The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) publishes a regular feature highlighting “good news” in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred.
Here are five such stories from April 2023:
The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) ruled that the University of Vermont (UVM) failed to respond to numerous complaints of antisemitism and anti-Zionist harassment and discrimination. The announcement marks the first time the Biden administration has resolved a complaint of campus antisemitism and the first time ever that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act has been applied to anti-Zionist discrimination.
US Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Boost Holocaust Education in Public Schools
The Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act submitted by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK) directs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a first-of-its-kind study on Holocaust education and resources nationwide in order to identify ways it can be improved so schools can be better equipped to teach about the issue and about antisemitism more broadly.
Visitors to the Metropolitan Cultural Center in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito in mid-April were able to view a traveling art exhibit with powerful message against all forms of antisemitic prejudice.
The “No Discriminarás” display — created by Argentine artist Adrián Franco, known as “Pati,” and sponsored by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) — featured a set of sketched vignettes portraying different manifestations of contemporary Jew-hatred — ranging from negative stereotyping of Jews to Holocaust denial — based on the the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism’s 11 examples.
After Initial Inaction, Etsy Removes Antisemitic Review Left on Jewish Artist’s Page
Sonia Gordon-Walinsky is a Philadelphia-based Judaic artist and educator who creates calligraphy pieces with both paper and clay. Several months ago, Gordon-Walinsky was shocked to receive a disturbing negative review on her Etsy page from a customer who had ordered a Rosh Hashanah greeting card. Sonia reached out to Etsy’s Trust and Safety Team, which initially declined to remove the comment.
She then contacted CAM for help. After CAM published a video testimony in which Sonia shared her personal experience with antisemitism, several social media users called out Etsy for its failure to take action. Ultimately, Etsy changed course.
US President Joe Biden: To Fight Antisemitism, We Must Remember, Speak Out and Act
In a CNN oped, U.S. President Joe Biden announced his administration would be releasing a first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. “As we celebrate Passover, let us reflect that like the four children in the Haggadah, despite our differences we sit at the same table, as one people, one nation, one America,” he wrote. “Let us join hands across faiths, races, and backgrounds to make clear that evil will not win; hate will not prevail; and antisemitism will not be the story of our time.”
As we celebrate Passover, let’s remember that despite our differences we sit at the same table.
As one people.
One nation.
One America.Let us join hands across faiths, races, and backgrounds to make clear that evil will not win.
Antisemitism will not be the story of our time.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 5, 2023
