We Mourn the Loss
Sadly, we join in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Israel in mourning the tragic loss of 45 prayerful individuals who went to Mt Meron to celebrate, and died in the unfathomable crush of thousands upon thousands of pilgrims during the Lag BaOmar Festival, on April 30th, 2021
We Celebrated InterFaith Relations and Liberation in Same Day
CAEF was a co-sponsor of two significant virtual events this past week, both of which contribute to the understanding of history which is essential in forging human relationships in a complex world, and defining a future free of hatred and prejudice. Both events aim to improve life as we know it. We recommend viewing recordings when they become available.
On May 4th, Our Whole Society presented the Canadian Interfaith Conversation, which included these speakers.
Liberation 75 May 4-9, 2021 which was originally scheduled for 2020 has an amazing amalgam of presentations, panels, exhibits and films with worldwide participation as the Jewish world commemorates the end of the Holocaust and freedom. The presentations are not without sadness, remembering, and memorializing, but also include blessings and celebrations of the resiliencey of suvivors and their descendants. Topics include the personal and the academic, the political and the mundane. It continues today and until Sunday.
CAEF is proud to be among the over 250 national, international and local sponsors.
Programs are all recorded. Please check them out at here.
Solidarity Ensures Canada Boycotts Durban IV
CAEF along with major national Jewish organizations submitted a clear statement to the government of Canada that it must boycott the planned UN Conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the infamous Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, and we are very pleased to share the news that on May 6th the government announced:
"Canada is concerned that the Durban Process has and continues to be used to push for anti-Israel sentiment and as a forum for antisemitism. That is why we do not plan to attend or participate in events surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action."
We thank the government for its ethical stance.
Interestingly CBC reported that Canada’s decision is due “the event's legacy of criticizing Israel.” Why is the CBC reluctant to name the “legacy” what it is, namely antisemitism— or in plain language--Jew hatred? The Durban Declaration is a blatant example of the demonization of Israel and fulfills the tenets of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism as adopted by Canada and dozens of other countries. CBC ought to tell the whole story and not distort it by suggesting euphemistically that the Durban Declaration merely criticizes Israel. CBC is soft pedaling the damning lies in the Durban Declaration.
Remembering Sarah Halimi, Challenging the Haters
CAEF participated actively in organizing the rally in memory of Dr. Sarah Halimi who was murdered in France in 2017 and whose murderer we now know will not be brought to justice in France. This not acceptable. The only light in this dark event is that a global movement for Justice for Sarah, and global cries for the prevention of antisemitism have been fired up. Read more
Watch CAEF webinar featuring Philippe Karsenty and Brooke Goldstein with Yonathan and Esther Halimi, Challenging the Media, Politicians and Academia to End Jew Hatred.
SIGN THE PETITION:
We Demand Justice for Sarah Halimi –
A Grandmother Stabbed to Death Because She Was Jewish
Sarah Halimi's murderer must be held accountable for his heinous actions. French citizens, especially Jews, are not safe if religiously-motivated murder goes unpunished. Her killer, Kobili Traoré, must be brought to justice.
Demand French authorities rectify this judicial travesty. Sign the petition to France's Minister of Justice demanding French authorities prosecute Traoré for his barbaric murder.
Show the French authorities that millions are willing to fight for justice.
New Resource for Understanding Antisemitism
In a 33 page illustrated document, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) has published a comprehensive glossary of terms that define hate, that show how Jews have been depicted, that explain all the historical and current tropes applied to Jews and Israel. Entitled Translate Hate, Stopping Antisemitism Starts with Understanding It. Schools should use it, along with other material, going beyond Holocaust Education to show how ignorance, inhuman portrayal and denigration of the other, and colloquial tropes can cause huge harm. The Introduction says it all so here it is in full:
”Antisemitism is the hatred of Jews. But it is not only a hatred and manifests itself in many different ways. It includes medieval blood libel claims rooted in Christianity and twentieth century conspiracy theories about Jewish control of the world economy.
It encompasses Holocaust denial and distortion and virulent anti-Israel animus. It can exist in places where Jews are prominent and visible and in places where Jews themselves are entirely absent. It may be present in physical encounters at work or on the street or in the virtual world of the internet and social media. But in order to combat antisemitism we must first understand it. And that means we must define it in all its forms and expressions, in ways both painfully evident and obscure.
In 2020, nine in ten American Jews believe that antisemitism is a problem in the United States. Eight in ten believe it has increased in the past five years. Their concerns align with FBI data which show increased levels of antisemitism in the U.S. However, non-Jews are largely not aware of this increase.
Only four in ten members of the U.S. public believe antisemitism has increased in the past five years. And maybe most startling, nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults have not heard the term antisemitism or have heard the term but do not know what it means.
Translate Hate was created to explain antisemitism. This glossary aims to improve media literacy on antisemitism and hate, especially in the digital realm. It offers a comprehensive list of terms and expressions that will help you recognize antisemitism when you see it. And once you recognize it, you can become part of the global effort to fight and eliminate it.”
Access Translate Hate here
A Reader Expresses Experience with Subtle/Not so Subtle Antisemitism
As an example of how antisemitism may be expressed in words, images, decisions, and/or actions, we include an article submitted by a listener to our recent webinar, whose experience in 2014 well illustrates this phenomenon.
Read the Rant About Anisemitism by Ronit Kelmens of San Diego. Thanks to Ronit for sharing her story with CAEF and shame on the San Diego Museum of Art.
Al Quds Day Hate Fest--Another Unchecked Antisemitic Travesty
While Jews around the world celebrate Yom Yerushalayim Sunday May 9-10, the Iranian regime and its local supporters are dedicating resources to their annual antisemitic hate fest, Al Quds Day on May 8th. This is a fictitious protest initiated in 1979, essentially protesting the establishment of Israel and making a ridiculous claim that the City of Jerusalem belongs to Islam.
In Canada this annual event, perpetrated by a terrorist regime and supported locally by a collection of Jew haters and the usual anti-Israel cohort, will play out virtually. The tech platforms allowing this terror incitement should refuse to tolerate activities that break with their supposed community standards, with morality and inclusivity.
Pre-pandemic this event was an in person rally in Toronto and other cities. This year the City of Berlin banned the annual Al Quds Day March. The event takes place at the end of Ramadan and makes a mockery of any sense of peace and unity that is supposed to be conveyed by this Islamic religious holy month. Calling for the destruction of the Jewish state is the epitome of Jew hatred and must be condemned.
CAEF will be monitoring the virtual event as we have noted that speakers have been associated with incitement, with the BDS movement, and false claims about Israel. The big question—how do we stop this hatred?
McGill Daily Publishes Letter from Jewish Student
CAEF commends Eden Ohayn and Hasbara Fellowships for persevering in a year’s long plan to counter the hateful article by Students for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) published by the student paper, McGill Daily in July 2020 that vilified Israel and made serious false claims, such as suggesting Israel withheld water from Arabs in the disputed territories. The Daily has a history of promoting false stories about Israel and while its publishing policy clearly states it has a social justice agenda, as is the case with many leftist biased entities, “social justice” never applies to the Jews.
We remind readers that in response to the original article, a very thoroughly researched rebuttal was prepared by Dr. David Nussbaum, in consultation with CAEF and others, and it was offered to the Daily but ignored. While only student opinions are considered by this paper, its publishing of a highly fallacious and biased article was deserving of a critical response. CAEF brought the matter to the attention of the administration, the Department of Jewish Studies, and others who ought rightly to have been concerned. The International Legal Forum was consulted and had this recent article’s publishing been rejected, and not just delayed, a law suit might have resulted.
CAEF appreciates the acknowledgment by Hasbara Fellowships in the communique of May 3rd, of our joint effort to address this matter. Read Eden’s letter here.