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)
VENTURE CREATIVE CONTEST – ROUND ONE
This contest is crowd-sourcing new solutions to help end “the world’s oldest hatred.” The contest is sponsored by the CombatAntiSemitism.org coalition. People of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities are encouraged to participate by creatively addressing one of the categories below:
Round 1 Deadline: December 1, 2019
Special Feature
(1 Piece)
1. New group joins the effort to battle anti-Semitism through education and inclusion
By SHIRYN GHERMEZIAN
“We need to work outside of our bubble and build a global movement of interfaith groups that understand the needs of working together to end this cycle of hate,” says Sacha Roytman-Dratwa, director of a movement called Combat Anti-Semitism. Read JNS’ full interview with CAS Director Sacha Roytman-Dratwa. Read Here
UNITED STATES
(12 Articles)
1. Jewish man stabbed repeatedly outside New York synagogue
By Laura Adkins & Ben Sales
An Orthodox man was stabbed multiple times on his walk to synagogue for morning prayers. The man was approaching the synagogue, Toshnad Heichel Torah Utfila in Spring Valley, New York, when a man got out of a car, began beating him and stabbed him. The assailant fled the scene before police and first responders arrived. Read Here
2. An 18-year-old is accused of directing synagogue attacks across the country under the name ‘Operation Kristallnacht,’ according to the FBI
By Nicole Einbinder
Federal authorities have accused a New Jersey man of ordering the vandalism of synagogues in Michigan and Wisconsin in September. 18-year-old Richard Tobin directed members of a white supremacist organization to deface the synagogues with swastikas and other anti-Semitic symbols. Tobin said he directed members to vandalize properties throughout the country, launching “Operation Kristallnacht” to “tag the sh-t” out of synagogues. Read Here
3. California Democratic Party Convention votes down anti-Israel amendments
By JNS
Anti-Israel amendments were voted down at the California Democratic Party fall convention. A group of organizations, including Democratic Majority for Israel, which mobilized a battalion of more than 850 delegates, worked to defeat the amendments, which called for the Palestinian “right of return” and to eliminate support for the two-state solution. Read Here
4. Several swastikas found drawn on mailbox in front of Miami Beach home
By News 7 Miami
Police are investigating after several swastikas were found drawn on a mailbox in front of a Miami Beach home. Those inside the home were too shaken to be interviewed but said the Nazi symbol was drawn several times in gold marker. The home is located in a predominantly Jewish community. Read Here
5. Phone line and voicemail of Israeli restaurant in Portland hacked with anti-Semitic message
By MARCY OSTER
The phone line and voicemail of a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that bills itself as selling Israeli street food, was hacked and its greeting changed to an anti-Semitic message. The Shalom Y’all restaurant has been in contact with the city police, who are investigating the incident as a bias crime. Read Here
6. Augusta church ‘baffled’ by anti-Semitic building vandalism
By Erika Wells
An Augusta, GA church is looking for answers after its building was vandalized with anti-Semitic messages. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta was painted with a crossed-out Star of David and the quote “God will not be mocked.” In the past, the church has received bomb threats after working with the Jewish community. Read Here
7. Man Arrested for Smashing Windows at Yeshiva School: NYPD
By NBC New York
A man caught on camera using a gun to break windows at a Yeshiva school in Brooklyn has been arrested. The NYPD released video of the vandalism at the Bais Rikvah School in Crown Heights. Police say the man is Nerron Purcell and before he broke the windows at the school, he used the gun to hit a man in the head. Read Here
8. Police: Anti-Semitic graffiti found at Simpson Street subway station
By News 12 The Bronx
A man is accused of drawing anti-Semitic graffiti at the Simpson Street subway station in the Bronx on two different occasions. Police say the suspect was caught on surveillance video drawing the graffiti on the MTA. Read Here
9. Conservative Group Fires Michelle Malkin Over Support for Holocaust Denier
By Will Sommer
A conservative group cut ties with right-wing columnist Michelle Malkin over her support for an anti-Semitic internet personality. Malkin’s firing from Young America’s Foundation, whose speakers bureau had booked Malkin for speeches across the country for the past 17 years, marks the latest battle between supporters of Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and more establishment conservative figures. Read Here
10. Brooklyn Man Arrested for Alleged Anti-Semitic Egg-Hurling Incidents
By Ben Chapman
A Brooklyn man was arrested and charged with hate crimes in connection with a trio of anti-Semitic egg-throwing incidents in Borough Park. Mohib Hoque, 18, is accused of hurling eggs at two women and a synagogue in the predominantly Jewish neighborhood in three separate incidents. Read Here
11. Jewish Groups Blast Fox News for Joe diGenova’s Anti-Semitic Soros Conspiracy Theory
By Justin Baragona
Fox has come under fire from Jewish organizations following a segment on Fox Business Network’s Lou Dobbs Tonight in which lawyer Joe diGenova trafficked in anti-Semitic tropes by accusing Jewish financier George Soros of controlling “very large parts” of the Department of State. diGenova dismissed the impeachment testimony of senior diplomat George Kent by baselessly claiming he is part of an insidious Soros plot to take over Ukraine with the help of State and the FBI. Read Here
12. ADL chief: Anti-Semitic attacks against N.Y. Jews should be ‘national news’
By Jacob Kornbluh
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt bemoaned what he described as a lack of national media attention to a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic attacks across New York City. “The idea that you have 200 incidents [of anti-Semitism] here in New York City — [that] should be a national news story. It doesn’t belong in the metro section of The New York Times. It belongs on the front page.” Read Here
ISRAEL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
(4 Pieces)
1. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UK
Anti-Israel Demonstrators in London Chant Death Threats, Hurl Anti-Semitic Abuse at Jewish Counter-Protesters
By Karys Rhea
Anti-Israel demonstrators in London chanted death threats and hurled anti-Semitic abuse at Jewish counter-protesters. “You dog only death will come to you/You son of a bastard only death will come to you/You Zionist only death will come to you,” the demonstrators shouted, fists in the air. Read Here
Labour’s anti-Semitism problem is an election issue for non-Jews, too
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Ahead of the upcoming general election, Labour has scooped up endorsements from major celebrities such as former Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher, pop star Lily Allen and comedian Eddie Izzard. But for the first time in decades, Labour is also beginning to take serious flak from celebrities and other significant parts of the electorate over a festering anti-Semitism problem.
Former Labour MP demands anti-Semitism investigation findings published before general election
A former Labour MP has called on the equalities watchdog to publish its findings of a major investigation into allegations of anti-Semitism in Jeremy Corbyn’s party. Luciana Berger, who is now contesting Finchley and Golders Green for the Liberal Democrats, also accused the Labour leader of having “failed” to properly deal with anti-Jewish racism. Read Here
Labour candidate ‘ran Facebook group helping members dodge expulsion for anti-Semitism’
By Sam Courtney-Guy
Maria Carroll, standing in the marginal seat of Camarthen East in Wales, was found to be the co-founder and administrator of a page which advises Labour members accused of anti-Semitism on how to avoid expulsion from the party. She had personally advised members who had spouted views including Holocaust denial on social media. Read Here
Anti-Semitism campaigner Marlon Solomon abused by men who called Jews ‘the scourge of the earth’
By Marlon Solomon
Comedian and anti-Semitism campaigner Marlon Solomon has been subjected to anti-Semitic abuse from two men who told him Jews were “the scourge of the earth.” Mr. Solomon, who performs a one-man show about anti-Semitism and conspiracy theories, shared his first-hand account on Twitter about how the men approached him in a kebab shop in Manchester and asked “are you a f***ing Jew?” Read Here
Police sergeant allegedly taunted Jewish colleague with pepperoni pizza
By Ben Weich
A police sergeant is facing disciplinary action for allegedly waving a pepperoni pizza over a Jewish officer’s food. The incident, in which a policeman identified only as PS Jacobs was accused of mocking his colleague’s religious beliefs, took place earlier this year. Read Here
Tories suspend Aberdeen North General Election candidate Ryan Houghton over Holocaust posts
By Lee Harpin
A Conservative Party candidate has been suspended over alleged anti-Semitic comments he made about the Holocaust. The Scottish Tories confirmed they had withdrawn their support for Aberdeen North candidate Ryan Houghton, a local councillor, while the comments, which he made seven years ago were investigated. Read Here
2. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY
Far-right German lawmaker ousted from committee for comments deemed anti-Semitic
German lawmakers have stripped a colleague from his committee chairmanship in the parliament after he made comments that have been widely condemned as anti-Semitic. Stephan Brandner, a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany, was ousted as head of the Legal Affairs Committee in the Bundestag. Read Here
GERMAN AUCTION HOUSE DEFENDS SELLING NAZI ITEMS
BY Kashmira Gander
An auction house in Germany which has sparked outrage for selling hundreds of Nazi items—including clothing owned by Adolf Hitler—has defended its decision. Hermann Historica auction house is due to sell 842 items linked to the Nazis in the German city of Munich. In its description of the “German Historical Collectibles from 1919 Onwards” collection, the company states: “Connoisseurs of edged weapons, decorations or uniforms will be spoilt for choice in this section.” Read Here
76-Year-Old Berlin Pensioner Beaten Up in Broad Daylight by Anti-Semitic Assailant
By Algemeiner
An elderly man has been viciously beaten up in broad daylight on a Berlin street by a youth who showered him with anti-Semitic abuse. The 76-year-old pensioner was walking along the Berliner Strasse in the Pankow district of the German capital when his passage was blocked by a 16-year-old youth and four of his friends. Read Here
Historian slams German Green Party MP for praising anti-Semitic terrorist
By Benjamin Weinthal
Wolfgang Kraushaar, a German historian, blasted controversial Green Party MP Jürgen Trittin over his praise of left-wing terrorist Dieter Kunzelmann implicated in the attempted bombing of the Berlin Jewish community center and for his role in military training with Fatah against Israel. After Kunzelmann’s death, Trittin tweeted: ‘A great sponti is dead. R.I.P.’ – without saying a word about Kunzelmann’s anti-Semitism. Read Here
Nazi symbols on the memorial stone to the Jewish cemetery in Harzgerode
By Honestly Concerned
Unknown people smeared the front of a memorial stone of the Jewish cemetery of Harzgerode with a swastika. SS runes were also sprayed on the back. Read Here
Anti-semitic riots at game in the national cup
At a football match in Marienfelde, Berlin, fans of Tennis Borussia Berlin were called anti-Semitic slurs and attacked after the game. Hertha fans were among the attackers and a man was beaten after the game. Read Here
Vandals destroy memorial at Leipzig stolpersteinen
By tag24
Stumbling blocks were stolen all over Leipzig, that commemorate the victims of Kristallnacht. The Leipzig SPD politician Benjamin Göhler reacted about it on Twitter saying “We think of the Oelsner family, who were persecuted, deported and murdered by the Nazis.” Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
Turkish MP lashes out at Jewish journalist who criticized anti-Semitic tweets
By Sam Sokol
A Turkish opposition MP angered members of his country’s Jewish community when he criticized the lavish lifestyles of some Muslims by comparing them to Jews. Lütfü Türkkan, a nationalist lawmaker belonging to the Good Party, tweeted a video of an upscale event while complaining that “there is a type of Muslim we call ‘Protestant,’ living in wealth and luxury on an income that is unjust; these people have taken on the spirit of Jews. Read Here
‘Not anti-Semitic’: Khamenei defines Iran’s goal of ‘wiping out Israel’
By TOI Staff
When Iran speaks of wiping Israel off the map, it doesn’t mean the mass slaughter of the country’s Jews but rather eliminating the Jewish state’s “imposed regime,” Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said. “The disappearance of Israel does not mean the disappearance of the Jewish people, because we have nothing against [Jews]. Wiping out Israel means that the Palestinian people…should be able to determine their fate and get rid of thugs such as Netanyahu. Read Here
Egyptian Actor Responds to Backlash for Starring With Israeli Actress Gal Gadot in ‘Wonder Woman’ Sequel
By Shiryn Ghermezian
Egyptian actor Amr Waked took to Twitter to defend himself after anti-Israel activists criticized him for starring alongside Israeli actress Gal Gadot in the “Wonder Woman” sequel. After Waked announced that he would appear in the superhero film, social media users attacked him, with one writing “F–k you. Amr. You are a traitor,” and others expressing disappointment in his decision and calling on him to withdraw his part in the film. Read Here
4. IN DEPTH: OTHER WORLD NEWS
Owner of Belgium’s ‘Nazi house’ faces year in jail
By James Crisp
A Belgian homeowner faces up to a year in prison after festooning his home with Nazi insignia and his garden with Hitler scarecrows giving the stiff-armed Third Reich salute. Georges Boeckstaens, 76, a former corporal in the Belgian Army, is unrepentant about his property, which is called the “Nazi house” in the small Flemish village of Keerbergen. Read Here
Holocaust memorial damaged for the fifth time in the Belgian city of Ghent
By YOSSI LEMPKOWICZ
A Holocaust memorial in the Belgian city of Ghent has been damaged for the fifth time. Unknown people unscrewed the bolts of the monument, a huge copper toll. Ghent’s mayor Mathias De Clercq, immediately took extra measures to protect the monument which recalls the deportation of 67 Jews from the city during WWII.
Read Here
Danish police charge two men with vandalism over Jewish cemetery desecration
By JC Reporter
Two men in Denmark have been charged with vandalism after dozens of graves at a Jewish cemetery were desecrated with graffiti over the weekend. Several headstones in the 200-year-old Østre graveyard in Randers, on the Danish mainland peninsula of Jutland, were discovered overturned. Read Here
Anti-Semitic vandalism in Aalborg, Denmark
By Nordjyske
Unknown perpetrators painted the German word “Jude” (Jew) over a tombstone at a cemetery in Aalborg, Denmark. Read Here
Vandalism against building with Jewish sign in East Jutland, Denmark
BY politirapporten
East Jutland Police have been present in Randers after receiving a report of vandalism against a Star of David at a building. The building has, as part of its architecture, a large Star of David placed on the facade, and the paint was thrown on the wall right next to the star. Read Here
‘Pure Nazism’: The anti-Semitic organization that wants to get a foothold in Denmark
By Thelocal DK
Norwegian publisher targeted with anti-Semitic vandalism
Several yellow Stars of David were placed outside the printing offices of publisher Schibsted in Bergen. The vandalism happened around the anniversary of Kristallnacht. The stickers have since been removed, but the broadcaster’s reporting shows their outline still visible on the sign. Read Here
Memorial stone war victim stolen from street in Schiedam, Netherlands
By Rijnmond
A Stolperstein was taken by a stranger from a street in Schiedam. The memorial stone contains a brass with the name of a victim of the Nazis in World War II. The stolen stone was on the Rotterdamsedijk and was for Abraham Bobbe, who was killed in a concentration camp in 1942 at the age of 38. Read Here
Milan, swastika appearance and SS writing under the crown for a deported person in the concentration camp
A swastika and the inscription SS appeared in Via Rovetta in Milan, Italy just below the commemorative plaque of a person deported to Mauthausen concentration camp. Read Here
Anti-Semitism on the streets of Nafplio, Greece
BY The Shades Mag
Graffiti was spray painted on a sidewalk in Nafplio, Greece that read “throw out the Jews.” Read Here
An anti-Semitic, Neo-Nazi slogan on a main street in Sparta, Greece
By Grass Root Reuter
On Leonidou Street in Sparta, an anti-Semitic, Nazi slogan (Death to the Jews) was written on a wall of a house facing the main street. Read Here
“Zionists are terrorists”: a demonstration against the game between Argentina and Uruguay
BY Ynet
A demonstration of 40 BDS members in front of the Argentine Association’s offices was held to prevent the meeting of the local team against Uruguay in Israel. Protesters shouted “Zionists are terrorists” and sent a letter to the union asking them not to land in Israel and play there. Read Here
ON CAMPUS
(19 Articles)
1. US Department of Education investigates NYU over anti-Semitism allegations
By JNS
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has opened an investigation into anti-Semitism allegations at New York University. Department attorneys, who filed a seven-page complaint will probe whether “as a result of incidents that occurred at the university, a hostile environment existed for Jewish students on the university campus and, if so, whether the University responded appropriately.” Read Here
2. GWU students call for university to adopt anti-Semitic acts definition
By ILANIT CHERNICK
In a letter to university president Thomas LeBlanc, campus student leaders said that anti-Semitism is found in several forms at the university, which include the singling out of “apolitical Jewish students groups” for being Jewish, Zionist groups that support Israel, and “in the past, refusal of the Student Association to hold this form of intolerance to the same level of scrutiny as all other forms of hate, because the intolerance is directed toward Jews.”
Read Here
3. SU professor receives anti-Semitic email
By LocalSYR.com
Another act of racism on the Syracuse University campus has been reported. A Jewish professor at Syracuse University, Professor Genevieve García de Müeller, received an email saying “Get in the oven where you belong, you monstrous looking K*ke.” Read Here
4. White supremacist manifesto AirDropped to Syracuse University students amid spate of racist, anti-Semitic incidents
By Kate Feldman
Syracuse University officials said someone on campus was spreading a white supremacist manifesto to students. The Department of Public Safety received “multiple reports” of the document being shared on an online forum and AirDropped — shared directly between iPhone and Mac users over bluetooth and wifi — to students inside the Bird Library. Read Here
5. Following shout down of pro-Israel speaker, Vassar College calls out anti-Semitism
By JNS
The president of Vassar College released a statement denouncing anti-Semitism in the aftermath of a pro-Israel speaker recently being shouted down. An event on campus featuring pro-Israel speaker and Israel Defense Forces’ veteran Hen Mazzig was interrupted for 15 minutes by members of Students for Justice in Palestine, who chanted “from the river to the sea,” which is a call to destroy the State of Israel. Read Here
6. University of North Carolina Expresses Willingness to Confront Anti-Semitism
By JNS
The US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights informed the Zionist Organization of America this month that the University of North Carolina expressed a willingness to resolve the ZOA’s allegations through a resolution agreement. The agreement required the university to take reasonable steps to enable students not to face a hostile environment, including appropriately responding to anti-Semitic acts. Read Here
7. Wheaton College investigates swastika scrawlings, one targeting Jewish student
By JNS
Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., is investigating two recent incidents featuring swastikas. A swastika was found drawn on the whiteboard hanging on a student’s door in a residence hall where one of the two students in the room is Jewish. A swastika and disparaging words against women were found on a whiteboard in a common area inside the same residence hall. Read Here
8. Anti-Semitism At Arizona State University Highlights Tense On-Campus Atmosphere For Jewish Students
By Josh Hammer
According to a Chabad of Arizona State University (ASU) email, the on-campus ASU Jewish community experienced a horrific act of anti-Semitism. The email from Rabbi Tiechtel went on to explain the details of a terrible interruption of an event that honored wounded veterans of the Israel Defense Forces The protesters spewed anti-Semitic, Jew-hating vitriol in an attempt to harass students and possibly shut down the event in its entirety. Read Here
9. Tenured Columbia Professor Proudly Supports Terrorism Against Israel
By Ariel Behar
Professor Joseph Massad, a tenured Columbia University professor endorsed terrorism in a speech given at the Palestine Center. “The Oslo Accords inaugurated this process of liquidating the Palestinian national struggle while the ‘Deal of the Century’ plans and hopes to conclude it. The only thing standing in its way is the ongoing Palestinian resistance to Israeli settler colonialism…and the armed resistance of the Izz al-Din Qassam Brigades to Israeli invasions in Gaza.” The al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of Hamas, which is a US-designated terrorist organization. Read Here
10. ‘Florida Jews’ fliers placed on UCF’s campus
By Adrienne Cutway
University of Central Florida police are investigating after fliers claiming that “Florida Jews” are attacking campus free speech were placed around the school. Security video showed a man wearing a winter coat and hat placing the flyers Halloween night. The flier criticizes Florida House Bill 741, which creates a definition for anti-Semitism and requires public education institutions to consider anti-Semitism under certain instances of discrimination. Read Here
11. Does An International School Operating In NYC Have A ‘No Israelis’ Policy?
By Aiden Pink
One of the best institutions of higher education in the Arab world is violating American law by not letting Israelis sign up for its online courses, according to a complaint filed to the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Israeli activist and attorney Yifa Segal said she was unable to sign up for a global health program with the American University of Beirut because the signup screen didn’t include Israel as a nationality option. Read Here
12. NY State assemblyman calls to protect free speech at Binghamton University
By Ilanit Chernick
A New York State assemblyman slammed Binghamton University for the way it has handled a group of leftist students who verbally abused and ransacked tables belonging to the campus College Republicans group. The conservative students were handing out flyers for an upcoming talk by well-known economist Dr. Arthur Laffer. During the spat, the nearly 200 leftist students even brought up the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One student was recorded as saying, “The rockets are hitting Israel every day, really? Good for them, let’s keep hitting Israel until they give their land back.” Read Here
13. Reports of anti-Semitic incidents at Monument Middle School rattle Jewish students, families
By Heather Bellow
Police are investigating reports of anti-Semitic threats at Monument Valley Regional Middle School in Great Barrington, MA. A student repeatedly had been telling Jewish students that he was going to “nuke the Jews,” and that “I have a list and you’re on it, and all the other Jewish kids are on it, too.” Read Here
14. More Brooklyn schools to receive anti-bias training amid rise in anti-Semitic incidents
By Noah Goldberg
Twice as many Brooklyn schools will receive anti-bias education to combat the rising number of anti-Semitic incidents in the borough, the Brooklyn borough president and ADL CEO announced. The ADL will be expanding its No Place for Hate initiative, which will function in about 40 Brooklyn schools over the 2019-2020 school year, specifically targeting schools in Crown Heights and Williamsburg, where there are large Jewish populations. Read Here
15. Anti-Semitic graffiti at UMN indicates larger problem
By Dylan Anderson
Several swastikas and the phrase “white power” were graffitied in a bathroom stall at the University of Minnesota Law School. About 20% of Jewish students on campus reported they felt their group was respected in 2018, compared to about 42 percent in national surveys, according to figures presented to the Board of Regents. UMN recently hosted the anti-Semitic NSJP conference. Read Here
16. Warwick professor accused of spreading anti-Semitic ideas in lectures
By Nadia Elgaddal
An associate professor at the University of Warwick has been accused of spreading “anti-Semitic conspiracies.” In a lecture entitled “Viral and Transnational (Palestine)”, Dr. Goldie Osuri described claims of anti-semitism in the Labour party as “very much an Israeli lobby kind of idea”. Notes accompanying the slides said: “Palestinians are entirely entitled to resist and oppose the occupation and theft of their homeland by any means they deem necessary.” Read Here
17. SA president files executive order calling for task force against anti-Semitism
By Lizzie Mintz and Parth Kotak
The Student Association’s head at George Washington University signed an executive order calling on the SA Senate to approve a committee charged with addressing anti-Semitism on campus, in the wake of an anti-Semitic Snapchat video. The order creates a “Task Force On Combating Anti-Semitism,” a 10-student committee charged with proposing “institutional changes” to eradicate anti-Semitism at GW. Read Here
18. Swastikas Found Drawn in B-CC Bathroom
By CAITLYNN PEETZ
Two swastikas were drawn in a bathroom at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School last week, prompting a police and school district investigation. The school’s building services crew removed the swastikas immediately. The school district and police have launched an investigation. Read Here
19. Graffiti At Montclair Schools Reported: Swastikas, ‘You Will Die’
By Eric Kiefer
A pair of schools in Montclair, NJ reported troubling graffiti on the premises, including swastika symbols and a message reading “you will all die.” An employee at Montclair High School said two swastika symbols were written in pencil on a table in the cafeteria. Read Here
ANALYSIS
(5 Pieces)
1. Should American Jews Stop Trying to Defeat Anti-Semitism?
By Jeremy Burton
Anti-Semitism is not our disease. It’s the disease of our larger society. It must be the work of faith and civic leaders beyond the Jewish community to root out this virus. The emergency strategy meetings within our community need to be supplemented by emergency meetings of the leaders of every Christian denomination, by legislatures…What is needed is the amplified public voice of others amidst this rash of violence and targeting of our people. Read Here
2. EU updates oldest hatred with new settlement goods labeling scheme
By Anat Talmy
Aside from Israel, the EU is consistent in its labeling protocol with products from disputed territories. No matter these other circumstances, the EU labels products coming from disputed territories as from the de-facto ruling country. Having these kinds of separate rulings for similar cases is normally not allowed under international trade laws. The EU’s purpose in applying such a discriminatory policy was probably to support the Palestinians, however, it is likely to have the opposite effect. The factories in the settlements employ Palestinian workers. Read Here
3. The Future of Jews on US University Campuses
By Ellen Ginsberg Simon
TWhile the BDS movement will never succeed, it stands a very good chance of undermining the next generation of Zionists. To fit into many progressive movements on campus, our Jewish youth are being asked to choose between their identities as Jews and lovers of Israel and their political preferences. We may not be able to control the climate at universities today, but we certainly can control how we prepare our offspring to face it. Every Jewish parent today must add to their list of skills to impart to their children the coping mechanisms to stand firmly in the face of anti-Semitism on college campuses, be confident in their identity, and know who their allies are and how to access their support system. We need a curriculum to prepare our children for the onslaught awaiting them. Read Here
4. WHY HERZL MATTERS
By Shayna Barrall
This time, it’s BDS; for Herzl, it was Dreyfus. Before, after and in between we have faced blood libels, Holocaust denial, demonization of Israel/Israelis as “Nazis,” Jews being told to go to gas. So why is Herzl still a notable figure in today’s history? He created a vision that gave us a country safe from the ideas of anti-Semitism, a country where Jews could be proud. The leadership skills and visions that Herzl conceptualized are still vital to keeping Israel alive and thriving. He gave us a land where our kids and grandkids could pass down the traditions of Judaism without fear of repression, he gave the Jews freedom. Read Here
5. Circling toward the TRUTH on how we feel about ANTI-SEMITISM
By Israel Forever Foundation
The rise of open expressions of anti-Semitism in the world are making teenagers increasingly open targets for slurs and even physical attacks against that erupt from the demonizing of Jews and all things Jewish or Israel related. The first step to facing these challenges is having a conversation among ourselves – understanding the facts, recognizing how we are susceptible to the pain and confusion it causes, and interested in understanding what we can do. Please engage in this exercise by reading the full document. Read Here
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
(5 Pieces)
1. More than one-third of US Christians have heard their clergy speak out about Jews
By JTA
39% of American Christians who attend church have heard their clergy speak out about Jews, and 9%have heard them say something negative, according to a new study published by the Pew Research Center on religion and public life.
Read Here
2. Jews in Denmark Report Steep Rise in Anti-Semitic Incidents Over Past Year
By Algemeiner Staff
The small Jewish community in Denmark experienced a 50% increase in anti-Semitic attacks in 2018, a new report from the Scandinavian country’s Jewish representative organization has revealed. Compiled by Det Jødiske Samfund, the official body of Danish Jews, the report noted 45 incidents targeting Jews in 2018, compared with 30 incidents the year before. Read Here
3. French Jewish Leader Discloses Further Rise in Anti-Semitic Offenses During 2019
By Ben Cohen
France experienced another disarming rise in anti-Semitic offenses during the first six months of 2019. Francis Kalifat, president of the French Jewish representative body CRIF, declared that “anti-Semitism continues to grow in our country. In the first half of the year, we are almost 76% higher than in the first half of 2018, which was already a bleak year,” Kalifat remarked. Read Here
4. Palestinian matriculation exam reinforces radicalization of students
By IMPACT-SE
IMPACT-se’s latest report finds the Palestinian matriculation exam (Tawjihi) to be full of messages of hate, violence, and inciteful material after reviewing the twenty-six tests comprising The General Certificate of High School Examination in Palestine. Given to twelfth-grade students, they are necessary for enrollment in Palestinian and Arab universities, and provide graduating students with future employment opportunities. The majority of tests in the humanities and language sections incorporate questions which promote violence, incitement, and hatred of the other. 75% of the humanities and language tests have content in them referring to radical narratives and conspiracy theories, self-sacrifice and jihad, and a concentration on Israel as the “Zionist Occupation.” Read Full Report Here
5. Jews again were the victims of most of the religion-based hate crimes in 2018, FBI says
By BEN SALES
Despite the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting last year, hate crimes against American Jews decreased 11% in 2018, according to the FBI. But Jews were again the victims of the majority of hate crimes that were based on religion. The 2018 Hate Crimes Statistics Report found that of 1,419 incidents of hate last year based on religion, Jews suffered 835, or about 58% of the total. Read Here
FEATURED PARTNER
Combat Anti-Semitism is proud to be a partner of Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA), which s dedicated to the preservation of Mizrahi and Sephardi culture and history, and seeks to educate the public and advocate for Jewish refugees from the Middle East. Learn more about their important work by watching one of JIMENA’s oral history project videos below.
1. War-torn Yemen demands return of Jewish treasures now in the U.S.
By Alex Winston
Yemen’s government filed a request for a Memorandum of Understanding] with the State Department in an attempt to claim ownership over Jewish cultural items it claims were smuggled out illegally. Among the items are a centuries old Torah scroll that was smuggled to Israel by the family of Manny Dahari, who owned the scroll for at least 300 years. The Yemeni government said the Jewish items are “national cultural artifacts.” “Jewish cultural property does not constitute the national heritage of governments who expel or who forced their Jewish communities to flee anti-Semitic prosecution,” Sarah Levin, the executive director of Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa [JIMENA], said. Read Here
JIMENA was created in 2002 by former Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa who desired to share their personal stories and rich culture with college students, policy makers and North American Jewish communal and lay leaders throughout North America. JIMENA speakers have shared personal testimonies with government agencies all over the world, more than 80 Universities in North America and hundreds of organizations. As the only organization in North America exclusively focused on educating and advocating on behalf of Jewish refugees and Mizrahi Jews from Arab countries, we remain a thought-leader and resource center for multiple institutions advancing the history, heritage and culture of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews. Each month, the JIMENA website receives over 600,000 hits from around the world attesting to international interest in the issue of Jewish refugees from Arab countries and Iran.
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.
(16 Pieces)
1. State Department Condemns EU Court’s Mandate of Israeli Settlement Product Labeling
By Aaron Bandler
The U.S. State Department condemned the European Court of Justice’s ruling mandating food and beverage products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be labeled as being from the settlements rather than Israel or the West Bank. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said the ECJ’s ruling was biased against Israel and furthers BDS. “The US unequivocally opposes any effort to engage in BDS, or to otherwise economically pressure, isolate, or delegitimize Israel. The path toward resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict is through direct negotiations. America stands with Israel against efforts to economically pressure, isolate, or delegitimize it.” Read Here
2. Jerusalem to host largest-ever event on anti-Semitism; Putin, Macron to attend
By TOI
President Reuven Rivlin said that some 30 world leaders, including Putin, Macron and Germany President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, will be coming to Israel in January to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Jerusalem, in what is expected to be the largest-ever gathering focused on combating anti-Semitism. Rivlin spoke at a press conference at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem ahead of the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, which will take place on January 23, 2020, at the Yad Vashem museum in the capital under the title “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism.” Read Here
3. Members of Congress send bipartisan letter to UN, urging it to confront Hezbollah
By JNS
A bipartisan group of 240 members of Congress have sent a letter to U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, calling on the international community to confront the terrorist group Hezbollah. More than 13 years ago, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701 which called for the Lebanese government to disarm all paramilitary groups in the country, including Hezbollah. The letter states that, since then, “Lebanon’s efforts to implement this resolution have been unsuccessful. Instead, under the nose of UNIFIL and the international community, Hezbollah has built a murderous capability aimed at Israel’s civilian population.” Read Here
4. Boris Johnson vows to make combating anti-Semitism a ‘top priority’
By Noa Amouyal, Dan Lavie
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is standing with UK Jewry after Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog urged him to do so. “I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt support for all Jewish communities in the UK. Please be assured of my resolute support for all aspects of Jewish life…I completely agree that we need to do more to stamp this out and better protect our Jewish friends and neighbors. The safety of Jewish people is a top priority for the UK Government.” Read Here
5. German Anti-Semitism Tsar Urges Amending Criminal Code to Specify Offenses Against Jews
By Algemeiner Staff
RFelix Klein, German federal commissioner against anti-Semitism, said that Paragraph 46 of the German Criminal Code, which lays out the principles that inform sentences, should now include an express reference to anti-Semitism. He argued that this would be an “important signal” to the German Jewish community of the government’s preparedness to get tough on anti-Semitic offenders. The change would also provide “useful guidance” to judges and prosecutors dealing with cases of anti-Semitic behavior. Read Here
6. UN Event to Highlight Jewish Refugees Expelled From Arab Countries
By Karys Rhea
An event will be held next month at the UN to raise awareness in the international community about the nearly-one million Jewish refugees who were expelled from Arab countries around the time of the establishment of Israel. Former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan will be a keynote speaker at the gathering, which is being organized by Israel’s UN Mission and JIMENA. Other speakers will include Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, and the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism, Elan Carr. Read Here
7. French National Assembly Set to Debate Anti-Semitism Resolution Amid Row Over Inclusion of Anti-Zionism
By Ben Cohen
The French parliament confirmed that it would discuss a resolution on the “resurgence” of anti-Semitism in the country that has so far been mired in political controversy, with critics of the text rejecting the inclusion of anti-Zionism among the “new forms” of Jew-hatred to have emerged more recently. At the heart of the resolution is a proposal to formally adopt the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism. Read Here
8. Politicians and community leaders show solidarity with Finland’s Jewish community after anti-Semitic incidents
By Helsinki Times
FINNISH POLITICIANS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS gathered at the gates of the Helsinki Synagogue to lay flowers in solidarity with Finland’s Jewish community, which has been subjected to a spike in anti-Semitic attacks. The action was prompted by a recent incident in which anti-Semetic stickers were plastered across the city. The stickers were the result of coordinated hate crime among neo-nazi groups across the Nordics, on the anniversary of Kristallnacht. In attendance was the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto. Read Here
9. Hungary recognizes Orthodox Jewish community for first time since World War II
By YOSSI LEMPKOWICZ
The Hungarian government signed a special agreement with the Orthodox Jewish Communities Association (EMIH) to officially grant the country’s Orthodox community with “special status” for the first time since World War II. The title allows for a representative from each organization who oversees and receives government funding for the educational and religious institutions of his or her respective movement. The agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén and Chief Rabbi of EMIH Shlomo Koves, who became an official representative of the Jewish community in Hungary. Read Here
10. Argentina Asks Azerbaijan to Arrest Iranian Suspect in 1994 AMIA Bombing
By JNS
Argentina is asking Azerbaijan to arrest Alí Akbar Velayati, an Iranian official visiting Baku, in connection with the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires. Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, who was scheduled to attend a summit of religious leaders in the Azerbaijani capital, was Iran’s foreign minister at the time of the terrorist attack and has been accused of ordering the bombing that killed 85 people. The Argentine foreign minister summoned the Azerbaijani ambassador and asked for cooperation “in order to carry out the detention for extradition purposes.” Read Here
11. Elan Carr Attends ELNET Conference in France
By CAS
State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr addresses the European Leadership Network’s (ELNET) conference in France where he spoke about the rise in anti-Semitism, BDS and the Iranian threat, following a speech by French Minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire. ELNET recently became a partner organization of the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement. Read Here
12. Wiesenthal calls on EU commissioners to urge ban of Hezbollah
By Benjamin Weinthal
The Simon Wiesenthal Center urged the European Union and German commissioners to combat anti-Semitism to demand a full ban of the most lethal anti-Semitic terrorist organization in the world, Hezbollah. “The EU commissioner should recommend a ban on Hezbollah, as should Felix Klein,” Dr. Efraim Zuroff, one of the world’s leading experts on contemporary anti-Semitism, said. Read Here
13. Dutch parliament passes motion against mandatory labeling of settlement products
By TOI STAFF
The Dutch parliament approved a motion pushing back against a European Court of Justice decision that ordered the labeling of Israeli goods made in West Bank settlements. The motion, approved 82-68, calls on the government to object to the ruling, unless similar standards are applied to all disputed territories around the world. It deems the singling out of Israel in such regard unfair and discriminatory. Read Here
14. Austrian city bans public funds for anti-Semitic BDS and political Islam
By Benjamin Weinthal
The central city of Graz in Austria outlawed public space and institutional support for the BDS movement, as well as for political Islam. The law added that “Space and institutions that are under the city administration must not be made available to organizations that express themselves in anti-Semitic terms or question Israel’s right to exist.” Read Here
15. Budapest blocks joint EU statement condemning US shift on settlements
By Raphael Ahren
An effort to get all 28 European Union member states to issue a joint statement condemning the US decision to no longer consider Israeli settlements as illegal is being blocked by Hungary. No text has yet been circulated among member states, as Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó made it plain that his country would veto any statement on the settlement’s legality. Read Here
16. Faroe Islands will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
By JTA
Faroese Foreign Minister Jenis av Rana told the Danish-language newspaper Politiken that he plans to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem after the funds are allocated. The Faroe Islands is a self-governing archipelago, that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and is comprised of 18 volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway. Read Here
HUMANITY
(6 Pieces)
1. Sacha Baron Cohen to receive ADL International Leadership Award for exposing anti-Semitism and hate
By Aleks Phillips
Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is to receive the International Leadership Award from the ADL for using satire to expose racism and anti-Semitism. The International Leadership Award is given “to those exceptional individuals whose vision, imagination and creativity have left an indelible mark upon the global community.” Read Here
2. Calgary Council proclaims city-wide day of Holocaust remembrance
By Meghan Potkins
City council unanimously proclaimed Jan. 27 as Calgary’s annual city-wide International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Proponents of the remembrance day say they’re concerned by figures showing that one in five Canadian youth are unaware of the events that occurred during the Holocaust, even as statistics continue to indicate that Jewish people are the frequent target of hate crimes. Read Here
3. Trust to fight anti-Semitism
By Joshua Levi
THE Australian Jewish community could reap the benefits of a huge trust established to fight anti-Semitism in Australia. Millie Phillips, a long-standing donor to the community, sought to establish the Millie Phillips Jewish Fund in her will to “combat, confront and eliminate anti-Semitism in Australia”. The trust will also promote Jewish accomplishments, pride, promote awareness of Israel, advocate for Jewish communities, ensure the physical protection of the community and “maintain the unity and cohesion of any Jewish community in Australia to ensure its continuity.” Read Here
4. Anti-Semitism ‘neither human or Christian,’ says Pope Francis
By Livia Borghese and Nicola Ruotolo
Departing from prepared remarks at his weekly Papal audience in Rome, the Pope said: “I would like to make a separate note. The Jewish people have suffered so much in history, they have been chased away, they too have been persecuted. “In the last century we saw so many brutalities against the Jewish people, and we were all convinced that this was over. But today the habit of persecuting the Jews, is here reborn. This is neither human nor Christian. The Jews are our brothers and should not be persecuted, understand?” Read Here
5. ‘Hatikvah’ played in Abu Dhabi as Israeli takes gold in ju-jitsu tournament
By TOI STaff
Israel’s national anthem was played in an Abu Dhabi arena after 17-year-old Alon Leviev took gold in the junior category at the Ju-jitsu World Championship, the latest instance of a sea change in the Gulf Emirate where Israeli symbols were banned just a few years ago. Leviev, who competes in the 55-kilogram-and-under weight category, beat an athlete from Abu Dhabi in the final. Read Here
6. Former Israel Hater: “I Always Thought I Was Anti-Zionist Not Anti-Semitic. But Looking Back I Was”
By David Lange
Elizabeth Arif-Fear is an award-winning writer, activist, and British Muslim. In a recent Twitter thread, she described her transformation from Israel hater to someone with a more balanced, nuanced view. “I always thought I was anti-Zionist not anti-Semitic. But looking back I was. Now I know what I believed excluded 95% of Jews. Their feelings, their history, their suffering, their longing.” Arif-Fear leads Voice of Salam, which recently became a partner organization of the CAS Movement. Read Here
OVER 140,000 INDIVIDUALS AND 160 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.”
