F&@k all you Jews.” Read Here
18. After Criticism, NBC New York Deletes Tweet That Appeared to Blame Victims of Recent Anti-Semitic Attacks
By Benjamin Kerstein
NBC New York was criticized for a tweet on the recent wave of anti-Semitic violence in the US that many saw as racist and blaming the victims of the attacks. “With the expansion of Orthodox communities outside NYC has come civic sparring, and some fear the recent violence may be an outgrowth of that conflict,” the tweet read, over an article headlined, “Anti-Semitism Grows in Jewish Communities in NYC Suburbs.” The progressive Zionist group Zioness tweeted in response that the tweet was “[s]hameful and egregious victim-blaming.” Read Here
19. Montana store removes Neo-Nazi paraphernalia after customers complain
By Sean Wells
A social media post gone viral led to Neo-Nazi pocket knives being removed from a business in Montana. Community residents noticed swastikas and Nazi messages on certain pocket knives sold at the Army-Navy Surplus store in Kalispell. Army-Navy of Kalispell quickly responded that the Nazi paraphernalia were part of a bulk pallet of knives, and not ordered directly by the store and the store worked quickly to destroy all Nazi-related pocket knives. Read Here
20. BARI Weiss: Jews Do Not Cause Anti-Semitism
By Bari Weiss
New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss said the national media has “absolutely” been slow in their coverage of the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States. Watch her powerful commentary in a CNN interview on the subject here.
ISRAEL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
(4 Pieces)
1. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UK
Star of David and ‘9 11’ painted on buildings in North London
By MARCY OSTER
Graffiti featuring a Star of David and “9 11” was discovered on a synagogue and store windows in Hampstead and Belsize Park in North London. The graffiti refers to a conspiracy theory that Jewish people were responsible for the attack on the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Read Here
London Cardinal condemns anti- Semitic hate speech
By Simon Caldwell
Jewish ex-Labour MP: Leaders vying to replace Corbyn ‘cowards’ on anti-Semitism
By TOI Staff
Ruth Smeeth a Jewish former UK Labour lawmaker has condemned the frontrunners in the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn as party leader, saying they are “cowards” in confronting the rampant anti-Semitism in the party and are unfit to lead. Smeeth, who lost her seat in the December election, has headed the Jewish Labour Movement, which broke with Corbyn, accusing him of anti-Semitism. Smeeth urged Jews to remain involved in the party and help choose the next leader, saying it was the only way to take back Labour from the anti-Semites. Read Here
Man threatens shoppers at a kosher butcher in London
By MARCY OSTER
A man walked into Royal Meats, a kosher butcher shop in the London neighborhood of Stamford Hill and shouted invective against Jews. The man demanded food, which he apparently expected to receive for free. In response to being asked what he would like to purchase, he responded by allegedly shouting “You f***ing Jews, I am German, you f***ing Jews are bad people.” He then pointed his fingers at shoppers in a gesture that looked like a gun firing. Read Here
Anti-Semitic signs found posted in St. Albans
By Ike Bendavid
Anti-Semitic signs were discovered stapled to telephone poles in St. Albans for the second time this month. “There was some signs, leaflets that were left on utility poles in the city today. We had some in the past. It had some anti-Semitic undertones to them,” St. Albans Police Sgt. Joseph Thomas said. Read Here
Jewish man driven from home by anti-Semitic thugs who shouted ‘Hitler is king’
By Nicole Morley
Yisro’el Shalom says he’s been driven out of his home in London’s East End because he’s a Jew. Shalom, has moved across the city, leaving behind his friends and neighbors after being targeted dozens of times by racist thugs. Shalom, said: ‘I was driven out of my home. I had to flee my home just because I was a Jew. I can’t go into Newham because I am a Jew. You hear about these no-go areas for police in France. But I never thought for a second that would happen in Newham.’ Read Here
Jewish Man Allegedly Pelted With Glass Bottle By Assailant Shouting “Dirty Jew” In Stamford Hill, As Another Spat At In Car
By Campaign Against Anti-Semitism
A Jewish man walking back from synagogue was allegedly pelted with a glass bottle by an assailant shouting “dirty Jew” in Stamford Hill. The assault occurred as the Jewish man was walking from a synagogue. As he walked, a man allegedly shouted at him: “Dirty Jew, f****n Jew, all Jews shall go to hell.” He then threw a glass beer bottle at him and it smashed on the ground. Read Here
13-Year-Old Jewish Boy Punched In Stomach As Assailant Shouts “You Stupid Jews Think You Own The World” In Latest Violent Attack On A Minor
By Campaign Against Anti-Semitism
A 13-year-old Jewish boy was punched in the stomach as a male assailant shouted “you stupid Jews think you own the world” and “you f***ing Jews”. The attack took place on a bus heading towards Stamford Hill. Police are said to be investigating. Read Here
Soccer player slammed over alleged anti-Semitic tweet
By YNET
English soccer player Tom Pope came under fire after he shared a post on his Twitter feed, saying the Rothschilds, a renowned Jewish dynasty, will be “crowned champions of every bank on the planet.” The striker, who plays for League Two side Port Vale FC, wrote the controversial statement in response to a Twitter user who asked him to “predict the results of World War III”. Read Here
EHRC to use whistleblower testimonies to question Labour, leaked letter reveals
By MATHILDE FROT
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is to use whistleblower testimonies to question the Labour Party on alleged anti-Semitism. The equalities watchdog’s investigation was launched to determine whether Labour unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimized Jews. Evidence submitted by whistleblowers will be used as a basis for some questions put to the party. Read Here
Sadiq Khan: Labour showed ‘breathtaking lack of humanity’ in anti-Semitism row
By MATHILDE FROT
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said voters “got it right” at the 12 December election and accused Labour of displaying a “breathtaking lack of emotional intelligence or humanity” in its handling of alleged anti-Semitism. Khan cited Labour’s position on Brexit and the perception of Labour as “a racist party because of our failure to tackle anti-Semitism.” “For the leadership not to understand the impact of us being seen to condone anti-Semitism is heartbreaking. We’ve demonstrated a breathtaking lack of emotional intelligence or humanity.” Khan urged Labour to expel members accused of anti-Semitism. Read Here
Neo-Nazi teen jailed for six years over plot to attack sites including shuls
By JEWISH NEWS REPORTER
A teenage neo-Nazi from Durham who planned to torch local synagogues using Molotov cocktails has been jailed for more than six years. The 17-year old youth was sentenced after being found guilty of drawing up a terrorist hit-list including schools and council buildings, and of researching weapons such as knives, guns, and explosives. Read Here
2. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY
German police prevent activist group from removing installation with ashes of Holocaust victims
BY MARCY OSTER
German police prevented an activist group from removing an art installation believed to contain the ashes of victims of the Nazis. About 20 members of a group called the Performance Art Committee attempted to remove the gray cylindrical column erected in early December. The Center for Political Beauty later apologized for hurting the feelings of Holocaust survivors and the families of victims. It did not say what it plans to do with the soil samples when the installation is ultimately dismantled but said it was open to suggestions. Read Here
“DON’T BUY FROM JEWS”: WALL SMEARED WITH ANTI-SEMITIC SLOGAN
BY TAG 24
Police are investigating anti-Semitic graffiti that appeared at a supermarket in Schramberg, Baden-Württemberg with the message “Don’t buy from the Jews.” Read Here
A German Jewish Congregation Searches for Normalcy
By Felix Bohr and Timo Lehmann
Three months after the right-wing extremist attack on the synagogue in Halle, the Jewish community in the city is still wrestling with its consequences. The bullet holes are still visible in the wooden door leading to the synagogue’s front courtyard. Now, the street on which the synagogue is located is classified as a high-security zone, with police officers coming and going. Read Here
40 tombstones knocked over at Jewish cemetery in Geilenkirchen
By Benjamin Weinthal
Two men devastated a Jewish cemetery in Geilenkirchen. The two suspects overturned more than 40 gravestones in the cemetery and partially sprayed them with blue paint, the police said. Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
Palestinian NGOs reject EU assistance over refusal to renounce ties to terrorism
By JNS
More than 130 Palestinian organizations have refused to sign a European Union grant request that stipulates among its criteria that recipients must refuse to transfer any E.U. assistance given to terrorist groups or entities. The 135 organizations in question steadfastly decline to do so, claiming Palestinian terrorist groups are merely “political parties,” according to a statement by the Israeli Strategic Affairs Ministry. Read Here
PA map of ‘Palestine’ erases Israel
By Nan Jacques Zilberdik and Itamar Marcus
The Palestinian Authority emphasized that it views the entire State of Israel as “Palestine” and rewards anyone who reinforces this message. Accordingly, the PA Ministry of Education awarded first prize in an art competition to a student who in her painting included the PA map of “Palestine,” which presents all of Israel as part of “Palestine” together with the PA areas and the Gaza Strip. Read Here
Palestinian boys are raised to be ‘ammunition’
By Itamar Marcus
Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah has declared that Palestinian boys should forget toys, forget childhood, and forget having a future – because they are merely “ammunition” and destined for “martyrdom.” Read Here
Iran ex-Guards chief vows to turn Tel Aviv ‘to dust’
By AFP
A former head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to turn the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv “to dust” if the US attacks targets in Iran. “If America takes any measures after our military response, we will turn Tel Aviv and Haifa to dust,” Mohsen Rezai, who currently heads the Expediency Council, a top state body, said. “Be sure that Iran will turn Haifa and Israel’s centres to dust in a way that Israel would be erased from the face of the earth,” he warned. Read Here
Palestinian Terrorist Who Killed American-Israeli Activist Ari Fuld Convicted of Murder
By Benjamin Kerstein
The Palestinian teenage terrorist who killed American-Israeli activist Ari Fuld in a stabbing attack in September 2018 was found guilty of murder. Khalil Jabarin — from the West Bank town of Yatta — stabbed Fuld from behind at a shopping center in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, south of Jerusalem. The Fuld family issued a statement saying of the terrorist, “We are pleased with the verdict … and hope he will receive the maximum punishment for his actions.” Read Here
4. IN DEPTH: OTHER WORLD NEWS
Belgian lawmaker takes heat for lighting menorah in Parliament
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Michael Freilich, the only Orthodox Jewish lawmaker in the Belgium Parliament received criticism for lighting candles on Hanukkah. Two local politicians representing Freilich’s center-right N-VA party complained that his actions go against the separation of religion and state. Pieter Boudry, another party representative, also protested.“No religious clothes and symbols for politicians and civil servants,” he wrote about the video. Freilich told the media that he did not pray while lighting the candles in the video, meaning the action was an expression of his tradition and not an act of worship. Read Here
Belgian daily accuses Jewish lawmaker of spying for Israel
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
The editor in chief of a Belgian daily newspaper accused a Jewish lawmaker of spying for Israel in parliament. Bart Eeckhout leveled the allegation against Michael Freilich in an op-ed titled “Anti-Semitism” that was published in the left-leaning De Morgen newspaper. Eeckhout wrote that De Morgen has learned that Freilich’s parliamentary aide filmed several minutes of an exchange last month between Belgian lawmakers and representatives of pro-Palestinian non-governmental organizations. Eeckhout claimed the footage was filmed in secret, but Freilich told the local media that the short videos were for sharing on social media. Read Here
Thousands march in France to protest decision to not prosecute Jewish woman’s killer
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Several thousand people, many of them Jews, rallied in several cities in France to protest a court ruling not to try a Muslim man who confessed to killing his Jewish neighbor while shouting about Allah. The Paris Appeals Court asserted that Traore killed Halimi because she was Jewish but cited psychiatric evaluations saying his consumption of marijuana before the incident led to a “delirious episode” that made him not legally responsible for his actions. Leaders of French Jewry have suggested the ruling was designed to avoid scrutiny of Muslim anti-Semitism. Read Here
Graves desecrated at Jewish cemetery in south west France
By AFP
A dozen graves at another Jewish cemetery in the southwest of France have been desecrated. Tombstones had been broken as well as a commemorative plaque for a girl who was deported during World War II. Read Here
French Jew who survived 2016 stabbing by assailant who shouted about Allah dies at 65
BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
A French-Jewish man who was critically injured in a 2016 stabbing attack by a man who shouted about Allah succumbed to his injuries and died. Chalom Levy died in an airplane that took him to France from Israel, where he had just celebrated his daughter’s wedding. “He had never recovered from the attack, not physically or psychologically,” Levy’s lawyer, said. The assault was the assailant’s second stabbing of a Jew in Strasbourg, France. He was deemed too mentally ill to stand trial in the first attack, from 2010. After the second stabbing, he was incarcerated for six months and again deemed unfit to stand trial. Read Here
Anti-Semitic and homophobic tags discovered in the Wissembourg sector of Bas-Rhin, France
A dozen hate tags targeting Jews and homosexuals were found in four municipalities in the north of the Bas-Rhin. Several houses and buildings were covered with these mainly anti-Semitic and homophobic tags in Wissembourg, Ingolsheim, Bremmelbach, and Riedseltz. Read Here
Politician punched in an anti-Semitic attack in Venice’s St Mark’s Square
By Andrew Griffin
Venice is investigating an attack on Arturo Scotto, a former lawmaker after being beaten and having slurs about Anne Frank screamed at him. Police are investigating the attack and the city’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro has said that such assaults – which he described as an incident of fascism – would not be tolerated in the city. He gave an apology to Arturo Scotto, a former politician who was punched in the face while walking through the famous St Mark’s Square. Read Here
Synagogue vandalized amid a spate of anti-Semitic incidents in Greece
By i24NEWS, Israel Hayom Staff
Graffiti reading “Jewish snakes out” was scrawled on the fence of a recently-restored synagogue in the central Greek town of Trikala. Jewish community leaders in Greece slammed the “profane” daubing of anti-Semitic slogans at a recently-restored synagogue, the latest in a series of similar incidents. Read Here
Star of David stolen from Holocaust monument in northern Greece
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
A monument to Holocaust victims was vandalized in a Greek city whose synagogue was also the target of an anti-Semitic attack. The perpetrators of the latest incident in Trikala, stole the Star of David from the monument. The fencing around the monument was also torn down. The same monument was vandalized twice in 2019. Read Here
In row over Holocaust history, Israel and Poland issue joint critique of Ukraine
BY SAM SOKOL
Israel and Poland, which have clashed repeatedly in recent years over differing interpretations of the history of the Second World War, came together to issue a rare joint condemnation of Ukraine over its efforts to rehabilitate nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis. In a joint letter to civic leaders in Lviv and Kyiv, Israeli ambassador Joel Lion and his Polish counterpart, Bartosz Cichocki, expressed concern regarding efforts to honor Bandera and Andryi Melnyk, the head of a competing faction of the OUN. Read Here
Polish city refuses to install memorial for Holocaust victims
By KATARZYNA MARKUSZ
Authorities in the Polish city of Szczecin declined to put in place memorial stones commemorating Jews murdered during World War II because the country’s Institute of National Remembrance feared visitors to the city might think the perpetrators of the crimes were Poles. Read Here
Polish children simulate being gassed to death at Auschwitz
BY SAM SOKOL
A Polish elementary school held an Auschwitz-themed dance recital featuring children in concentration camp uniforms simulating being gassed to death. During the event, which was held in the village of Łabunie, students lay on the floor as a smoke machine sent clouds of fake poison gas into the air, while other students dressed as Nazis, complete with swastika armbands, stood at attention nearby. Read Here
Lithuania’s ruling party drafting bill exonerating nation from Holocaust crimes
By JTA
A committee of the Lithuanian parliament is drafting legislation declaring that neither the Baltic nation nor its leaders participated in the Holocaust. The bill will be titled “The Lithuanian state, which was occupied in 1940-1990, did not participate in the Holocaust.” Read Here
Another 22 Jewish gravestones found desecrated in Slovakia, in second such incident this month
BY WJC
The Jewish community of Slovakia was concerned to learn that 22 gravestones a Jewish cemetery in the country’s northern town of Rajec had been damaged by unknown vandals, a week after 60 gravestones in the town of Namestovo were found damaged in a similar manner. The vandalism in Rajec appears to have occurred in mid-December and is currently under investigation by police. Read Here
Rabbi in Ste-Agathe, Montreal fears “an act of vandalism” after outdoor menorah’s wire is cut
By Cindy Sherwin
After Rabbi Emanuel Carlebach and his congregation installed an oversized, illuminated Hanukkah menorah at a busy intersection in Ste-Agathe, Rabbi Emanuel Carlebach discovered it had twice been unplugged, its light extinguished. Driving by and noticing its glow had dimmed once more, Rabbi Carlebach discovered this time the power cord had been cut. “In my opinion this is an act of targeted vandalism,” Rabbi Carlebach told CTV News. “The menorah is displayed in public because the message is about freedom for all mankind…to be as bright as you can be,” Rabbi Carlebach said, adding “I’m praying this is not an act of anti-Semitism.” Read Here
Supporters of Iranian terrorist clash with counter-protestors in downtown Toronto
BY Beth Baisch and Barrett Wilson
A Canadian Islamic organization called Mahdi Youth Society (MY Society) held a vigil for “heroes of Islam” Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, Iraqi paramilitary chief. One pro-terrorist demonstrator held up a sign that read “D J Trump is the real terrorist.” Others flew Hezbollah flags. They chanted “Down with USA and Israel” and “We stand for peace.” Read Here
‘No corner of the globe is immune’: Nazi-like graffiti found at Jewish summer camp on Gabriola Island
By PAUL JAMES AND JONATHAN SZEKERES
A leader in Vancouver’s Jewish community says he’s shocked and saddened after the discovery of Nazi-like graffiti at a Jewish Summer Camp on Gabriola Island. CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver Ezra Shanken says the fact this happened in a small community like Gabriola Island is telling of the discrimination Jewish people often face.“It’s almost like no corner of the globe is immune. We’re talking about a camp sitting on an island in the Strait that has not so many people on it.” Read Here
Cuban child banned from wearing kippah following violent school bullying
BY ZACHARY KEYSER
A twelve-year-old boy and his brother are currently being prohibited by Cuban educational authorities from entering their school while wearing their kippot following the onslaught of continuous beatings from fellow schoolmates. The boy, Liusdan Martínez Lescaille, received notice that he was forbidden to wear his kippah in school by Nuevitas Municipal Director of Education Osdeini Hernández Navarro due to inaction by the school’s security personnel to prevent the boy from repeatedly being attacked. Read Here
Younger sister of Jewish schoolboy, 12, who was forced to kiss the feet of a Muslim classmate in a Melbourne park is sent a sickening taunt online
By Alisha Rouse and Stephen Johnson
A Jewish family targeted by vile racist bullies are under attack again, after their 12-year-old daughter became the victim of foul social media taunts. The family has endured the year from hell after their son was forced to kiss the feet of a Muslim classmate. The anti-Semitic bullies understood to also be children, are now attacking their daughter. In a message on Instagram, one boy told the girl: ‘Go kiss some shoes like your brother’. Read Here
ON CAMPUS
(8 Articles)
1.US Education Department investigating UCLA over anti-Semitism complaint
By JNS
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights notified StandWithUs that it has accepted its complaint alleging that UCLA violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and has opened the matter for full investigation on the merits. SWU alleged that the UCLA administration repeatedly failed to prevent a hostile campus environment for its Jewish campus community in direct violation of the school’s Title VI obligations. SWU Center for Combating Anti-Semitism, with UCLA senior Shayna Lavi, filed the complaint alleging that UCLA violated Title VI based on a May 2019 lecture in Lavi’s anthropology class where a Professor described the State of Israel as a racist endeavor and denied its right to exist. Read Here
2. Harvard Hillel and Chabad to Increase Security Following Anti-Semitic Attacks
By Amanda Y. Su
Harvard Hillel and Harvard Chabad will implement increased safety measures following a spate of anti-Semitic incidents across the nation. Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, Jewish chaplain and director at Harvard Chabad said that Harvard Chabad has been working with police and private experts to ensure students’ safety in the Chabad House. Rabbi Jonah C. Steinberg, Harvard Hillel’s executive director, wrote in an email to Hillel affiliates that Hillel is also working “closely” and “actively” with Harvard University Police Department on increased safety measures for its building. Read Here
3. Columbia U accused of anti-Semitism
By MARCY OSTER
A federal complaint has been filed against Columbia University accusing the school of anti-Semitic discrimination. The complaint requests a formal investigation by the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights into alleged anti-Semitic discrimination. It was filed by the Lawfare Project on behalf of a Jewish Israeli-American undergraduate who says he has been a victim of anti-Semitic discrimination over the past year. Read Here
4. American Historical Association Rejects Anti-Israel Resolutions for Fourth Time
By Shiri Moshe
Two resolutions targeting Israel failed to pass at the American Historical Association’s annual meeting. The measures — which were introduced by academics affiliated with the group Historians for Peace and Democracy (H-PAD), and supported by 104 signatories — were among a total of three items submitted by AHA members that were voted on during the business meeting, and the only ones focused on a foreign country. Read Here
5. Ukrainian Jewish student’s dorm vandalized in suspected hate crime
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
The dorm of a Jewish student in Ukraine was vandalized with anti-Semitic etchings. The student at Kharkiv’s V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, who was identified only as Vladislav, discovered the vandalism on Dec. 30. The intruders drew swastikas, pentagrams and a Star of David. The perpetrators stole the victim’s Bible. Read Here
6. In Mass Email, University of Illinois Student Gov’t Leader Rejects Conflation of ‘Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism’
By Shiri Moshe
The student body president at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign invoked a controversial anti-Semitism resolution that has been rejected by the campus Jewish community in a mass email hailed by anti-Zionist students. In the email sent to more than 50,000 students, faculty, and staff, Student Body President Connor Josellis said “Due to recent events on campus, it is worth distinguishing that criticism of Israel, similar to criticism of any other country is not anti-Semitic and should not be labeled as such,” Josellis said. Read Here
7. Toronto university labor union under fire for anti-Semitic tweet
By Ben ariel
B’nai Brith Canada condemned a labor union at the University of Toronto following a series of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic tweets issued by its official Twitter account. CUPE 3902 lashed out at Jagmeet Singh, leader of the Canadian NDP Party, lamenting the fact that his “recent rejection of the BDS movement is paying dividends with the Zionists!” The union then targeted a Jewish NDP member who came to Singh’s defense, accusing him of “taking a murder-based approach to promote peace in the Middle East.” Read Here
8. San Diego State uninvites speaker after anti-Semitism charges
By Gary Robbins
San Diego State University was celebrating a student who had proposed a summit on U.S. reparations for slavery and come up with a list of possible speakers. It quickly turned into an “uh-oh” moment when some of the school’s faculty pointed out that one of the speakers has been accused of anti-Semitism. The speakers ranged from the renowned author Ta-Nehisi Coates to Ava Muhammad, a controversial minister who speaks to students nationally on behalf of Louis Farrakhan. Muhammad has drawn criticism for referring to Jewish people as “godless” and has “loudly shared anti-Semitic conspiracy theories” espoused by Farrakhan. Read Here
ANALYSIS
(9 Pieces)
1. How liberals are allowing anti-Semitism to flourish
By Karol Markowicz
Anti-Semitic attacks continue to shake New York City and the city’s liberal political class is ignoring it while blaming the incidents on the Trump Administration. “A lot of folks were told it was unacceptable to be anti-Semitic,” de Blasio said in May. “It was unacceptable to be racist, and now they’re getting more permission.” The message was subtle but unmistakable: De Blasio was trying to pin the attacks in bright-blue New York on President Trump. De Blasio’s ideology has led to apathy, which, in turn, has resulted in injured Jews in New York City. Read Here
2. In France, successful insanity defense by killer of Jewish woman sparks outrage
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
It “left me speechless,” Francis Kalifat, the president of the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish communities, wrote in an emotional open letter to the head of the court. The case “destroyed my confidence that anti-Semitic hate crimes in France are handled properly,” Sammy Ghozlan, a former French police commissioner who now heads the BNVCA anti-Semitism watchdog said. In his letter, Kalifat wondered whether the court ruling was driven by a desire to avoid addressing the role of Muslim anti-Semitism in the targeting of Jews in France while adding he couldn’t bring himself to believe this was the case. Read Here
3. What is causing the rise in anti-Semitism in New York?
By JOSEFIN DOLSTEN
In most cases, the attackers have not stated a clear reason for their attacks. Unlike the anti-Semitic gunmen in Pittsburgh and Poway, who both wrote white supremacist manifestos before the shootings, the attackers in Monsey, Jersey City and elsewhere have not tried to justify their anti-Semitism with an ideology. The anti-Semitic attacks in Brooklyn, meanwhile, have occurred in neighborhoods, like Crown Heights, where there has been historical tension between black and Jewish residents. Eric Ward, an anti-racist activist said, “Black people aren’t in poverty and racial segregation because of the ultra-Orthodox community, they are facing those things because of longstanding white supremacy in New York, in terms of policies and in terms of values. There is a segment of black population who believes that Jews can be targeted out of those frustrations, and when bad interactions happen between the ultra-Orthodox and the black community it reinforces to that smaller part of the black population that their anti-Semitic beliefs are justified.” Read Here
4. A welcome tool to combat anti-Semitism gets mixed reactions
By STUART WEINBLATT
Considering that it had been endorsed by President Barack Obama—and initially introduced by members of both parties, and unanimously passed by the Senate in 2016—one would think the order would be positively received by all quarters in the Jewish community. Yet instead of evaluating the action protecting Jewish students on its merits, reactions were defined by preconceived political orientations. The most intriguing aspect of the reactions was to see how many relied on the initial, inaccurate reporting by The New York Times to form their opinion. Much of the panic was fed by the incorrect assertions that the order “effectively interpret(s) Judaism as a race or nationality” and defines Judaism as a matter of “national origin.” Based on that misrepresentation, many absurdly thought the order somehow questioned the status of Jews as citizens of the United States. While the New York daily may be the nation’s “paper of record,” when it comes to reporting on matters pertaining to the Jewish community and Israel, we should not rely on their reporting as Gospel and allow it to determine how we respond to matters affecting our community. Read Here
5. America’s challenge, as violent anti-Semitism swells
BY DAVID HOROVITZ
Watching from Israel as the globe’s only other substantial Jewish community comes under increasing attack, a first natural response is sorrow. A second is identification: we know only too well how it feels to be threatened, targeted, murdered for who we are. A third, for many Israelis, is to encourage American Jews to give up on the Diaspora and move here — throw in their lot with the world’s only Jewish nation-state. Well, of course, we welcome aliya. We are proud that our resilience, over decades of hostility, means we can indeed serve as a refuge for Jews worldwide who need the protection of the historic Jewish homeland. But we would much rather that aliya be a matter of choice, not necessity. Read Here
6. You can’t solve anti-Semitism. American Jews, meet Jewish history
By Ari Hoffman
The idea that “racial tensions” or “gentrification” are responsible for the recent spate of brutality against Ultra-Orthodox Jews by their black neighbors parallels the notion that Israel’s relationship with the Palestinians justifies prejudice against Jews here, or buses blowing up there. Just as the reasons provided for anti-Semitism are misguided, so too are too many of the solutions proffered inadequate. Immediately disregard any voice suggesting that anti-Semitism can be solved by something Jews do. If Israel took up less space, we are told, it would be more accepted. If Jews bought fewer apartments in certain neighborhoods, tensions against them would calm. If Jews were better allies and quieted our voices so that others might be more loudly heard, our turn would come eventually. All of this is nonsense. Anti-Semitism proceeds from what Jews are perceived to be, not what they do. Read Here
7. JEWS ARE GOING UNDERGROUND
By Deborah Lipstadt
In a month of terrible anti-Semitic attacks, including a stabbing of multiple people at a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, the news that most depressed me did not involve violence. It was not something done to Jews but something Jews did. A synagogue in the Netherlands is no longer publicly posting the times of prayer services, many kippah-wearing Jews have adopted the habit of wearing baseball caps, young people think twice before wearing Israeli-flag t-shirts, Jews feel it is safer for them to go “underground” as Jews, something is terribly wrong—wrong for them and, even more so, wrong for the society in which they live. Jews have taken and are taking anti-Semitism very seriously. Non-Jews must do the same. Read Here
8. The conspiracy theories behind the anti-Semitic violence in New York
By Jane Coaston
In a month of terrible anti-Semitic attacks, including a stabbing of multiple people at a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, the news that most depressed me did not involve violence. It was not something done to Jews but something Jews did. A synagogue in the Netherlands is no longer publicly posting the times of prayer services, many kippah-wearing Jews have adopted the habit of wearing baseball caps, young people think twice before wearing Israeli-flag t-shirts, Jews feel it is safer for them to go “underground” as Jews, something is terribly wrong—wrong for them and, even more so, wrong for the society in which they live. Jews have taken and are taking anti-Semitism very seriously. Non-Jews must do the same. Read Here
9. The keys to understanding American anti-Semitism — and fighting back
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The first priority must be to strengthen security in Jewish venues, to intensify police patrols and to develop habits of vigilance. Next, we must recognize that while we have enemies, we also have friends — and they are many and strong. Lastly, we must never forget the message of Hanukkah: Fight back. Never be afraid. Whatever the threats, be proud to be Jewish and share this pride with others. Read Here
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
(4 Pieces)
1. Anti-Semitic hate crimes up 50% in New York
By Don Dahler
In New York City, more than half a dozen anti-Semitic attacks have been reported in the last week. Since last year, the number of such hate crime complaints has shot up more than 50%. Read Here
2. Increase of 34% of religious crimes between 2014 and 2018
By GARY FIELDS and DAVID CRARY
FBI hate crime statistics show that incidents in churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques increased by 34.8% between 2014 and 2018. Read Here
3. New report exposes how Anti-Semitism plays an ‘unprecedented role’ in British life
By JC Reporter
In its report, CST reviewed anti-Semitic discourse in 2018 and concluded the accusations of institutional anti-Semitism against Jeremy Corbyn’s party “largely” propelled anti-Jewish racism into being a “regular feature” of politics and media coverage. “It became a regular feature in national politics and media to an extent not seen before, largely but not exclusively as a result of the ongoing controversy over alleged anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Read Here
4. Anti-Semitic incidents have multiplied in Lower-Saxony
By DANIEL PUSKEPELEITIS
In Lower Saxony, the number of anti-Semitic crimes has skyrocketed in 2019. In the first half of the year alone, the Department of Justice registered 142 investigations. For comparison: In all of 2018 as a whole there were 63 investigations. Read Here
FEATURED PARTNER
Combat Anti-Semitism is proud to be a partner of NGO Monitory, an organization that provides information and analysis, promotes accountability, and supports discussion on the reports and activities of NGOs claiming to advance human rights and humanitarian agendas. Learn more about their important work in the video below.
1. The Halle Attack and the Old/New Anti-Semitism
By Professor Gerald M. Steinberg
The German political foundations, which might be expected to give the highest priority to countering anti-Semitism, largely ignore this hatred, as do powerful church groups. Instead, they also join in demonizing Israel, perhaps because, as some argue, it is easier to deal with the history of inhuman and unfathomable crimes by pretending that the actions of others, particularly the Jewish state, are somehow comparable. Read Here
Founded in 2002, NGO Monitor is a globally recognized research institute promoting democratic values and good governance. We work to ensure that decision makers and civil society operate in accordance with the principles of accountability, transparency, and universal human rights. We publish fact-based research and independent analysis about non-governmental organizations (NGOs), their funders, and other stakeholders, primarily in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
SPECIAL ENVOY TO MONITOR & COMBAT ANTI-SEMITISM UPDATE
This section also highlights the work of government officials around the world that are combating anti-Semitism in their official capacities.
(17 Pieces)
1. Homeland Security advisory committee issued recommendations to protect religious communities
By MARCY OSTER
The acting Homeland Security secretary has ordered agency heads to implement recommendations by an internal advisory committee for preventing violence against religious communities. The order was issued by acting Secretary Chad Wolf in a memo in the wake of the attack on a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York. Read Here
2. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls Monsey attack at rabbi’s home ‘domestic terrorism’
By MARCY OSTER
New York Gov. Cuomo called the attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey “an act of domestic terrorism” and said that the law should reflect that. “I think this is an act of terrorism, I think these are domestic terrorists. They are trying to inflict fear. They are motivated by hate. These are terrorists in our country perpetrating terrorism on other Americans and that’s how we should treat it and that is how I want the laws in this state to treat it.” Read Here
3. NYC sends more cops to Jewish areas to counter spate of anti-Semitic attacks
By JENNIFER PELTZ
New York City is increasing its police presence in some Brooklyn neighborhoods with large Jewish populations after apparently anti-Semitic attacks during the Hanukkah holiday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said after the latest episode. Besides making officers more visible in Borough Park, Crown Heights and Williamsburg, police will boost visits to houses of worship and some other places, the mayor tweeted. Read Here
4. Chuck Schumer calls to quadruple funding for federal security grants for nonprofits
By MARCY OSTER
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged to fight for a quadrupling of funding for federal security grants for nonprofit organizations. It would raise the amount provided by the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $360 million annually from $90 million. The program provides funding to improve the security of nonprofit organizations at risk of being targeted for terror attacks such as synagogues, churches, mosques, schools, Jewish community centers, and other faith-based community centers. Read Here
5. New York City to launch 3 initiatives to combat anti-Semitism
By ADI ESHMAN
New York City will launch three initiatives aimed at combating anti-Semitic hate crimes. First, the NYPD will increase its presence in Jewish neighborhoods. The city will add lighting and security cameras to better protect Jews in those neighborhoods. Second, the mayor will create Neighborhood Safety Coalitions to serve as watchdogs to help the NYPD in its efforts to stop anti-Semitic attacks before they happen. The third initiative will address anti-Semitic hatred with schoolchildren. Read Here
6. The Right Response to the Anti-Semitic Attack in Monsey, N.Y.
By Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and David Harris, CEO, American Jewish Committee
First, we need to recognize the problem for what it is: an epidemic. We are no longer talking about isolated, occasional actions, but a regular phenomenon. Second, we must acknowledge that there are multiple ideological sources feeding this paroxysm of hate; it is not a result of a single political outlook. Third, we cannot allow this situation to become the “new normal,” as if attacks on Americans because of their religious or ethnic identities are now an expected part of our everyday lives. Fourth, despite the efforts of many elected officials and law enforcement to keep us safe, more needs to be done — including enhanced information-gathering, tougher prosecution and sentencing, and increased public education — to respond to anti-Semitic attacks in our communities. Read Here
7. New York Democrats condemn anti-Semitic attacks but say they’re not sure why they are happening
By JOSEFIN DOLSTEN
In the wake of several attacks on Jews in the New York area in recent months, seven House Democrats representing districts of New York City held a news conference to emphasize that they are committed to stamping out anti-Semitism. Reps. Max Rose, Yvette Clarke, Eliot Engel, Hakeem Jeffries, Gregory Meeks, Carolyn Maloney and Grace Meng held the conference at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, a Holocaust remembrance museum in lower Manhattan. Read Here
8. Amid rising anti-Semitism in New York, governor offers $45 million in security funding
By JNS
New York will release an additional $45 million for security at religious institutions, announced Gov. Andrew Cuomo at a rally featuring thousands of marchers. The $45 million in grant funding is being made available on a statewide basis and will be administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Some $25 million will be available through the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program for nonpublic nonprofit schools, nonprofit day-care centers, nonprofit community centers, nonprofit cultural museums and nonprofit residential camps. Read Here
9. Gov. Murphy pushes Facebook to do more to fight anti-Semitism
By Blake Nelson
After a recent onslaught of anti-Semitic hatred, including a deadly shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is urging Facebook to do more to combat hate speech on its site to help avoid future attacks. Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal released a statement late that said Facebook needed to do more to combat anti-Semitism. “We appreciate that Facebook has taken some steps to address anti-Semitic content on the page, but much more can be done,” Murphy and Grewal said in the statement. “Facebook must make lasting reforms to stop the spread of hate on the Internet.” Read Here
10. Leading Black, Jewish Legislators in US Congress Unite in Condemnation of Anti-Semitic Attack in Monsey
By Algemeiner Staff
Three leading African American congressional representatives joined with their Jewish colleagues to condemn the stabbing attack at a Hanukkah party in Monsey.. The Leadership of the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations declared in a statement that the incident had to be seen in the context of rising anti-Semitism in the US and internationally. The statement was signed by veteran civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) along with Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY). Read Here
11. Florida Lawmakers, Faith Leaders Hold Roundtable On Confronting Hatred, Anti-Semitism
By Rielle Creighton
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Ted Deutch led a discussion with South Florida faith leaders from synagogues, churches, and mosques at the Jewish Federation of Broward County. It was a roundtable aimed at stemming the tide of hate against all groups but not losing sight of the particular threat the Jewish community is now facing in light of several recent attacks on the east coast. Both lawmakers said they would take the discussion to Washington, Wasserman-Schultz said is now working on legislation to address the role of social media in inciting attacks. Read Here
12. A Trump administration official went to Hungary to speak about anti-Semitism. Another speaker delivered an anti-Semitic rant.
By RON KAMPEAS
A Trump administration official went to a conference in Hungary on persecuted Christians in part to remind attendees that Jews also face threats, but someone else did the job for her. Bonnie Glick, the deputy administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, was horrified at a 13-minute speech by Gebran Bassil, the Lebanese foreign minister, who claimed that Israel is a malign theocracy akin to the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. Glick saw it as an opportunity to illustrate a point she was making in her own speech, that Jews in Europe and elsewhere are targets of a broadening anti-Semitism. “Its when it’s mainstreamed like that it’s so toxic,” Glick said. Read Here
13. Court Upholds Anti-BDS Law in State of Arizona
By JNS
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Arizona’s anti-BDS law, vacating the preliminary injunction against the 2016 measure, which underwent changes in early 2019, making the plaintiff’s suit moot. The original law was blocked by a federal court in September 2018, citing a possible violation of the First Amendment. The modified version, enacted the following April, applied to state contractors with more than 10 employees and those that receive a contract that is at least $100,000. Read Here
14. British govt to hold tech giants to account over anti-Semitism
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
Britain is set to hold social-media executives personally accountable for anti-Semitism posted on their networks, with company bosses liable to face jail time for serious breaches under newly introduced regulations. The British government will publish later this month the results of a consultation into policing online platforms such as Facebook and Google, detailing the measures it plans to introduce after Britain leaves the EU. New regulations likely to emerge include placing the companies under a statutory duty of care, enforced by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom. Read Here
15. Erdan to EU: Make sure your funds don’t go to NGOs with terror ties
By LAHAV HARKOV
The EU must not give in to Palestinian organizations’ demands that it allow aid to go to groups with ties to designated terrorist groups, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan wrote in a letter to the EU’s new Foreign Minister Josep Borrell. Erdan’s letter referred to the many ties between the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, designated a terrorist group in the EU, US, Canada and Israel, and Palestinian NGOs that call themselves human rights or civil society organizations. Read Here
16. Ukraine pulls out of ‘anti-Israeli’ UN committee on Palestinians
By LAHAV HARKOV
Ukraine has left the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The decision was approved by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The 25-country committee is the source of many resolutions criticizing Israel, which are often adopted by the UN General Assembly. Read Here
17. Honduras to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization
By TOI STAFF and RAPHAEL AHREN
Honduras will join Guatemala and other allied nations in declaring Hezbollah an international terrorist organization, the office of the Latin American country’s president announced. The government of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is generally very pro-Israel, recently opened a trade office in Jerusalem and is expected to move its embassy to Jerusalem in the coming weeks. Read Here
HUMANITY
(11 Pieces)
1. Volunteer group Guardian Angels will patrol Brooklyn Jewish neighborhoods after spate of anti-Semitic attacks
By JTA
The Guardian Angels said it would start patrolling in Brooklyn in the wake of at least twelve attacks on Jews in Brooklyn since Dec. 13, and hours before an attack on a Hanukkah party at a Hasidic rabbi’s home in Monsey. The Guardian Angels is a private, unarmed crime-prevention group. Read Here
2. Amar’e Stoudemire calls for end to anti-Semitism
By MARCY OSTER
Former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire called for an end to anti-Semitism among African-Americans. In an Instagram post, Stoudemire said he wanted to “address the situation that happened in Monsey, with the brother that had the attacks on the Jewish people. Stoudemire identifies with the Hebrew Israelites, African-Americans who believe they are connected to the biblical Israelites and observes Jewish holidays. Read Here
3. Cardinal Dolan: Anti- Semitic attacks ‘sickening’
By Catholic News Agency
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York condemned the recent spate of attacks against Jewish people: “The news of the attack at the home of a Jewish family in Monsey is a series of sickening acts of violence against our Jewish brothers and sisters.” Read Here
4. Black Lives Matter leader expresses solidarity with Jews
By JTA
The president of Black Lives Matter Brooklyn condemned anti-Semitic hate crimes following the attack at a Hanukkah party in Monsey. Anthony Beckford described the incident in which a man attacked party guests with a machete at a rabbi’s house as “heinous”. “A night of peace turned into a night of violence and trauma and my heart hurts,” he said. “I stand in solidarity with Jewish Community members during this tragedy and condemn all acts of hate…To be better, we must work together to do better.” Read Here
5. The first kosher bar in the former Soviet Union serves up cocktails and Torah lessons
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Getting a kosher drink isn’t a problem in Odessa, a city home to about 40,000 Jews and which has six kosher restaurants, each serving alcohol. But a bar that is 100-percent certified kosher, with its own signature house drinks, had never existed anywhere in the former Soviet Union. Kosher Bar is closed on key portions of the weekend because of Shabbat, and on Wednesday nights, the bar is usually packed with members of an informal weekly Torah study group. Read Here
6. Rabbi mentions Monsey shooting in opening prayer of Congressional session
By MARCY OSTER
A Washington, DC-area rabbi referred to the attacks on a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York and on a Texas church the following day in his prayer opening a pro forma session of the US House of Representatives. Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, a retired Navy chaplain, called on listeners to “look ahead with hope, but with eyes wide open to prejudice, hatred, terror that remain — fueling violence like the anti-Semitic Hanukkah party attack [and] the Texas church attack” Read Here
7. Across the US, police, and locals rally around Jewish communities in wake of rise in anti-Semitic attacks
By MARCY OSTER
Events across New York City, South Carolina, Los Angeles, Ohio, Atlanta, Chicago, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have taken place to protest against a recent rise in anti-Semitic attacks. Police and locals in cities around the United States have pledged to support and protect their Jewish communities. Read Here
8. Hundreds attend Jerusalem rally No Hate’ March
By JNS
Hundreds gathered in Jerusalem to participate in a solidarity march to show support for the recent anti-Semitic attacks in New York. The rally was held outside the Jewish Agency’s offices in Jerusalem. Attendees held signs reading “No hate, No fear.” Read Here
9. Georgia will open cultural center in Jerusalem
By YOSSI LEMPKOWICZ
Georgia is to open a cultural center in Jerusalem, the Israeli embassy in Tbilisi said. A spokesperson for the Georgian Embassy in Israel said it has not been decided yet when or where the center will open. Georgia will become the eighth country to do so. “We welcome the center’s opening,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office. Read Here
10. The Lawfare Project offers pro bono legal services to the growing list of victims of anti-Semitic assaults in the United States
By United with Israel Staff
Following a rash of anti-Semitic attacks in the United States, The Lawfare Project, a global network of legal professionals that defends the civil and human rights of Jewish people, is offering its services free of charge to any victims who have suffered anti-Semitic hate crimes.“Our community is under siege,” the organization said in a statement. Read Here
11. LETTER FROM CHRISTIAN LEADERS DECRYING VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS
By Mass Council Of Churches
To our neighbors who are Jewish, please know that we hold our relationships with you as sacred, that we stand in solidarity with you, that you are not alone and will not be asked to face these challenges alone. Anti-Semitism is not a Jewish problem! It is a Christian problem. And when it occurs in this nation, it is a national problem and a national disgrace! As Christians whose tradition has been and continues to be the source of so much anti-Semitic terror in history, we condemn, and resist anti-Semitism in any and every form. Read Here
OVER 150,000 INDIVIDUALS AND 170 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED OUR PLEDGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
“Combat anti-Semitism (CAS) is a non-partisan, global grassroots movement of interfaith individuals and organizations united to combat anti-Semitism. CAS 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.”
