CAM Coalition Spotlight: Confronting Antisemitism of the Past and Present

Antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of hatred, and with reports of antisemitic incidents rising, it sadly is not going away anytime soon. This week, the CAM partner coalition wrote articles and participated in events that address antisemitism as it exists today. Additionally, the coalition is planning upcoming events about the Holocaust, how it is remembered, and its continued effect on Jews to this day.  

Here is a sampling of how the coalition has made a difference this week:

Spotlight

JIMENA: Earlier this week, the 1st National Cohort of the Sephardic Leaders Fellowship met for the first time. The cohort will meet bimonthly to learn from top Mizrahi and Sephardic leaders, scholars, activists, and rabbis from around the world. 

Read more here.

Upcoming Events

Arolsen Archives: Join the Arolsen Archives on Monday, August 29th, at 9 PM CEST for “#LastSeen: Searching for Unknown Pictures of Nazi Deportations.” The event will feature a presentation by Project Manager Dr. Alina Bothe in which she will speak about the mission of #LastSeen and how viewers can get involved. 

Read more and RSVP here. 

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME): Join SPME on Wednesday, September 7th, from 10:15 AM to 11:15 AM PDT, for “Artists Under Fire: The BDS War against Celebrities, Jews, and Israel.” Lana Melman, CEO of Liberate Art Inc., who has been a leading expert fighting the cultural boycott campaign against Israel, will speak about her new book, “Artists Under Fire: The BDS War against Celebrities, Jews, and Israel.”

Read more and RSVP here. 

Partner Achievements 

Australian Jewish Association (AJA): Recently, Robert Gregory, the Director of Public Affairs at AJA, wrote an article for Social Blueprint Inc about the many faces of antisemitism and how we can turn the tide. He wrote about the importance of having difficult conversations and why Australia should adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. 

Read more here. 

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations: On August 18th, the Conference of Presidents issued a statement praising the resumption of diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey. The conference noted that they look forward to continued engagement to improve regional stability.

Read more here.  

J’accuse: In early August, Jules Kragen, the acting Executive Director of the J’accuse, was the victim of antisemitic vandalism when a swastika was carved into his car. He saw the incident as an opportunity to speak out because he believes education is a crucial component of fighting antisemitism. 

Read more here.

The Brandeis Center: On Sunday the 21st, CNN anchor Dana Bash spoke with Brandeis Center President Alyza D. Lewin about Jewish identity as part of the “Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America” special. In addition to President Lewin, Cassie Blotner spoke with Bash about the antisemitic harassment and discrimination she suffered as a student at SUNY New Paltz. Her experience is part of a complaint to the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights filed by the Brandeis Center.

Read more here. 

Recommended Readings and Viewings

Proclaiming Justice to The Nations: The latest episode of the Proclaiming Justice Podcast is out now! Rabbi Shalom Denbo, the author of the Seven Traits,  joined the podcast to discuss what he considers the keys to unlocking our full potential as human beings.  

Listen here. 

European Jewish Congress (EJC): On August 22nd, the EJC published an article discussing the claim made in January that researchers had uncovered who betrayed Anne Frank. The article covers how the claim was based on ignorance and mistranslations. One piece of misinformation was that Arnold van den Bergh knew SS officials when those same officials testified in the 1960s that they had never heard his name. 

Read more here. 

AIPAC: On Friday, AIPAC posted a new video on their YouTube titled, “Standing with Pro-Israel Friends, Helping Defeat Anti-Israel Detractors.” The video covers their endorsement of Glenn Ivey (D-MD), a candidate for U.S. House, and the importance of supporting politicians that endeavor to strengthen the United States and Israel relations. 

Watch here.