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 May 2023:
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives announced they were introducing concurrent resolutions (the full text of which can be read here) honoring the accomplishments of Jewish Americans and calling out antisemitism in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month.
Meanwhile, JAHM was officially recognized by dozens of state and municipal authorities across the country. In Richmond, Virginia, for example, Mayor Levar Stoney held a celebratory JAHM ceremony at City Hall, organized in collaboration with CAM and the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond (JCFR), where he declared, “Today I am proud to proclaim May as Jewish American Heritage Month in Richmond, Virginia. As we’ve seen in the news and in our own backyards, antisemitism has been rising at an alarming rate across the United States. The growth and spread of this hatred are threats not just to Jewish people, but to all who value human dignity, inclusion, and compassion.”
“So, with that said,” Mayor Stoney added, “the recognition and celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month gives us the opportunity to offer hope and positivity as we celebrate the vibrant heritage of Jewish Americans whose lives and communities have enriched our cities and nation.”
On Wednesday, Richmond Mayor @LevarStoney officially declared May as Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) during a celebratory ceremony held at City Hall in collaboration with @JCRCRichmond and the @CombatASemitism Movement.
More details 👉 https://t.co/NMXfENJAcy pic.twitter.com/cot7W2kkFF
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) May 18, 2023
Additional cities and states where CAM was active in promoting JAHM included New York City, Palm Springs, Virginia, Oklahoma, Palm Beach County, Wichita, Rockford, and Highland Park, among others.
Latin American Parliament Adopts IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism
The Latin American Parliament, known as the “Parlatino,” adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism.
The declaration described the definition as “an active way of combating hate speech” and “a tribute to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust,” as well as a means to “act specifically against antisemitism in our days and on all other forms of discrimination.”
This week, the Latin American Parliament, which brings together congress members from 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, adopted @TheIHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. This is a significant step in the fight against global Jew-hatred.https://t.co/ekTGLJpM8X pic.twitter.com/IORX50Lw0V
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) May 19, 2023
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, the Parlatino — which has 23 member states from across Latin America and the Caribbean — hosted last September the second annual Central America-Israel Forum, organized by CAM.
US, Germany Announce Progress in Initiative to Boost Holocaust Education
The United States and Germany announced that their governments had made significant progress in their joint initiative to boost Holocaust education, combat Holocaust denial, and counter the so-called rehabilitation of those who took part in Holocaust crimes.
The joint dialogue launched in 2021 by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-German Foreign Minister Haiku Maas, with participation from the U.S. State Department, the German Federal Foreign Office, the German Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The U.S.-Germany Dialogue on Holocaust Issues promotes accurate education and training for professionals, confronts denial of the Holocaust, and counters ‘rehabilitation’ of known Nazi collaborators. https://t.co/ucRdVQDD1Y
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) May 3, 2023
Mayor Eric Adams Decries Rising Jew-Hatred at CAM’s ‘New York Symposium Against Antisemitism’
CAM hosted a gathering of more than 55 partner organization representatives and community leaders and activists at the “New York Symposium Against Antisemitism ” in Manhattan. Notable speakers included New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Executive Director of the New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Hassan Naveed, CAM Advisory Board Chair and human rights icon Natan Sharansky, and former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Elan Carr, among others.
In his remarks at the event, Mayor Adams said, “Some of our greatest legal minds need to come together and sue the social media companies that are destroying our communities and our cities and feeding our children the hate and despair they’re witnessing.”
Today we’re gathered in New York with representatives from more than 55 partner organizations to discuss the importance of interfaith partnerships, social media, digital diplomacy and grassroots engagement in the fight against antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/bjUcJ0zi6n
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) May 23, 2023
Representatives of CAM traveled to the city of Porto, Portugal, to participate in the annual policy conference of the European Jewish Association (EJA).
The two-day event — held under the banner of “Shaping the Future of European Jewry Together” — was hosted by the Jewish Community of Porto.
“We are one community undivided by borders,” said EJA Chairman and Founder Rabbi Menachem Margolin. “When we speak with one voice, we are stronger together.”
“As we meet, governments across Europe are coming forward with plans affecting Jewish life in Europe,” he added. “We must ask ourselves what kind of future we want to see. And what part all of us can do to make that vision a reality.”
We’re excited to join the 2023 @EJAssociation annual conference on Shaping the Future of European Jewry and develop new strategies to combat antisemitism in Europe. #EJAPORTO23 pic.twitter.com/WKOjN0zGbF
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) May 15, 2023