Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling has held a “positive and constructive” meeting with Board of Deputies, discussing issues including claims of anti-Semitism against some of the party’s MPs. The Board expressed gratitude for the continued support from the Government to the community over the past turbulent few years. 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
TAKE ACTION
(1 Piece)
1. Condemn Hamas and Hind Khoudary for Arresting Gazan Peace Activists! #LetMyPeopleGo
Gazan peace activists were recently arrested by Hamas for talking to Israelis on Zoom. Hamas was tipped off by an employee of Amnesty International and journalist, Hind Khoudary. The Palestinian peace activists have not been seen or heard from since. This is not only a major violation of human rights, but it was facilitated by someone who is supposed to be championing them. Human Rights organizations must condemn this and demand the release of the peace activists! #LetMyPeopleGo
Sign this petition to show them how important it is! Sign Here
Special Feature
(2 Pieces)
1. Digital ceremony marks anniversary of Poway Chabad synagogue shooting
By ZACHARY KEYSER
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) held a digital ceremony, marking the anniversary of the fatal shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, which killed Lori Gilbert-Kaye, and left three people wounded. During the event, CAM announced an initiative to plant olive trees in Israel, honoring those who fell victim to the Poway shooting as well as other victims of antisemitic attacks around the globe. The first 25 trees will be planted in memory of Gilbert-Kaye in Kfar Silver, Israel. Read Here
2. Herzl Take Action Award Winner: 2 for Seder – Fighting Anti-Semitism with Matzah.
By Marnie Fienberg
The Combat Anti-Semitism Venture Creative Contest encouraged people of all backgrounds to create new solutions solutions towards ending “the world’s oldest hatred”. The Herzl Take Action Award asked people to submit a plan for a social venture that would help stop anti-Semitism with the winners receiving grants to activate their idea.
One of our Herzl Take Action Award winners is Marnie Fienberg from 2 For Seder. 2 for Seder is a national event encouraging all Jewish adults to invite two acquaintances of another faith to their first Seder. By supporting a friend through a new Jewish experience, each individual directly fights biased attitudes and general ignorance – the seed of anti-Semitism. 2 for Seder is held in memory of Joyce Fienberg, who was murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
UNITED STATES
(9 Articles)
1. NY man claimed Jews responsible for coronavirus, charged with harassment
By Marcy Oster
Claiming Jews are responsible for the coronavirus, Afrim Haxhaj, 30, of Queens has been charged with bias intimidation and harassment following two confrontations with a Jewish man at a Dunkin’ Donuts in New Jersey. while saying Jews are responsible for the coronavirus. He also told the Jewish man not to come back. Read Here
2. Wife of Ohio state senator compares Jewish health chief’s support for reopening plan to Nazi Germany
By MARCY OSTER
The director of Ohio’s health department offered support for issuing a certificate to those who can prove immunity to COVID-19 in order to reopen their businesses. The wife of a Republican Ohio state senator compared the idea to Nazi Germany. And her husband, Andrew Brenner, said “We won’t allow that to happen in Ohio.” Read Here
3. Beverly Hills Police Chief, Who Allegedly Made Anti-Semitic Remarks, Retires
By Aaron Bandler
The city of Beverly Hills announced that Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli is retiring. Spagnoli has been the target of several allegations of making anti-Semitic and racist comments toward her employees since she became Beverly Hills’ first female police chief in February 2016. Read Here
4. Anti-Semitic flyers left at homes and on cars in Montana city
By MARCY OSTER
Two flyers described as anti-Semitic were placed in front of homes and on cars in a small southwestern Montana city. One of the flyers in Livingston read “With Jews You Lose,” and shows a declining line graph representing the “value of a $1 federal reserve note in 1913 dollars.” Read Here
5. Delaware AFL-CIO president apologizes to Anti-Defamation League for controversial Facebook posts
By Amy Cherry
The Anti-Defamation League condemned Facebook posts shared by the president of the Delaware American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). James Maravelias shared two posts, featuring memes on his Facebook page, one many considered xenophobic, and another called anti-Semitic. Read Here
6. Islamist hate preacher warns Muslims to arm themselves amid coronavirus threats
By HESHAM SHEHAB
One of Chicago’s most notorious anti-Semites has responded to the COVID-19 outbreak by blaming Jews and encouraging Muslims to arm themselves against their neighbors during a series of rants on his YouTube channel. Imam Omar Baloch also declared that the coronavirus may be a Zionist-American plot. Read Here
7. NYC mayor warns ‘Jewish community’ as thousands at funeral of rabbi virus victim
By TOI STAFF
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has come under fire for appearing to warn all the city’s Jews of a crackdown after a funeral for a rabbi in Williamsburg drew thousands of mourners who didn’t observe social distancing rules. Many accused the mayor of generalizing against the Jewish community for the actions of a few in a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn neighborhood. Read Here
8. ADL denounces New Mexico mayor’s remarks comparing governor, police to Nazis
By JNS
Mayor Martin “Modey” Hicks of Grants, N.M., said in an interview with the Associated Press that Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was acting like Hitler for ordering non-essential businesses to close to stop the spread of COVID-19. “We are going to stop Lujan Grisham and her Gestapo,” referring Nazi Germany’s secret police. Read Here
9. NYPD searching for suspects in anti-Semitic attack in Brooklyn
By WABC
The NYPD is trying to identify two suspects in an anti-Semitic attack in Brooklyn. The suspects attacked two teenage boys in Williamsburg and chased them while yelling anti-Semitic statements. They then threw a milk crate and a metal stick at the teens. Read Here
ISRAEL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
(4 Pieces)
1. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UK
Board of Deputies raises Tory anti-Semitism claims during ‘constructive’ meeting with party chair
By Lee Harpin
Shadow communities secretary gives BDS warning in meeting with Jewish leaders
By JEWISH NEWS REPORTER
Labour’s new shadow communities secretary said he would encourage local councils not to boycott Israel during a meeting with Jewish community leaders. Steve Reed had a virtual discussion with representatives from the Board of Deputies and Community Security Trust, to discuss anti-Semitism. Read Here
UK Labour Councillor Defends Anti-Semitic Twitter User Who Said Party ‘Now Under Zionist Control’
By Algemeiner Staff
Laura Smith, a councilor on the Cheshire East Council, was involved in a spat on Twitter over anti-Semitism. A user tweeted, “Sadly our Labour party is now under Zionist control….” Another user replied, “Anti-Semite.” At that point, Smith stepped in and replied, “I’m sorry Joe but you witch hunting people on Twitter makes you as bad as the factions you supposedly despise.” Read Here
INFINITY FOODS APPLAUDED FOR SWIFTLY REMOVING EMPLOYEE WHO THREATENED TO IDENTIFY JEWS TO FAR-RIGHT ORGANISATIONS
By CAA
Infinity Foods has been applauded for swiftly removing a part-time employee who reportedly threatened to identify Jews to far-right organisations. Jewish shoppers made the Brighton-based retailer aware that one of its employees was making the threats over Twitter. Read Here
Cambridge graduate who said Jews should be exterminated stands trial
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Oliver Bel, 23, a Cambridge graduate, has appeared in court charged with anti-Semitic hate crime, for having posted online that “extermination was the best option” for Jewish people. He is also accused of having a copy of the Anarchist’s Cookbook which contains instructions on how to manufacture explosives. Read Here
“JEWS ARE RACIST! HEIL HITLER”, SCREAMS WOMAN ARRESTED BY POLICE WHILE TRYING TO BREAK DOWN DOOR OF JEWISH HOME
By CAA
A woman has been arrested by police while screaming “Jews are racist! Heil Hitler” and trying to break down the front door of a Jewish home in Stamford Hill, London. The incident took place on Lynmouth Road. Read Here
Police ‘horrified’ by swastikas daubed on ‘Protect the NHS’ signs
By Jersey Evening Post
Police were “horrified” to find swastikas sprayed on signs urging people to stay at home and protect the NHS during the coronavirus outbreak. A number of yellow “car park closed” signs along the coast between Seaton Sluice and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, were attacked by vandals. At least five locations over two miles were attacked. Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM in germany
German intel agency probes anti-Israel magazine for ‘right-wing extremism’
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
Germany’s federal intelligence agency launched a probe into the magazine Compact because it allegedly spreads xenophobia and conspiracy theories. It has expressed support for the annual Iranian-regime sponsored Al-Quds Day rally in Germany, which calls for the destruction of Israel and is attended by Hezbollah activists, supporters of Iran’s mullah regime and neo-Nazis. Read Here
Nazi-inspired graffiti found in German town on Holocaust Remembrance Day
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS
Anti-Semitic graffiti featuring swastikas and Nazi references has been found scrawled on two buildings in Heidelberg, Germany. On one building, the words “Jew,” “Zion” and “Death” were painted in red, along with two swastikas. On another, the inscription “Merkel is a Jew,” was sprayed again in red paint, along with “Asylum seekers to be killed with Zyklon B.” Read Here
German diplomat tweets to defend advocate of Holocaust trivialization/BDS
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
Andreas Görgen,the director of the foreign ministry’s department for culture and communication, tweeted an article titled “Anti-Semitism Accusations against Achille Mbembe: Comparing is not equating.” Görgen tweeted at least seven posts in favor of Mbembe over the last week without links to critical texts of Mbembe’s alleged anti-Semitism and belittling of the Shoah. Read Here
Neo-Nazis hack online Torah lessons by German rabbis
By Israel Hayom Staff
Neo-Nazis activists hacked online Torah lessons given by Rabbi Avichai Apel, the Chief Rabbi of Frankfurt, as well as lessons given by Rabbi Mordechai Bala, the Chief Rabbi of Leipzig, Rabbi Raphael Evers, the Rabbi of Dusseldorf, and Torah lessons conducted by the Morasha organization. The neo-Nazis called out “Heil Hitler” while sending out photos of Nazi symbols, atrocities and swastikas. Read Here
A museum for a Hitler supporter?
By DW
A new museum is to be built in the Lüneburger Heide region in northern Germany, linked to the Bossard art center. Its founder was an anti-Semite and Hitler supporter. Critics fear it will attract right-wing extremists. Read Here
German far-right party to drop ‘fascist’ spokesman proud of ‘Aryan’ grandfather
By AFP
Germany’s far-right AfD party said it had suspended a longtime spokesman, after he described himself as a fascist and praised his “Aryan grandfather.” Christian Lueth was relieved of his duties at the request of senior party figure Alexander Gauland. Lueth’s grandfather was a submarine commander during World War II and received an Iron Cross from Adolf Hitler. Read Here
German Jew sues Berlin to stop anti-Semitic Quds Day rally
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
After the city-state of Berlin declined to take action against an annual Iranian-regime sponsored protest calling for the destruction of Israel, German Jewish retiree Gilbert Kallenborn filed a lawsuit to stop the rally. The 66-year-old Kallenborn seeks to prevent the mid-May Al-Quds rally from taking place in the heart of Berlin’s shopping district. Read Here
Wiesenthal may list German diplomat for anti-Semitism on its top 10 list
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Rabbi Abraham Cooper said that the NGO is considering including the senior-level German diplomat Andreas Görgen on its top 10 list of worst outbreaks of anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism for 2020 due to his support of anti-Semitic positions. Rabbi Cooper said that “Andreas Görgen would be a candidate, especially because of his rank and the timing of his tweets leading up to Yom Hashoah.” Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
PA and Fatah honor Munich Massacre terrorists in anniversary posts
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Palestinian Authority, and the PLO’s largest party, Fatah marked the anniversary of the “deaths as martyrs” of three terrorists who participated in the planning, kidnapping and murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. In a Facebook post, Palestinian Authority President Abbas honored Mahmoud Yusuf al-Najjar, Kamal Nasser and Kamal Adwan, who were all senior members of the PLO and Black September in the 1970s. Read Here
Israel decries Egyptian TV show predicting its destruction, breakup of the US
By AP and TOI STAF
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned a new Egyptian TV drama set in the year 2120 that predicts the Jewish state’s destruction. The Foreign Ministry statement said the series “is completely unacceptable especially because the two states have had a peace treaty for the past 41 years.” Read Here
Palestinian teacher posts lesson hailing terrorist in 1978 attack that killed 38
By TOI STAFF
An Arabic-language teacher at a Palestinian school in Hebron posted a grammar lesson for students to review at home during the coronavirus pandemic that glorifies the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre that killed 38 Israeli civilians, along with a female terrorist who took part in the attack. The video has since racked up over 11,000 views. Read Here
4. IN DEPTH: OTHER WORLD NEWS
Jewish center in Ukraine lightly damaged by firebomb
BY Marcy Oster
A firebombing slightly damaged a Jewish community center in southern Ukraine. Kherson police are investigating the attack, in which someone set fire to a bottle of flammable liquid and dropped it on the threshold of the building. The liquid did not completely catch fire. Read Here
Bucharest spokesperson accused of equating Jews with virus is replaced
By JTA
The Archdiocese of Bucharest replaced a former senior spokesperson who was accused of equating Jews to a virus. Tarcizio-Hristofor Șerban replaced Francisc Dobos as spokesman for the archdiocese. Read Here
Second Holocaust Remembrance Day Event Zoombombed By Anti-Semites
By Aaron Bandler
A second Holocaust Remembrance Day event in a week was Zoombombed. The Union of Jewish Students and Jewish Agency for Israel hosted the call. Around 20-30 European students were on the call when a swastika was drawn on screen and anti-Semitic messages such as “Jews did 9/11” appearing in the chat function. Read Here
Letter in PEI newspaper says Israel spread coronavirus to Palestinians
BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Prince Edward Island (PEI) Guardian, a daily Canadian newspaper, garnered criticism for publishing a letter by anti-Israel activist Richard Deaton, who claimed that Israel is to blame for the spread of coronavirus among Palestinians. Read Here
COVID-19 anti-Semitism reaches Australia
By GARETH NARUNSKY
Australians have been posting comments and sharing images online, portraying the coronavirus as a ‘Jew’, as well as accusing Jews of creating and spreading the virus and calling COVID-19 the “Jew flu” These are just some examples of anti-Semitism expressed online by Australians during the current pandemic. Read Here
A Jewish cemetery was vandalized in Finland
By Dan Lavie
Gravestones in the Jewish cemetery in Mina, Finland were desecrated by anti-Semites. The incident is being handled by the municipality, as well as the leadership of the Jewish community in Helsinki with the police and local authorities, including the Interior Ministry. Read Here
Dutch right-wingers share meme of Anne Frank snorting cocaine
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Young supporters of the Dutch right-wing Forum for Democracy party shared memes of Anne Frank snorting cocaine and anti-Semitic remarks in internal correspondence of the WhatsApp group of some supporters of the Forum for Democracy’s young adult department. The party is the second-largest in the Dutch senate with 10 of the 75 seats. Read Here
Ōwairaka/Mt Albert tree removal: Another graffiti attack on toilets, car park in New Zealand
By Kendall Hutt
More graffiti has appeared on Ōwairaka/Mt Albert. Now, a large Star of David symbol with a dollar sign has appeared in the car park in front of the toilet block, the phrase “WAI”, another dollar sign and “5G” appearing on the block itself. Read Here
Swastika on the mailbox of a Jewish family in Milan, Italy
By LAURA ORSENIGO
A swastika was engraved in the wood next to a Jewish family’s mailbox in Milan. The odious discovery was made by Simon Jacques Raccah, born in Milan, and his wife Rotem, originally from Israel. The incident occurred on Yom Hashoah. Read Here
Anti-Semitic graffiti on the walls of the village cemetery in Soveria Mannelli, Italy
By GIORGIA RIZZO
Swastikas and anti-Semitic writings, “Jews Out”, appeared on the walls of the village cemetery in Soveria Mannelli, in the province of Catanzaro, on April 25, the the anniversary of the liberation from fascism. Read Here
ON CAMPUS
(4 Articles)
1. Columbia University student government postpones BDS referendum due to pandemic
By JNS
Columbia University’s student government postponed a referendum for this month calling on the university to divest from Israel. The Columbia Elections Commission said that it would not be conducive to hold the vote because students are not on campus to discuss the BDS referendum ahead of the vote. The vote has been pushed to the fall semester “or whenever campus returns to its normal operation.” Read Here
2. Tufts president says award for pro-Palestinian club on campus ‘should not have happened’
By SHIRA HANAU
The president of Tufts University disapproved of “The Collaboration Award” award given to Students For Justice in Palestine. Anthony Monaco said he would be “reviewing the awards process” and that no university leadership had been involved in the decision. “We take responsibility for this outcome, which should not have happened, and recognize that the award caused a great deal of pain for Jewish members of our community…particularly in light of rising anti-Semitism in the U.S. and around the world.” Read Here
3. Bristol professor attacks Starmer over “Zionist” money
By Lee Harpin
David Miller – Professor of Political Sociology at Bristol University has claimed Sir Keir Starmer is “obviously not going to” conduct “a proper investigation” into the leaked Labour anti-Semitism report because he has been “in receipt of money from the Zionist movement.” He made his remarks after taking part in an online broadcast hosted by former Labour MP Chris Williamson. Read Here
4. OU Hillel paints messages of love over anti-Semitic, racist graffiti
By McKENNA CORSON
Sarah Livingston, Hillel at Ohio University director, found out via text from friend and dean of students Jenny Hall-Jones that the graffiti wall near Baker University Center “had some hate on it”. That hate, Livingston would discover, was 11 spray-painted swastikas, a depiction of Adolf Hitler and a racial slur on the student center on the Athens campus. Read Here
ANALYSIS
(5 Pieces)
1. With white supremacists driven online by the pandemic, anti-Semitism trackers watch for new threats
By RON KAMPEAS
Jewish security insiders have been fretting since about the possible dangers of a pandemic. Chief among them: that spiking online activity during quarantine would bring more people in contact with the toxic brew of racism, anti-Semitism and the glorification of violence that occupies the dark corners of the web. Read Here
2. The Strengths of Israel: A Civilizational Assessment
By Ran Baratz
For the past 72 years, Israel has not only survived against all odds as the Jewish nation-state; it has flourished beyond any reasonable expectation. Dr. Ran Baratz, prominent Israeli writer and teacher, and former aide to Prime Minister Netanyahu explorse how and why, in spite of so many challenges, enemies, and obstacles, Israel has become one of the happiest and most successful countries in the world. Watch Here
3. 100 years since the San Remo Conference
By DORE GOLD
What these post war treaties enabled was the emergence of the system of Arab states, and the emergence of a “national home for the Jewish people”. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was a declaration of British policy, but San Remo converted the Balfour Declaration into a binding international treaty, setting the stage for the League of Nations Mandate, which was approved in 1922. It has been noted that at San Remo, Jewish historic rights became Jewish legal rights. Read Here
4. The Return of Populist Anti-Semitism
By Ben Cohen
With the onset of coronavirus, pre-modern beliefs about Jews as carriers of disease and poisoners of the general welfare have returned with a vengeance, and sit comfortably alongside more recent fixations with Zionism and Israel. Countering populist anti-Semitism is a matter of education, but not only that. It also touches on regulation of the internet, restrictions on hate speech, national security measures, and the prospect of tougher legal sanctions against individual extremists and the platforms that host them. Read Here
5. topping the Viral Epidemic of Anti-Semitism in the United States
By Lenny Ben-David
Before the National Democratic and Republican Conventions a document should be drafted by party leaders and circulated among all national, state, and local candidates pledging anew that Jewish Americans must be able to live their lives free of fear, threats, and discrimination. The drafters of such a Covenant of Tolerance should rely on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s “Working Definition of Anti-Semitism.” Read Here
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
(4 Piece)
1. Hate Crimes in German State of Baden-Württemberg continues to increase
By MARKUS PFALZGRAF
Last year, 777 crimes were attributed to hate crime in the state- a fifth more than in the previous year. The numbers are particularly frightening when it comes to right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism. The increase is particularly clear among anti-Jewish crimes: there were one third more hate crime against Jews than in the previous year. Read Here
2. Anti-Semitic incidents in Canada rise to record high for 4th straight year
By MARCY OSTER
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Canada rose to a record high for the fourth consecutive year mainly due to online harassment. B’nai Brith Canada, recorded 2,207 anti-Semitic incidents in its 2019 Annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents. That’s an 8% increase from the previous year and an average of more than six per day. Ontario had the greatest increase and Quebec saw the largest number of incidents for the second year in a row. Read Here
3. Iran is the ‘world’s chief trafficker in anti-Semitism,’ says US monitor
By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published its 2020 report on states who persecute religious minorities. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s anti-Semitic targeting its tiny Jewish population, Israel, Christians and Jews in the Diaspora, was cited in the report. Read Here
4. POLL SHOWS 13% OF BRITONS BELIEVE JEWS HAVE UNHEALTHY CONTROL OF BANKING SYSTEM, AND 38% “COULDN’T SAY” FOR SURE
By CAA
A new survey has shown that 13% of Britons believe that Jews have “undue control of banks”, with a whopping 38% who said in response to the same statement that they “couldn’t say” for sure or “don’t know”. The anti-racism charity, Hope Not Hate, published its Trust No One report following three surveys conducted between February and April 2020 designed to “assess the British population’s relationship with conspiracy theories. Read Here
FEATURED PARTNER
Combat Anti-Semitism is proud to be a partner of the Act.IL, an online platform that aims to organize the pro-israel community to work efficiently together via social media. Learn more about Act.IL below.
New Cell Phone App is Part of Israel’s Web Offensive
By BOB BAHR
Israel has a new weapon in the increasingly contentious battle with its opponents in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. It’s a simple cell phone app that almost anyone can use online to answer supporters of BDS and other attacks on Israel’s policies. For example, a posting on a pro-BDS Facebook page that compared supporters of Israel to insects was removed when a large number of the 15,000 app users, many of them young people, flooded Facebook executives with protests. Read Here
Act.IL is a first of its kind app, crowdsourcing pro-Israeli activists worldwide and leveraging the power of communities to support Israel’s image and fight against the demonization of the state of Israel. This online platform aims to organize the pro-israel community to work efficiently together via social media, thus creating a wide scale impact on the hearts and minds of global audiences. The app includes daily missions aimed for a wide variety of communities such as campus students, advocacy organizations, researchers, graphic designers and anyone who wishes to take part in pro-Israel activity online. Act.IL is a joint venture between the Israeli American Council (IAC) and the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC.)
Government & Policy Update
This section highlights the work of government officials around the world that are combating anti-Semitism in their official capacities.
(12 Pieces)
1. Germany bans Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and raids mosques and homes
By Ivana Kottasová, Frederik Pleitgen and Nadine Schmidt,
Germany announced it has designated the Lebanese militant and political group Hezbollah a terror organization, banning all of its activities in the country and ordering raids on sites police say are linked to the group. A number of properties in Berlin, Bremen and North Rhine-Westphalia were searched by police. The move to ban Hezbollah’s activities in Germany comes after a sustained campaign by the United States and Israel. Read Here
2. Trump reiterates his rejection of anti-Semitism in Jewish American Heritage Month proclamation
By MARCY OSTER
President Donald Trump reiterated his rejection of anti-Semitic bigotry and hate attacks in a proclamation for Jewish American Heritage Month. “Tragically, Jewish men, women, and children continue to face anti-Semitic discrimination, persecution, and violence today, and Jewish institutions and places of worship remain targets of vandalism and destruction…We must therefore vigorously confront anti-Semitic discrimination and violence against members of the Jewish community.” Read Here
3. On centenary, San Remo Conference hailed as ‘seminal moment’ in Zionist history
By RAPHAEL AHREN
Presidents, prime ministers and other senior officials celebrated the centenary of the San Remo Conference. Crucially, the San Remo Declaration charged the British mandate with implementing the Balfour Declaration, which three years earlier had endorsed “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the “historic agreement marked the world’s embrace of the unbreakable connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.” Read Here
4. Biden marks Poway synagogue shooting anniversary with plan for increased protections for Jews and others
By RON KAMPEAS
Joe Biden marked the anniversary of the shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California, with a proposal to add protections for Jews. Biden’s three-point plan would increase the $90 million the Department of Homeland Security hands out for securing nonprofit institutions. The second point would make prosecuting hate crimes a priority for the Justice Department and seek legislation that increases penalties for attacks on religious institutions. Third is a proposal to convene faith communities to consider “whole of society” reforms that would address hate attacks, demanding “social media and technology platforms do more to root out toxic extremist content.” Read Here
5. 28 US senators request funding increase for antisemitism envoy
By OMRI NAHMIAS
A bipartisan group of 28 US senators sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, and asked to increase funding for the State Department’s Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) led the effort. Read Here
6. Rosen Announces Bipartisan Never Again Education Act Has 74 Co-Sponsors, Veto-Proof Majority
By Office of Senator Jacky Rosen
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), co-chair of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, announced that the Never Again Education Act, bipartisan legislation she introduced last year with Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), now has 74 co-sponsors, giving the bill both a filibuster-proof and veto-proof majority. Read Here
7. Colorado Democratic Legislators Condemn Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Bigotry: ‘Hate Has No Home in Colorado’
By Sean Price
Democratic members of both the Colorado House and Senate released a letter denouncing hate crimes and hate speech that have emerged across the state during the Coronavirus pandemic. The letter was organized by the Jewish Caucus and endorsed by the Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ legislative caucuses. All 60 Democratic members of Colorado’s General Assembly signed their names to the letter. Read Here
8. Ohio governor pans ‘vile, disgusting’ anti-Semitic sign at anti-lockdown rally
By TOI STAFF and JTA
Ohio’s governor condemned the appearance of an anti-Semitic poster during an anti-lockdown protest rally in Columbus as “vile and disgusting.” Mike DeWine also condemned a state senator who compared state efforts to combat coronavirus to actions taken by Nazi Germany. Read Here
9. Israeli envoy accuses PA of ‘anti-Semitic libel’ about COVID-19 during UN row
By TOI STAFF
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, excoriated Palestinian representative Riyad Mansour after Mansour accused Israel of exacerbating the spread of COVID-19 in Palestinian areas. “Not only are your accusations shameless lies, but they are anti-Semitic. You should be ashamed of yourself. You should apologize for what you have said. You have made it clear that you prefer to hate Israel more than help the Palestinian people,” Danon said. Read Here
10. Coronavirus crisis fueling anti-Semitism around world, Israeli foreign minister charges
By TOI STAFF
Anti-Semitism around the world is being fueled by the coronavirus crisis, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, calling on the government to aid Jewish communities in the Diaspora being ravaged by the pandemic. Anti-Semitism has gotten another boost [from the coronavirus]. And it is threatening Jewish communities that are being shaken by the virus’s blows, both medically and economically.” Read Here
11. Labour ‘committed to healing rift’ with Jewish community, shadow communities secretary says
By JC Reporter
Labour is committed to ensuring “the rift between the Labour Party and the UK’s Jewish community is mended”, Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed has said. In an online meeting with the Board of Deputies and the Community Security Trust, he said he wanted to meet “very early in my tenure to assure them that I will do everything I can to ensure that the Jewish community feels safe and secure”. Read Here
12. New South Wales govt to investigate swastika ban
By GARETH NARUNSKY
THE NSW government will seek advice on banning the public display of Nazi symbols following another incident of a swastika flag being displayed. The flag, seen in the backyard of a home in inner-city Newtown on the eve of Yom Hashoah, prompted renewed calls to outlaw Nazi symbols after a spate of recent similar incidents. Read Here
HUMANITY
(8 Pieces)
1. New Israel Allies Caucus formed in Africa on pro-Judeo-Christian values
By CELIA JEAN
Three new Israel Allies caucuses have been formed in Africa by the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF). Each of the new caucuses in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo Brazzaville are chaired by a parliamentarian passionate about strengthening legislative support for Israel on the basis of Judeo-Christian values. Read Here
2. ‘Avert the plague’: Religious leaders in J’lem say joint prayer against COVID-19
By MARCY OSTER
In unison, Israel’s multifaith leaders prayed in Jerusalem for the end of the coronavirus crisis. In their own liturgical language — including Hebrew, Arabic and English — the chief rabbis along with Muslim and Christian leaders came together on the balcony of the King David Hotel. Read Here
3. Latin media a ‘game changer’ in promoting pro-Israel politics, combating Iranian-sponsored hate
By ELIANA RUDEE
Emmy award-winning NGO Fuente Latina has brought 300 Latino journalists and influencers to Israel, and facilitated 35,000 fact-based TV, radio and print stories reaching millions of Latinos worldwide. Read Here
4. Israel’s Sheba Medical and America’s NIH to join forces on COVID-19 research
By SHOSHANNA SOLOMON
Israel’s Sheba Medical Center and the National Institutes of Health are joining forces to find treatments to fight the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the collaboration, Sheba Medical Center will provide NIH with blood samples, plasma and the COVID-19 virus from infected patients in Israel. Read Here
5. Yaakov Hagoel: Anti-Semitic victims should be added to Remembrance Day
By TAMAR BEERI
Deputy Chairman of the World Zionist Organization Yaakov Hagoel said that the deaths of those murdered in anti-Semitic terror attacks should be remembered on Israel’s Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars and Victims of Terrorism. “We need to add to the death toll on Israeli [Remembrance] Day victims of hostilities, those killed in [anti-Semitic] terrorist attacks around the world,” Hagoel said. “We are all one united family.” Read Here
6. Jewish Family in Texas Turns Hundreds of Kippahs Into Face Masks for Local Homeless Community
By Shiryn Ghermezian
A Jewish family in Houston, Texas is collecting kippahs and converting them into face masks to help protect the homeless population in their hometown.The family is calling their campaign “Kippahs to the Rescue.” The family has already amassed nearly 700 yarmulkes and turned over 300 into face masks. Read Here
7. Jewish hotel in Poland offers free rooms to doctors wary of exposing their families to coronavirus germs
By KATARZYNA MARKUSZ
The Hotel Ilan in Lublin, Poland, located in the building of what was formerly one of the largest yeshivas in the world, is offering 60 rooms for free to health care professionals busy battling the coronavirus. It’s the only hotel in the city offering free rooms for doctors. Read Here
8. Google celebrates Israeli independence with Yom Ha’atzmaut themed Doodle
By ZACHARY KEYSER
Google is celebrating Israeli independence alongside the Jewish state. On April 29, Yom Ha’atzmaut, the search giant changed its homepage Doodle to a waving Israeli flag, for users residing in Israel. In the top left corner of all other pages, the two “o’s” in “Google” are replaced by the Israeli flag. Read Here
OVER 200,000 INDIVIDUALS AND 210 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.”
