Our friends at the Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism – Birkbeck, in partnership with the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, will host a symposium entitled ‘Protecting and Offending Jews: Speech, Law and Policy’ on June 28. The event take place from noon to 4 pm in the Jubilee Room, Westminster Hall, House of Commons, London. The symposium aims to consider the aspects of discourse which offend Jews. It will address the questions, “Is offensive discourse necessarily antisemitic? Do people take offense too readily and endanger free debate? At what point does criticism of Israel become offensive?” Secondly, the symposium will ask whether, in view of growing concern over antisemitism, the law should be augmented or amended to protect Jews further or whether current laws that target discrimination and prejudice give adequate protection. The presentations will be short and will allow for plenty of time for discussion. (more…)
The “Farhud,” Arabic for “violent dispossession,” was a pro-Nazi massacre against Baghdad Jewry that took place from June 1-2, 1941 – coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. This terrible tragedy resulted in the death of hundreds of Sephardi Jews, marked the first step in ending 27 centuries of peaceful Jewish existence in Iraq and Mesopotamia, and ultimately led to the expulsion of 850,000 Jews from the Middle East into Israel. Edwin Black has organized 4 Farhud ceremonies within a 24-hour span. The first of which took place in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. House of Representatives. June 1-2, 2016 marks the Farhud’s 75th anniversary. To commemorate this little-known tragedy, Edwin Black, New York Times bestselling author of “The Farhud: Roots of the Arab-Nazi Alliance in the Holocaust,” will hold four commemoration ceremonies within a 24-hour span, in Washington, D.C., NYC, London, and Israel. The Farhud is often referred to as the “forgotten pogrom,” Black explained, and is a tragedy in itself that Black is trying to correct. It’s “forgotten” because its victims were from the Arab world, and the Holocaust only refers to the attempt to wipe-out European Jewry. As a result, many Jews and non-Jews alike have never heard of the Farhud. Through his book, his Times of Israel article (“The expulsion that backfired: When Iraq kicked out its Jews“), and his nationally-televised commemoration ceremonies, Black has thrown himself into a whirlwind process of Farhud education and commemoration. The first Farhud ceremony took place this morning at the U.S. House of Representatives. LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus addressed the audience on why the State of Israel is important as a remnant of the Farhud. After Jews were vilified and expelled from Arab countries to Israel in the 1940s-1950s, they are again facing the same vilification from the same countries that forced them out today, Marcus explained. Zionism is seen as a criminal movement and Jews are seen as its perpetrators. “It is important to remember the Farhud,” Marcus said, “because anti-Semitism is a continuing fight. We are seeing a resurgence of anti-Semitism now, after years of things improving. We need to make sure this hatred is gone so that we will never again have a Farhud.” LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus addressed the audience on the necessity of the State of Israel for the Jewish people. Marcus was joined by Sarah Stern, President of EMET, Alyza Lewin, President of American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, and Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt of Bnai Tzedek, among others, for a very informative, meaningful and moving ceremony. Rabbi Weinblatt pointed out that the Hebrew saying, “Kol Yisroel Aravim Zeh La’Zeh,” meaning “all Jews are responsible for each other, and our entire world,” is very fitting for the Farhud. The Farhud helps us understand the roots of what is happening today in the Middle East. Maurice Shohet, President of the World Federation of Jews from Iraq and the son of two Farhud survivors, spoke of the righteous Muslims during the Farhud who protected their Jewish acquaintances. In fact, a Muslim farmer – Salmani Barak – hid Shohet’s mother’s family, and saved their lives. Though 27 candles are typically lit for the commemoration of the 27 centuries of Jewish life that was destroyed, due to House safety rules, one symbolic yahrzeit-style candle was lit by two representatives of the Iraqi Jewish community. It was then snuffed out – to signify how quickly Jewish life in Iraq was snuffed out. Rabbi Haim Ovadia blows 8.5 blasts on the Shofar, in commemoration of the 850,000 Jews that were expelled from the Middle East to Israel. Rabbi Haim Ovadia of Magen David Sephardic Synagogue blew eight and a half blasts into a shofar, to signify the 850,000 Jews that were expelled. The ceremony ended with a beautiful musical rendition of “El Malei Rachamim,” by Rachel Black – traditionally an Ashkenazi hymn, but invoked to show that though the Farhud directly involved Sephardi Jewry, it is a shared tragedy amongst all Jews; and the lighting of candle – for Israel – by Joshua Block, President & CEO of the Israel Project. “In every place where Jews are discriminated against,” said Deputy Head of the Embassy of Israel to the United States Reuven Azar, “we cannot stand idly by, because others will be discriminated against, too. We must study and teach the Farhud.”
LDB’s Kenneth L. Marcus will join NYT bestselling author Edwin Black and others commemorating the anniversary of The Farhud and the June 1-2, 1941 Expulsion of 850,000 Jews. The event will be open to the public, 9 AM-10AM, at the U.S. House of Representatives Cannon Office Bldg. • Room 121
Aviva Vogelstein Brandeis Blog May 31, 2016 The “Farhud,” Arabic for “violent dispossession,” was a pro-Nazi massacre against Baghdad Jewry that took place from June 1-2, 1941 – coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. This terrible tragedy resulted in the death of hundreds of Sephardi Jews, marked the first step in ending 27 centuries of peaceful Jewish existence in Iraq and Mesopotamia, and ultimately led to the expulsion of 850,000 Jews from the Middle East into Israel. June 1-2, 2016 marks the Farhud’s 75th anniversary. To commemorate this little-known tragedy, Edwin Black, New York Times bestselling author of “The Farhud: Roots of the Arab-Nazi Alliance in the Holocaust,” will hold four commemoration ceremonies within a 24-hour span, in Washington, D.C., NYC, London, and Israel. The Farhud is often referred to as the “forgotten pogrom,” Black explained, and is a tragedy in itself that Black is trying to correct. It’s “forgotten” because its victims were from the Arab world, and the Holocaust only refers to the attempt to wipe-out European Jewry. As a result, many Jews and non-Jews alike have never heard of the Farhud. Through his book, his Times of Israel article (“The expulsion that backfired: When Iraq kicked out its Jews“), and his nationally-televised commemoration ceremonies, Black has thrown himself into a whirlwind process of Farhud education and commemoration. The first Farhud ceremony took place this morning at the U.S. House of Representatives. LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus addressed the audience on why the State of Israel is important as a remnant of the Farhud. After Jews were vilified and expelled from Arab countries to Israel in the 1940s-1950s, they are again facing the same vilification from the same countries that forced them out today, Marcus explained. Zionism is seen as a criminal movement and Jews are seen as its perpetrators. “It is important to remember the Farhud,” Marcus said, “because anti-Semitism is a continuing fight. We are seeing a resurgence of anti-Semitism now, after years of things improving. We need to make sure this hatred is gone so that we will never again have a Farhud.” Marcus was joined by Sarah Stern, President of EMET, Alyza Lewin, President of American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, and Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt of Bnai Tzedek, among others, for a very informative, meaningful and moving ceremony. Rabbi Weinblatt pointed out that the Hebrew saying, “Kol Yisroel Aravim Zeh La’Zeh,” meaning “all Jews are responsible for each other, and our entire world,” is very fitting for the Farhud. The Farhud helps us understand the roots of what is happening today in the Middle East. Maurice Shohet, President of the World Federation of Jews from Iraq and the son of two Farhud survivors, spoke of the righteous Muslims during the Farhud who protected their Jewish acquaintances. In fact, a Muslim farmer – Salmani Barak – hid Shohet’s mother’s family, and saved their lives. Though 27 candles are typically lit for the commemoration of the 27 centuries of Jewish life that was destroyed, due to House safety rules, one symbolic yahrzeit-style candle was lit by two representatives of the Iraqi Jewish community. It was then snuffed out – to signify how quickly Jewish life in Iraq was snuffed out. Rabbi Haim Ovadia of Magen David Sephardic Synagogue blew eight and a half blasts into a shofar, to signify the 850,000 Jews that were expelled. The ceremony ended with a beautiful musical rendition of “El Malei Rachamim,” by Rachel Black – traditionally an Ashkenazi hymn, but invoked to show that though the Farhud directly involved Sephardi Jewry, it is a shared tragedy amongst all Jews; and the lighting of candle – for Israel – by Joshua Block, President & CEO of the Israel Project. “In every place where Jews are discriminated against,” said Deputy Head of the Embassy of Israel to the United States Reuven Azar, “we cannot stand idly by, because others will be discriminated against, too. We must study and teach the Farhud.”
Download PDF New York, — A number of academic professional organizations have passed or are considering anti-Israel resolutions connected with the boycott, divestment and sanctions efforts against Israel. We oppose any academic professional organizational attempt to boycott Israeli institutions of higher education. We the undersigned more than 1000 academics: professors, instructors, administrators, researchers and academic staff oppose all forms of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. The Academic Council for Israel (ACfI) and our partner organizations Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, Stand With Us, the American-Israel Cooperative Enterprise and the Louis D Brandeis Center for Human Rights are releasing today our petition to fight the bigotry of the boycott movement, which seeks to apply a double standard against Israel and Israeli nationals, as well as anyone who supports Israel. We are calling upon all academics of good conscience to join more than 1000 of your academic colleagues in opposing anti-Israel BDS resolutions being considered or already voted on by some academic professional associations. WE OPPOSE ALL BDS RESOLUTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS. The petition states the following: We, the undersigned College and University faculty, administrators, staff, and trustees, oppose academic boycotts and specifically condemn the most recent attempts at boycotting Israel by the American Anthropological Association, National Women’s Studies Association, and other associations. Understanding that academic, cultural, and commercial boycotts, divestments, and sanctions of Israel: o Are counterproductive to the goal of peace, o Represent an anti-democratic process intent on undermining the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their homeland, Israel, o Seek to commandeer our educational system and professional societies for political ends and are thus a travesty of professional ethics and conduct, and o Are antithetical to genuine academic freedom, We stand united in our condemnation of calls and campaigns for boycott, divestment from, and sanctions against Israeli academic institutions, professors, products, and companies that do business in or with Israel. We recognize that individuals and groups may have legitimate criticism of Israeli policies. Criticism becomes antisemitism, however, when it demonizes Israel, applies double standards to Israel, denies Israel the right to defend its citizens, or questions Israel’s right to exist. The BDS misrepresentation of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Arabs is one-sided and untruthful, and therefore unworthy of the academic community. Moreover, by pursuing delegitimization campaigns on campus and in academic professional organizations, anti-Israel proponents provoke harmful divisions among students and have created an atmosphere of intolerance and hatred. BDS resolutions will not contribute to peace or justice. Political wisdom and moral good will require that they be resoundingly rejected. THEREFORE WE OPPOSE ALL BDS RESOLUTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS. http://www.academiccouncilforisrael.com/anti-bds-petition.html The Academic Council for Israel is a national network, already present on more than 150 campuses, composed of faculty, administrators, researchers, librarians, and other professional university staff. ACFI is a non-profit organization founded in 2015. Its offices are located in New York, California, and Florida. For more information, please contact the ACFI Executive Director, Dr. Samuel Edelman, or see the ACFI website: http://www.academiccouncilforisrael.com/