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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
UNITED STATES
(11 Articles)
1. NY Youth Hockey Players’ Parents Say Opposing Team Shouted Anti-Semitic Slurs During Game
By AARON BANDLER
Parents of players on a NY youth hockey team said their opponents hurled anti-Semitic comments at their players during a game. Steven Borenstein and Gary Sipos, both of whom have sons on the Scarsdale Raiders said that the North Park team shouted “disgusting Jew,” “go back to synagogue,” “take that you Jew,” and “go back to Shabbos,” at the Raiders. The referees and the North Park head coach didn’t take any action on the matter. Read Here
2. Judge who linked to article saying ‘Jews should get the f*** over the Holocaust’ is not anti-Semitic, panel rules
By MARCY OSTER
A judicial board in Tennessee cleared Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Jim Lamme, who linked on social media to articles saying the Jews should “get the f*** over the Holocaust,” of being anti-Semitic, racist and anti-immigrant. Lamme,, who had also called Muslim immigrants “foreign mud,” was reprimanded by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct for violating judicial codes by making partisan statements. Read Here
3. Cleveland man used anti-Semitic language in threats against prosecutor, judge in marijuana-growing case, prosecutors say
By Cory Shaffer
A Cleveland man, Joseph Riffle who is serving a prison sentence for growing marijuana, faces new charges that accuse him of telling a friend that he was going to kill the judge and prosecutor who handled his case. Riffle made threats against then-Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Yosef “Joe” Hochheiser the day after he was sentenced. Riffle’s threats against Hochheiser, who is Jewish and wears a yarmulke, included anti-Semitic language. Read Here
4. SWASTIKA FOUND NEAR CONEY ISLAND JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
By Rose Adams
Locals were left appalled after a swastika was found sketched into a park bench near a Jewish center in Coney Island. The organization serves the one of largest populations of Holocaust survivors in the city, at about 3,000 survivors per year. The Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the anti-Semitic graffiti. Read Here
5. HATE IN WILLIAMSBURG: Suspect Assaults Hasidic Man, Instant Arrest Made Thanks To Shomrim And NYPD
By Yeshiva World News
The NYPD say that 32-year-old Steven Sotomayor walked up to the 21-year-old victim and slapped him in the face with an open hand. No words were exchanged prior to the attack. Williamsburg Shomrim was on the scene in seconds, followed by the NYPD who took the suspect into custody. Read Here
6. Rep. Steve King Retweeted Far-Right Influencer With History Of Holocaust Denial
By Nick Robins-Early
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) promoted a far-right influencer with a history of Holocaust denial and anti-immigrant bigotry, who once tweeted, “Hitler had some good points. I think the Holocaust never actually happened.” The post King highlighted was from Peter Sweden. King quote-tweeted him ― stating “The best thing for our country is for good people to have a lot of babies and raise them right” before deleting the tweet with no explanation three hours later. Read Here
7. Authorities Reportedly Arrest Suspect Who Hacked CEO Jack Dorsey’s Twitter Account
By Emma Tucker
Authorities have arrested a person who is part of a group that hacked the Twitter account of CEO Jack Dorsey. The suspect, was not named because they are a minor. Dorsey’s Twitter account began rapid-tweeting a series of offensive and incoherent content, including racial slurs, bomb threats, and retweeting anti-Semitic material. Read Here
8. Anti-Semitism: Jewish War Veterans praise Jackson, NJ cops over arrest
By Joshua Chung
Police charged a juvenile with simple assault, harassment and bias intimidation for a September incident where two Jewish residents were standing near the curb in front of a home when a vehicle swerved at them. The passengers of the vehicle yelled obscenities and insults about their religion. Read Here
9. Sacha Baron Cohen: Facebook would have let Hitler post Jewish ‘solution’ ads
By JOSEFIN DOLSTEN
Sacha Baron Cohen has slammed the social media industry and Facebook, saying the site would have let Adolf Hitler post 30-second ads on his ‘solution’ to the ‘Jewish problem.’” The comedian slammed social media sites as the “greatest propaganda machine in history.” “And it’s no surprise that the greatest propaganda machine in history has spread the oldest conspiracy theory in history — the lie that Jews are somehow dangerous. As one headline put it, ‘Just Think What Goebbels Could Have Done with Facebook.‘” Read Here
Watch The Full Remarks Below.
10. Swastikas on Owego, NY man’s house creating an offensive eyesore for village residents, officials
By WBNG
Anti-Semitic signs can be seen on a house from a main road that runs through the Village of Owego, which is upsetting both neighbors and village officials. Green spray painted Swastika signs are painted on parts of a home on Commerce Street with stones laid out in the symbol on the front lawn. Owego Police say they are investigating whether this is a vandalism case or if the homeowner did this to his own property. Read Here
11. ‘Ugly And Racist’ Graffiti Found At Holocaust Museum In Glen Cove, NY
By Daniel Hampton
Racist graffiti has been found at a Glen Cove Holocaust museum and efforts are underway to find those responsible. The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County said in a statement that “ugly and racist” vandalism was found at its property in Welwyn Preserve, county park. Read Here
ISRAEL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
(4 Pieces)
1. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE UK
Muslim woman intervenes to stop anti-Semitic abuse on London Underground
By TOI Staff
A Muslim woman won praise after intervening to try and stop a man from unleashing an anti-Semitic diatribe on a Jewish family with small children who were traveling on the London Underground. The incident was filmed and prompted widespread condemnation, but also praise for the woman who continued to try to get the man to stop, even as he threatened to assault other passengers. Read Here
Synagogues Were Among Planned Targets of Convicted UK Teenage Neo-Nazi
By Karys Rhea
A 16-year-old self-declared neo-Nazi has been found guilty of plotting multiple terror attacks on synagogues in the UK. The boy, a follower of far-right ideologies since he was 13, was convicted on six counts of terrorism — including preparing terrorist acts, disseminating terrorist publications and possession of useful terrorist material. Read Here
Theresa May raises ‘real concern’ over Labour Party’s attitude to anti-Semitism on walkabout
By Rosa Doherty
Former Prime Minister Theresa May has spoken of her “real concern” with Labour’s attitude to anti-Semitism during a visit to Finchley and Golders Green to support Mike Freer, who is seeking re-election. Read Here
Former Labour MP Denounces Party as ‘Institutionally Anti-Semitic’; Jews Were ‘Bullied’ Out
By Shiryn Ghermezian
A former British Labour MP denounced the party for being “institutionally anti-Semitic” and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as unfit to be Britain’s next prime minister during her speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s “Never Is Now” summit. Read Here
Corbyn destroyed over ‘disgraceful anti-Semitism’ video – ‘I don’t buy nice old Grandpa!’
By CLAIRE ANDERSON
Jeremy Corbyn suffered a brutal backlash by a BBC Question Time audience member who labelled his actions “disgraceful”. The man referred to a Jewish Labour MP being heckled out of a press conference. He claimed the Labour leader “chatted happily” to the same heckler later in the conference. Read Here
MAN SCREAMED “JEWS DON’T BELONG HERE” AND PHYSICALLY ASSAULTS JEWISH COUPLE ON BUS IN HACKNEY
By CAA
A man screamed “Jews don’t belong here” at a Jewish couple on a bus and showed them his middle finger, before pulling the man by his hood and the woman by her hair covering. The incident took place on the 254 bus in Hackney Central. The couple were forced to leave the top floor of the bus and descend to the lower level. Read Here
West Lothian councillor suspended over anti-Semitic blog post
By BBC
A West Lothian councillor has been suspended from council meetings for three months after he shared an anti-Semitic blog on social media. Frank Anderson of the Scottish National Party defended his actions but later apologised for sharing the post which referred to Hitler “accusing ‘the Jew’ of gradually assuming leadership of the trade union movement.” Read Here
Liberal Democrats suspend candidate who claimed WhatsApp was ‘Zionist backed’
By Lee Harpin
The Lib Dems have suspended Waheed Rafiq, a General Election candidate, who urged people to drop WhatsApp because it was “Zionist backed”. He had also written: “Shocking to see how the Jewish government call themselves Jews when they are wiping out all the people of Gaza.” Read Here
Brexit Party candidate openly admitted being anti-Semitic, and said “the BNP are right”
By Sam Bright
A Brexit Party candidate has a history of posting shocking, bigoted comments online, it has been revealed. Marc Stanton, the party’s candidate in West Lancashire, has been outed for making a deeply offensive Facebook post like “having just watched the latest news about Gaza, I can’t say I am a fan of fanatical Islam, but I sure as hell am anti-Semitic now.” Read Here
Labour suspends campaign poster boy and ditch leaflet after string of anti-Semitic slurs
By Matt Dathan
LABOUR has suspended one of its election campaign poster boys and halted the publication of thousands of leaflets he was featured on after it was exposed he made anti-Semitic slurs. The party opened an investigation into Kierin Offlands, a Labour activist and a former local party official, over a series of tweets inciting hatred towards Jews and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany. Read Here
Man broke into Blackpool synagogue planning to ‘blow up’ building
By Blackpool Gazette
Andrew Prendergast, 47, broke into a Blackpool synagogue with a lump of concrete and smashed a window and a lock to get in. He left bloodstains throughout the building and damaged the alarm system. When asked by police why he targeted the synagogue, he said: “I wanted to blow them up… synagogue… blow it up. I am proud to be English and don’t want the Jews here.” Read Here
Jeremy Corbyn ally urged to quit safe seat race in ‘anti-Semitic’ tweet row
By Sophia Sleigh
Jeremy Corbyn ally Apsana Begum has already apologised for an anti-Semitic post that accused Saudi Arabia of being in thrall to “Zionist masters”. However, it has since emerged that she was also part of Tower Hamlets Momentum which posted an alleged anti-Semitic tweet about Jewish Tory councillor Peter Golds. The tweet showed Canary Wharf banking district with the headline: “For the many not Golds. Help Labour win Island Gardens.” Read Here
Labour suspends councillor over post calling video by ex KKK wizard ‘eye opener’
By MATHILDE FROT
A post was discovered on a senior Labour councillor’s Facebook timeline praising a video produced by former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke. Leicester City councillor Mustafa Malik has now been suspended pending an investigation. Duke’s video contains the anti-Semitic canard that the “Zionist Matrix of Power controls Media, Politics and Banking.” Read Here
Corbyn embraced speaker who claimed Zionism had made Jews “immoral”
By The Red Boar
Jeremy Corbyn stood on a stage in Trafalgar Square and listened while a speaker claimed Zionism had made Jews “immoral”, and then embraced him as he walked off. Corbyn also appeared to be present while another speaker told Palestinians to “explode in the faces” of Israelis and threatened “jihad, jihad, jihad until Palestine is free.” Read Here
Labour Party manifesto: ‘we’d ban selling arms to Israel’
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Britain’s Labour Party reiterated in an elections policy manifesto its intention to stop selling weapons to Israel if it comes to power.
The reference to Israel was in a document published detailing the party’s foreign and defense policies. Read Here
Fashion brand apologises over outfit resembling concentration camp uniform
By SANDY RASHTY
A luxury fashion brand has apologised after shoppers complained about an outfit selling for almost £1,500 that resembled the striped uniforms worn by concentration camp victims during the Holocaust. Spanish brand Loewe, which sells in Harrods and Selfridges, removed the black and white striped top and trousers set from its collection after people criticised the likeness. Read Here
Three Jewish children assaulted on bus in Clapton Common
By Aleks Phillips
Three Jewish children were attacked by a man on a 253 bus in Clapton Common. CCTV footage of the incident shows a man attacking Jews standing on the bus. Passengers then begin to exit the bus. Later, one person recovers another’s kippah from the bus. All three victims’ hats were thrown off, and one was punched in the eye. Read Here
Chief Rabbi: Corbyn ‘sanctioning a new poison’ in the Labour Party
By Jewish News Reporter
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis accused Jeremy Corbyn of “sanctioning a new poison” in the Labour party. Writing in The Times, Mirvis accused Corbyn of being “complicit in prejudice,” adding that Labour “can no longer claim to be the party of diversity, equality and anti-racism… This is the Labour Party in name only.” “The overwhelming majority of British Jews are gripped by anxiety” at the prospect of Corbyn becoming prime minister, and argued that the problem was one of culture, rather than process. Read Here
NO APOLOGY FROM JEREMY CORBYN OVER LABOUR ANTI-SEMITISM CLAIMS
By BBC
In a BBC interview with Andrew Neil, the Labour leader was asked four times whether he would like to apologize. Mr Corbyn said his government will protect “every community against the abuse they receive”. Following the interview, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary Nia Griffith said Mr Corbyn should apologize, adding: “We need to apologize to our colleagues in my own party who have been very upset and to the whole of the Jewish community.” Read Here
2. IN-DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY
German neo-Nazi, Green Parties celebrate EU’s punitive branding of Israeli products
BY BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
The German neo-Nazi party The Third Way and the Green Party welcomed the EU top court ruling that mandates Israeli products from the disputed territories must be branded with a label to show consumers that they were not produced in Israel proper. The Third Way “has been calling for years to boycott all products from the terrorist state of Israel,” declared an entry on the party’s website. Read Here
Memorial to deportation of Jews smeared in Munich
BY hallo-muenchen
Unknown culprits damaged a monument in Clemensstraße commemorating the deportation of the Jews in Munich. By attaching paint and removing stones, the memorial suffered material damage of several hundred euros. Read Here
Man pees on a picture of a concentration camp survivor in Weimar
By BILD
A man urinated on the image of a concentration camp survivor, kicked it and spit on it .The photograph of the former concentration camp prisoner Andrej Moisejenko (93) is part of the open-air exhibition “The Witnesses” in the city center, which is part of the Jewish Achava Festival of Weimar. Read Here
Nazi memorabilia sold at controversial auction in Germany
By DW
Several items belonging to leading Nazi figures went under the hammer at Hermann Historica in Munich. Adolf Hitler’s top hat was purchased for €50,000 while a silver-covered edition of Mein Kampf fetched €130,000. A cocktail dress belonging to Eva Braun also sold for twice the expected price, going for €4,600. Read Here
Extinction Rebellion founder told he is ‘not welcome’ in movement after Holocaust comments
By Chris Baynes
The co-founder of Extinction Rebellion has been denounced by his own movement after describing the Holocaust as “just another f***ery in human history”. Roger Hallam sparked anger in Germany with comments that appeared to downplay the Nazi genocide of six million Jewish people. Read Here
Israeli restaurant in Munich: window smashed
By Hüseyin Ince
Unknown assailants smashed the front window of the Jewish restaurant “Nana” near Rosenheimer Platz in Munich. Read Here
German union leader compares Israel to Nazi master race, forced to resign
By Benjamin Weinthal
A German labor leader in the city of Wiesbaden compared the Jewish state with Nazi Germany’s master race, prompting his resignation. Following the EU court ruling that Israeli products from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights must be labeled with a punitive demarcation, the trade union leader wrote on Facebook: “A good decision by the ECJ. The Zionist terror state confuses cause and effect: the only thing that discriminates is the occupation of the Palestinian territories in violation of international law and the expulsion of their inhabitants, so that the Jewish ‘master race’ can cultivate farming there!!!” Read Here
3. IN DEPTH: THIS WEEK’S NEWS ON ANTI-SEMITISM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST
Muslim Brotherhood founder was a Jew, says retired Egyptian general
By JNS
Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna was secretly a Jew, retired Egyptian General Fouad Fayoud said on Egyptian television. Fayoud said al-Banna lived in a neighborhood inhabited by Moroccan Jews, and had been known as “the watchmaker,” a profession Fayoud said was practiced exclusively by Jews at that time. Fayoud went on to claim that the Mossad had agents inside Egypt who were fomenting sectarian conflict. Read Here
4. IN DEPTH: OTHER WORLD NEWS
San Juan, Argenitna students Spread an anti-Semitic “parody” video
By Tiempo de San Juan
A video on Twitter produced by San Juan students raised a great controversy. The students modified the lyrics of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” song and added phrases alluding to the government regime of Adolf Hitler in Germany, they talk about “making soap” from Jews and stand as representatives of the “Aryan class”. They recreate between jokes the torture to which the Jews were subjected during the holocaust. Read Here
Nazi and anti-Semitic Slogans at 4th Elementary School of Ilioupoli
By dikaiologitika
Nazi and anti-Semitic Slogans praising the anniversary of the establishment of the Greek military junta in Greece were painted by unknown perpetrators on the walls of the 4th Elementary School of Ilioupolis in Greece.
Read Here
An anti-Semitic and anti-Roma joke in a Polish newspaper
By WTV
The “Flesh Mazowsza” newspaper, featured an anti-Semitic and anti-Roma joke in of its latest free editions. The joke printed in “Flesh” is based on reproducing stereotypes regarding the attitude of Jews and Roma to property and money. Read Here
’Things have only gotten worse’: French Jews are fleeing their country
By National Geographic
Facing record levels of anti-Semitism, many French Jews are joining an exodus to Israel. France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish population. Yet this historic community—dating back to the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, is in the midst of an existential crisis. 89% of Jewish students in France report experiencing anti-Semitic abuse. Those who’ve stayed say it’s only a matter of time before the next grisly headline. These days, many French Jews see a new form of hatred. This new anti-Semitism, they say, is deeply intertwined with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Read Here
Briançon, France: anti-Semitic inscriptions discovered on a sports hall
BY Justin MOUREZ
Yellow stars as well as Nazi flags were painted on the windows and facade of a gym in Briançon. The mayor of Briançon, Gérard Fromm, “condemns with the deepest indignation and the deepest disgust the anti-Semitic grafitti.” Read Here
Belgian Prosecutors Step Back From Legal Action Against Soccer Fans Who Chanted ‘Jews Burn Best’
BY Ben Cohen
Public prosecutors in Belgium announced that they backed away from legal action against four soccer fans who were caught on film chanting a violently anti-Semitic song. The four fans of the FC Brugge soccer club were recorded singing the offensive chant in the team’s stadium. The fans chanted: “My father was in the commandos/My mother was in the SS/Together they burned the Jews/Because the Jews burn best.” Read Here
Former Dutch soccer star in trouble over Nazi quip
By AFP
Man shouts ‘Heil Hitler’ at rabbis in a Geneva synagogue
By Kobi Nachshoni
A man passing by the old “Beit Yaakov” synagogue in Geneva, shouted Heil Hitler at a group of rabbis in the synagogue’s yard. The man, who is believed to be an extreme right-wing activist, was blocked by the synagogue’s security. The event took place near Switzerland’s oldest synagogue, where the heads of the Conference of European Rabbis were holding their biannual meeting. Read Here
Lithuania places popular far-right symbol on coin celebrating Jewish heritage
By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
Lithuania announced it would celebrate Jewish heritage with a special coin, which some critics say features a symbol associated with far-right admirers of Holocaust perpetrators. The 10-euro coin celebrates 2020’s labeling in Lithuania as the Year of the Gaon of Vilna and Jewish Heritage and marks 300 years since the birth of the country’s storied Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman. The coin features a menorah atop a local symbol known as the Columns of Gediminas, commemorating a 13th-century ruler. Together, the two shapes form what the local Jewish community now calls “the Litvak sign.” In recent years it has been weaponized as a symbol beloved by the anti-Semitic far right. Read Here
Russian bank sends client promotional code containing the phrase ‘kill Jews’
BY CNAAN LIPHSHIZ
A Russian state-owned bank sent to one of its clients a promotional code that contained the phrase “Kill Jews.” Artem Chapaev, a former creative consultant at Amnesty International, posted on Twitter a screenshot of the password, which he received as a text to his smartphone from Sberbank. Read Here
Jewish writer Sholom Aleichem statue in Kiev defaced with swastikas
By ROSSELLA TERCATIN
A statue of prominent Yiddish writer Sholom Aleichem in Kiev was found defaced by swastikas. “This antisemitic vandalism was committed at night, in the city center, near a synagogue. The swastikas were sprayed using paint. This is not just random vandalism, in my opinion, but a premeditated act.” Read Here
‘Dripping in the blood of six million Jews’: Nazi memorabilia pulled from Richmond, British Columbia auction
BY ESPE CURRIE AND RIA RENOUF
Nazi memorabilia has been pulled from an auction in Richmond after the sale was condemned by Jewish advocacy group. Saying the items are “dripping in the blood of six million Jews,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs had called for a stop to an auction. The firearms and militaria auction, had included a red Nazi flag. It’s listed as a “World War II German Flag” with an estimated value of $150 to $250. Read Here
Shoppers horrified by Nazi uniforms in Australia
By AJN STAFF
Jewish leaders have warned of a growing “disconnect” with the Holocaust after a group of shoppers at a Victorian supermarket were seen entering the store dressed in Nazi uniforms. The incident occurred at a Coles store in the Victorian town of Woodend when two men and two women browsed the supermarket wearing uniforms that included swastika armbands and the imperial eagle. Read Here
‘We are deeply disappointed’
BY REBECCA DAVIS
Parents of young Jewish students who suffered anti-Semitic bullying have been left “deeply disappointed” by a government review into the scourge, stating that “nothing addresses the actual application of safety plans in schools.” Read Here
ON CAMPUS
(20 Articles)
1. ISU PD says those posting racist signs, symbols on campus are ‘cowards’
By KCCI
Iowa State University officials are investigating more racist incidents on campus. “When somebody confronts them, they take off running,” said Chief Michael Newton, Iowa State University police. “They’re little cowards.” ISU President Wendy Wintersteen says police got a report of a swastika etched on a residence hall door this week. Read Here
2. Two Argentine professors condemned for promoting anti-Semitism
By JTA
The leadership of the University of Cuyo, located in Argentina’s northwest, published a resolution that called the professors “discriminatory and promoters of anti-Semitism.” The resolution comes after a yearlong investigation of Julio Alejandro Neme Dorah and Silvia Sassola.
Read Here
3. UGA investigating swastikas drawn in campus buildings
By Eric Stirgus
University of Georgia officials continued an investigation into who drew swastikas on message boards in two residence halls on its Athens campus. “I am appalled by such offensive and outrageous displays of hate,” UGA President Jere Morehead wrote in a message to students, faculty and employees. “Let me be clear: this type of behavior has no place on our campus.” Read Here
4. Anti-Semitism on the college campus
By Ysabela Golden
To combat anti-Semitism and strengthen campus education on the subject, Grand Valley State University student Bella Rosenberg hosted the event “Campus Inclusion: Anti-Semitism.” Her presentation, which included discussion of personal experiences with anti-Semitism from fellow students, addressed the history of anti-Semitism and how communities can fight proactively against it. Read Here
5. As campus anti-Semitism morphs, bullied Jewish students counter-organize
By Cathryn J. Prince
A 42% drop in classic acts of bigotry at universities in 2018 is offset by a 70% rise in anti-Israel related harassment. “The result is Jewish students shying away from Jewish life on campus, or feeling afraid of showing they’re Jewish. Jewish students are also afraid of joining clubs on campus because they worry about being singled out,” said David Goldenberg, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest office. Read Here
6. GWU Students Pass Anti-Semitism Resolution, Strike Out Some Language on Israel
By Algemeiner Staff
Student leaders at George Washington University in Washington, DC, called for action against anti-Semitism on their campus in a motion, though some Jewish students say the measure failed to include vital language. The Student Association Senate resolution was adopted with a vote of 32 to 0, with four abstentions. Most of the contention surrounded the resolution’s assertion that calling “the existence of a State of Israel … a racist endeavor” is anti-Semitic — a stance supported by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism. Read Here
7. Dozens of University of Toronto Faculty Call Out ‘Antisemitic BDS Movement,’ Urge Adoption of IHRA Definition
By Shiri Moshe
Dozens of University of Toronto faculty members urged President Meric Gertler to root out anti-Semitism on their campus, which they warned had worsened after a student union formally backed the BDS campaign. They urged the university to condemn and investigate the GSU to determine whether anti-Semitism informs its policies, cooperate with Jewish groups to secure kosher food access, and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which has been endorsed by the Canadian government. Read Here
8. I’m Thankful I Fought the National SJP Conference
By Justin Feldman
The National SJP Conference was happening on my campus — just five months after SJP students violently disrupted our joint Kurdish, Armenian, and Israeli panel event — it was a nasty, but hopeful wake-up call. Nasty, because of the history of harassment SJP has perpetrated against Jewish students and allies, and hopeful, because of the unique opportunity to break the complacency of my Jewish community. Read Here
9. Syracuse Agrees to Activist Demands After Fiery Protest
By Sam Gelfand
Anger over a string of racist and anti-Semitic incidents at Syracuse University reached fever pitch when student activists insisting the school agree to a list of demands stormed out of a forum with the chancellor, shouting “Sign or resign!” Read Here
10. University of Florida dealing with accusations of racism & Anti-Semitism on campus
By Calvin Long
According to a University of Florida statement, protesters interrupted a talk and yelled “nazi” and “war criminal” at a visiting Israeli defense force member. Read Here
11. A Syrian refugee’s view of the unrest at York University
By Aboud Dandachi
I was astonished at the number of police officers and private security guards required to keep the angry crowd away from those inside the auditorium. The effect on the mostly Jewish attendees of the event was understandable. Rather than talk about the planned topic, the event turned into an anguished discussion on how unsafe the attendees felt as Jews. They felt singled out. They were made to feel unsafe in their own city because of who they are. It was the very thing I had prayed I would never be made to feel in Canada. Read Here
12. Racist, Anti-Semitic, homophobic slurs, symbols found on Knox Hall bathroom stall at University of Buffalo
By Brenton J. Blanchet
Students are concerned following racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic slurs and symbols found on a Knox Hall bathroom stall at the University of Buffalo. Read Here
13. Month of anti-Israel activity at ASU sparks debate
By Ellen O’Brien
The Undergraduate Student Government at Arizona State University is to debate a planned resolution in favor of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. The meeting comes after a month of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents on campus. Read Here
14. Court rules against Ontario’s student fee opt-out provision
By Paul Lungen
An Ontario court struck down the provincial government’s Student Choice Initiative, which made the payment of “ancillary” student fees optional, ruing that the policy goes beyond the province’s jurisdiction. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice found that universities and their respective student associations are autonomous organizations that have the ability to negotiate the collection of fees from students. The League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada intervened in the case in support of the policy, arguing that students should have the freedom “to decide not to support their student associations,” after fees were used in support of the BDS movement. Read Here
15. U Albany Democrats roiled over anti-Israel statement in snow
By Mike Goodwin
Student Democrats at the University at Albany condemned the actions of one of its members after an anti-Israel statement was stomped in the snow at the institution’s Podium. The message, “F**k Israel,” was scraped away soon after campus officials learned of it. Read Here
16. Africa’s top university nixes motion to boycott Israel
By Ilanit Chernick
Africa’s leading university, the University of Cape Town (UCT), has rescinded a motion for a full academic boycott of Israel. Read Here
17. I’m a queer Jew of color. Woke college students tried to shut me down at Vassar.
By Hen Mazzig
Being an openly gay Israeli Jew of color, I’m used to my identity and message being the target of Neo-Nazis, radical Islamists, homophobes, and racists online. What I did not anticipate was for dozens of students at Vassar College to protest my appearance on campus by yelling anti-Semitic chants, all in the name of intersectionality, progressivism and Palestinian liberation. Roughly 30 students completely shut me down by shouting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Hearing this slogan pained me deeply. They were repeating an anti-Semitic phrase that dispossesses me of my identity and endangers my safety. Read Here
18. Columbia Student Government Votes to Hold Campus Referendum on Divestment
By Aaron Bandler
Columbia University’s College Student Council (CCSC) voted to have a campus vote on a referendum calling on the university to divest from companies that conduct business with Israel. Read Here
19. Oberlin College Students Erect Memorial to Palestinian Islamic Jihad Terrorists
By Algemeiner Staff
Oberlin College Students Erect Memorial to Palestinian Islamic Jihad Terrorists By Algemeiner Staff Anti-Zionist students at Oberlin College in Ohio erected a memorial last week commemorating the death of multiple Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists. Oberlin Students for a Free Palestine shared in a Facebook post that it had installed a display in “commemoration of the 34 Palestinians killed by Israeli rocket fire this last week” in Wilder Bowl, a central outdoor space on campus where students often congregate. Read Here
20. UNC Chancellor: Campus must be environment ‘free from Anti-Semitism’
By Jonah Kaplan
Interim UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz followed through on his commitments to federal education officials by sending a campus-wide announcement condemning Anti-Semitism. In a message addressed to the “Carolina Community,” Guskiewicz said: “I reaffirm the University’s commitment to creating a place where every member of our community feels safe and respected and can thrive in an environment free from anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination and harassment.” Read Here
ANALYSIS
(8 Pieces)
1. Shimon Samuels: Anti-Semitism ‘opens door’ to ‘all forms of bigotry’
By Carly Graf
Just over four months ago, Argentina marked the 25th anniversary of the AMIA Jewish community centre bombing. According to a preliminary report by the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations (DAIA), anti-Semitic acts increased by 500 percent in 2018, with over 2,000 incidents reported. Many of these attacks are now taking place online, a trend that’s true worldwide, making them harder to identify or control. Read Here
2. Time to rekindle the tradition of mutual support
By Paul Packer and Kiron Skinner
There is much more Jews and African-Americans can do to stand together as a united front. Our two groups have a long history of supporting one another during the most trying times, and this moment in history demands a commensurate commitment. It demands a higher level of service from all of us in the name of rejecting hate and combating racial, ethnic and religious intolerance. It’s time for Jews and African-Americans to renew our proud tradition of mutual support that sustained our peoples through some of history’s greatest challenges. By joining forces, championing each other, and leveraging our combined power to speak and stand up for what’s right, we will ensure that future generations enjoy a world free of bigotry and persecution. Read Here
3. White nationalists are openly operating on Facebook. The company won’t act
By Julia Carrie Wong
A Guardian analysis found longstanding Facebook pages for VDare, a white nationalist website focused on opposition to immigration; the Affirmative Right, a rebranding of Richard Spencer’s blog Alternative Right, which helped launch the “alt-right” movement; and American Free Press, a newsletter founded by the white supremacist Willis Carto, in addition to multiple pages associated with Red Ice TV. Also operating openly on the platform are two Holocaust denial organizations, the Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust and the Institute for Historical Review. Read Here
4. Life was good for the Jews of this New York suburb. Then a schoolteacher was stabbed
By Ben Sales
In the street where a man was stabbed to within an inch of his life, yellow buses waited to ferry young children to elementary school. Steps away from where his blood had splattered on the asphalt, young men shuffled in and out of a synagogue for morning prayers. On sidewalks now being monitored by a police vehicle, parents pushed their young children in strollers through this pastoral upstate suburb. Read Here
5. Despite new push, doubt lingers about ADL’s ability to fight Anti-Semitism in Brooklyn
By Shiryn Ghermezian
Despite the expansion of its education program, the ADL has been criticized for its approach to fighting anti-Semitism, especially in New York. Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, a leader in Crown Heights, found fault with the ADL’s national leadership. While commending the local leadership in New York for not politicizing the issue of anti-Semitism and being “honest, direct and responsive” about its source, he said about ADL’s national leaders: “I think they’re blaming everything on the alt-right, when in truth in Brooklyn the anti-Semitism is coming from the left.” Read Here
6. New York Times Tries Explaining Away British Labour’s Anti-Semitism
By Ira Stoll
The Times reports that British Jews “flinch at handing power to Mr. Corbyn, seen by many as the only person who can stop Brexit, pained as they are by an avalanche of anti-Semitism accusations against the party.” That’s an odd formulation; it’s not the accusations that are causing the pain but the anti-Semitism. Read Here
7. What the left doesn’t want to mention about New York City hate crimes
By Robert Cherry
Over the last 12 months, there were 246 anti-Semitic crimes in the Big Apple, up from 144 over the previous 12 months. These attacks brutally target Orthodox Jews, often in broad daylight. Yet there is little pressure on the NYPD from activists who are normally quick to denounce hate crimes and bigotry. What explains this silence? The perpetrators have been disproportionately black. Read Here
8. Jewish Perceptions of European Anti-Semitism Are Worryingly Precise
By Ben Cohen
Critically, both the EU survey of Jews and the ADL survey of non-Jews underline the distribution of anti-Semitic attitudes on the extremes of left and right, as well as across different religious and ethnic communities. What the ADL survey also showed is that whether the manifestation of anti-Semitism is greater on the left or on the right, the underlying animus—Jewish wealth, Jewish disloyalty, Jewish tribalism—is the same for both. Read Here
STUDIES AND STATISTICS
(2 Pieces)
1. Anti-Semitic incidents in Australia: a slight change but a major increase in serious incidents
By J-Wire
The ECAJ annual Report on Anti-Semitism in Australia was released revealing a 30% spike in serious incidents involving verbal abuse, harassment and intimidation. There were 368 recorded anti-Semitic incidents in Australia during the year ending 30 September 2019, according to the annual Report on Anti-Semitism in Australia, published by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. The total figure consists of 225 attacks and 143 threats.
Read Here
2. Roughly one-quarter of Europeans are anti-Semites, according to new ADL poll
By JNS
Approximately one in four Europeans holds anti-Semitic views, according to a global 2019 poll released by the Anti-Defamation League. The results were particularly alarming with regard to Eastern and Central Europe, where the study found a significant increase in anti-Semitic beliefs linked to old tropes such as Jews controlling business and finance, and having “dual loyalty.” In Western Europe, levels of anti-Semitism have remained more consistent, according to the study. Read Here
FEATURED PARTNER
Combat Anti-Semitism is proud to be a partner of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a global human rights organization researching the Holocaust and hate in a historic and contemporary context. Learn more about their important work in the video below.
1. SWC Commends Argentina’s Cuyo University for its Adoption of IHRA Anti-Semitism Definition
By Centro Simon Wiesenthal
The University of Cuyo, Mendoza, adopted the IHRA Working Definition of Anti-Semitism, aimed at resolving past racist abuses on its campus.Through an open letter to the Rector of the National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, the Wiesenthal Centre reported that a professor and a journalist were allegedly preparing campus based anti-Semitic activities. The Rector decided to order an investigation, and the Wiesenthal Center was requested to provide the background on which the complaint was based. The presentation stated that the reported behavior was to be found in the “Working Definition of Anti-Semitism”, of IHRA by consensus of its 31 member countries, including Argentina. Read Here
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a global human rights organization researching the Holocaust and hate in a historic and contemporary context. The Center confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, promotes human rights and dignity, stands with Israel, defends the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. With a constituency of over 400,000 households in the United States, it is accredited as an NGO at international organizations including the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE, Organization of American States (OAS), the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO) and the Council of Europe. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Simon Wiesenthal Center maintains offices in New York, Toronto, Miami, Chicago, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Jerusalem.
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.
(13 Pieces)
1. Trudeau Condemns Protests of Pro-Israel Event at York University
By Aaron Bandler
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the protests that occurred during a pro-Israel event at York University. 600 protesters chanted “Viva viva Intifada” and violence also occurred during the protests. Trudeau said, “violence & racist chants broke out against an event organized by the Jewish community at York University. What happened that night was shocking and absolutely unacceptable. Anti-Semitism has no place in Canada. We will always denounce it & all forms of hatred.” Read Here
2. Amb. Dermer, Elan Carr, discuss anti-Zionism vs. anti-Semitism
By OMRI NAHMIAS
The Israeli Embassy in Washington hosted a symposium titled “Anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.” The American Zionist Movement, the World Zionist Organization and the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement hosted the event. Israel’s Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer said that Israel as a sovereign nation has the power to fight back against anti-Semitism. Elan Carr, the US’s Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism, said that contrary to what some anti-Zionist activists say, Zionism was created long before 1948 and can be traced back to the Torah and is “as old as the Jewish people.” Read Here
3. Packer: No daylight in fight against anti-Semitism
By ILANIT CHERNICK
US President Donald Trump has made it clear that “when it comes to Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism, the same way there is no daylight between the US and Israel when it comes to military defense and intelligence, there is no daylight between the US and Israel with the words ‘never again,’ said Paul Packer, chairman of the US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad. “The Holocaust will never happen again. We are here to make sure of that.” Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference on a panel discussing the rise of anti-Semitism in the world, Packer said that with “anti-Semitism popping up everywhere, this commission is busier than we’ve ever been before, adding that his commission has partnered to bring youth to revive synagogues and gravestones in some of the aged Jewish communities. Read Here
4. Never Is Now 2019 | Global Approaches to Fighting Anti-Semitism – Elan Carr
By ADL
Elan Carr, U.S. Special Envoy To Monitor And Combat Anti-Semitism addressed the Anti-Defamation League 2019 “Never is Now” Summit on anti-Semitism in New York City. Watch Special Envoy Carr’s address on anti-Semitism across the world below. Watch Here
5. House Amendment Passes to Boost Security at Synagogues, Other Houses of Worship
By JNS
An amendment to enhance security at synagogues and other houses of worship was added to a bill that passed the US House of Representatives to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act for seven years. The tally of the bill was 385-22. Read Here
6. Angela Merkel to visit Auschwitz
By DW
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay a visit to the former Nazi concentration camps in Auschwitz on December 6. Merkel accepted an invitation to participate in the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation. Merkel is expected to participate in a ceremony and visit the site’s main death camp. Merkel will become the third post-war German chancellor to visit the former concentration camp. Read Here
7. ‘True leadership shines bright’: Australia PM’s Israel honour
By AJN STAFF
AUSTRALIA’S commitment to Israel “remains as firm today as it was 70 years ago if not even stronger”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in Sydney as he accepted the Zionist Federation of Australia’s Jerusalem Prize. Morrison blasted the United Nations for allowing anti-Semitism to “seep into its deliberations – all under the language of human rights”. The Prime Minister also condemned the rise of anti-Semitism across Australia, noting, “We can’t pretend it is not happening here – it is.” Read Here
8. Dutch parliament curbs aid to PA over its support of terrorism
By Ariel Kahana
The Dutch parliament has voted to curb the county’s aid to the Palestinian Authority, citing the PA’s policy of paying convicted terrorists and their families. Dutch lawmakers explained that they oppose the payments because they know that some of the funds are used to pay terrorists and their families as part of Ramallah’s “pay to slay” practice. Read Here
9. Top European body passes resolution to preserve Jewish heritage
By STEPHEN ORYSZCZUK
The Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a far-reaching resolution to preserve Jewish heritage across the continent. The resolution passed following a report by Swiss parliamentarian Raphael Comte, which argued that Jewish cultural heritage “forms an integral part of the shared cultural heritage in Europe and therefore requires a common responsibility to preserve it”. It sets in motion a process to develop guidance for the protection and preservation of Jewish heritage sites alongside educational programmes on the value of Jewish cultural heritage, to include schools, universities and museums. Read Here
10. Conservative manifesto pledges ban on council Israel boycotts
By Lee Harpin
The Conservative party in the UK has vowed to ban local councils from boycotting products from Israel. A pledge in their election manifesto says: “We will ban public bodies from imposing their own direct or indirect boycotts, disinvestment or sanctions campaigns against foreign countries. These undermine community cohesion.” This would end local council power to dictate foreign policy agendas that are funded by taxpayers. Read Here
11. Herzog: Next deadly anti-Semitic attack may be around the corner
By Arutz Sheva Staff
Chairman of The Jewish Agency Isaac Herzog warned that the next deadly anti-Semitic attack be around the corner. Herzog laid out the The Jewish Agency’s three-tier approach to combat anti-Semtism. The first is increasing physical security to Jewish communities worldwide, advocacy for legislation when it comes to anti-Semitism, and a call for governments to appoint an official in local communities specifically geared to combat anti-Semitism. And lastly, a focus on educational initiatives. Read Here
12. New NYPD Commissioner Meets With Jewish Community As Fears Of Hate Crimes Grow
By PETER HASKELL
The new NYPD commissioner was in Brooklyn to meet with well-known leaders in the Orthodox Jewish community. Dermot Shea, the current chief of detectives for the NYPD, was not widely known in the Jewish community when he was appointed the new police commissioner earlier this month. With the surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York City, Jewish residents were worried about what Commissioner Shea could do to quell their fears. Read Here
13. NY to teach police how to recognize hate crimes amid rise in anti-Semitism
By Ben Sales
New York state police officers must be trained in how to recognize and respond to hate crimes under a new law.The bill comes as and anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise in New York City. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure. The bill instructs the state Division of Human Rights and Hate Crimes Task Force to develop procedures for training law enforcement to handle hate crimes. It does not detail exactly what the training will entail. Read Here
HUMANITY
(9 Pieces)
1. A Groundbreaking Arab Initiative to Repudiate BDS
By JENNI FRAZER
In a groundbreaking event in London, 30 public figures from 15 countries in the Arab world came together to repudiate the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS) against Israel and to call for direct civil relations between the Jewish state and their respective societies. The participants came from all over the Arab world, and were young and old, men and women, diplomats, media and arts personalities, often at odds with the leadership of their states but taking a nuanced and independent route to talking about the resolution of the Arab-Israel conflict. Read Here
2. Church of England report admits Christian anti-Semitism helped lead to Holocaust
By ROBERT PHILPOT
The Church of England admitted that centuries of Christian anti-Semitism helped lead to the Holocaust. In a major report that was three years in the making, England’s established church cited “the attribution of collective guilt to the Jewish people for the death of Christ and the consequent interpretation of their suffering as collective punishment sent by God” as being among the ideas that “contributed to fostering the passive acquiescence if not positive support of many Christians in actions that led to the Holocaust.” Read Here
3. Church of England appears to back chief rabbi’s stand against Labour
By TOI Staff
The Church of England expressed support for the Jewish community amid worries of rising anti-Semitism, after the country’s chief rabbi took a stand against the Labour party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn ahead of next month’s general election. A statement by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby warned of a “deep sense of insecurity and fear felt by many British Jews.” Read Here
4. Chelsea stars Cesar Azpilicueta and Petr Cech show support for Holocaust exhibit
By MATHILDE FROT
Chelsea FC stars Cesar Azpilicueta and Petr Cech and survivor Zigi Shipper showed support for a new Holocaust collection opening to the public at the Imperial War Museum in 2021. The two athletes together with club chairman Bruce Buck listened to Shipper share his testimony at a private event held at the museum. “We as a club are very proud to be involved in events like tonight. We are very involved in the Say No To Anti-Semitism campaign and hopefully we can make a difference,” the club captain said. Read Here
5. Beverly Hills City Council Passes Resolution Condemning European Union’s ‘Discriminatory’ Ruling
By Beverly HIlls Courier
The Beverly Hills City Council unanimously approved a resolution opposing the Nov. 12 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which requires EU countries to identify food products made in Israeli settlements on the product’s label. “This is no different than any other act of anti-semitic behavior,” said Councilman Julian Gold, underscoring that the labeling was in effect a boycott. “We find this behavior abhorrent and we will continue to point it out and call people to task who participate in it. Read Here
6. Eli Beer Serving Falafel To Help The Store of an EMT Injured In The Line of Duty
By United Hatzalah
United Hatzalah Founder and President Eli Beer, joined the dozens of volunteers from the organization who came to help at Tal Cooperstein’s falafel store in Bat Yam after Tal was seriously injured in an ambucycle accident while rushing to perform CPR on an unconscious person. He was the sole breadwinner of his family and ran a falafel shop called Harel Falafel. Volunteers from around the country signed up to staff the falafel shop for a few hours each day until Tal recuperates enough to get back on his feet. Watch Here
7. Lebanese businessman to give Hitler hat to Israeli foundation
By France 24
A Lebanese businessman has decided to donate Adolf Hitler’s top hat and other objects linked to the Nazi leader to an Israeli foundation in order to keep the items out of the hands of neo-fascists. Abdallah Chatila, who has made a fortune in Geneva said that he had “wished to buy these objects so that they could not be used for the purpose of neo-Nazi propaganda. Chatila scooped up as many other Hitler-related articles as he could at the auction and has donated them to the Keren Hayesod association. European Jewish Association head, rabbi Menachem Margolin, said he was “bowled over” by the gestures from the businessman. “In a cynical world, a real act of kindness, generosity and solidarity,” he said. Read Here
8. Jewish dad reunites with Muslim woman who confronted his children’s abuser
By MATHILDE FROT
Asma Shuweikh, 36, a brave Muslim woman who came to the defence of Jewish children subjected to racial abuse on the London underground in a viral video has met the dad whose family she stood up for. “I’m a mother and I thought if I were with my children, I would want someone to intervene, and the poor man was trying to keep calm for his children,” she added. The father said he was “extremely grateful” to Shuweikh for stepping in. “We are certain that without her intervention and distraction, he would have continued his abuse which could have escalated to physical violence.” The dad met Shuweikh for coffee, bearing flowers and thanking her for her intervention. Read Here
9. Genesis Prize Foundation, Robert Kraft announce ‘Speak Out for Israel’
By ALAN ROSENBAUM
The Genesis Prize Foundation and 2019 Genesis Prize Laureate Robert Kraft announce the launch of “Speak Out for Israel” – an international campaign designed to help combat the global rise of anti-Semitism and attempts to delegitimize the Jewish State. The Genesis Prize Foundation and Kraft will award $1 million in grants to Israeli nonprofit organizations capable of delivering innovative responses to the challenges of anti-Semitism. Read Here
OVER 150,000 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.”
