North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board The Town of North Hempstead, New York recently passed anti-boycott legislation, unanimously. The town will no longer contract with entities which boycott Israel or the territories it administers. The legislation adds an amendment to Chapter 24 – “Governmental Operations” – of the Code of the Town of North Hempstead by establishing Article IX – “Contract Restrictions” – in order to prohibit the Town from contracting with companies that participate in the movement to boycott, divest from investing in and sanction Israel. This amendment made the protection of civil rights in the town a priority. It states that “The town is a leader in protecting civil rights and preventing discrimination on the basis of religion, race, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and disability.” It further lists that “Both freedom of speech and religion are cornerstones of law and public policy in the United States, and the Town strongly supports and affirms these important freedoms.” It also included important language regarding discrimination, saying that, “The Town must take action to avoid supporting or financing unlawful discrimination.”. The Town of North Hempstead joins the growing list of municipalities and states combatting the boycott of Israel through legislation. At least 20 states have passed anti-BDS, most recently Texas and Arkansas.
On Wednesday, April 26th the South Carolina public will get an up close and personal look at the fight against anti-Semitism during Citizens Advocacy Day. Citizens Advocacy Day is an event intended to bring more public awareness to anti-Semitism legislation, as well as give an opportunity to meet the organizations and legislators working to fight against anti-Semitism in South Carolina. The Louis D. Brandeis Center will proudly be joining organizations such as Stand With Us, The Israel Project, Christians United for Israel, Israel Allies Foundation, and the Jewish Federations of both Columbia and Charleston for the event. Citizens Advocacy Day will include the opportunity to hear key legislators speak, such as Alan Clemmons (R-SC), on the H-3643 legislation that is currently attempting to apply a widely respected definition of anti-Semitism to South Carolina’s public universities. This is a state version of the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act that was introduced to the U.S. Senate last year. Similar bills have already been introduced in South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. The events start at 9:30 in Room 110 of the Solomon Blatt Building at 1105 Pendleton Street, SC State Capitol, Columbia. A complimentary lunch will be served and there will be a group photo taken on the capitol steps. This event offers a unique opportunity to both show direct support in the fight against anti-Semitism and to take part in the civic process that drives our nation. For more information, see the flyer below.
On Sunday morning, May 7, LDB’s Director of Legal Initiatives, Aviva Vogelstein, will speak at Congregation Har Tzeon – Agudath Achim on, “Anti-Semitism on Campuses and the BDS Movement.” Vogelstein will discuss the growing problem of anti-Semitism on campuses in the U.S. Since joining the Brandeis Center in 2014, Vogelstein’s work has focused on combating the resurgence of anti-Semitism on American university campuses through legal and public policy approaches, and growing LDB’s law student chapter initiative. The event is $5 per person, and pre-registration is required. Brunch will be served during the event, which will last from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Congregation Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim is located on 1840 University Boulevard West in Silver Spring, Maryland. For more information about the event, visit: https://www.htaa.org/event/guest-speaker-aviva-j.-vogelstein-esq..html
Bob Kellogg One News Now April 24, 2017 Members of a national academic association are suing the organization itself after it chose to adopt a boycott of all Israeli academic institutions. Pro-Palestinian members of the leadership of the American Studies Association abused their positions by forcing adoption of the boycott. So says Kenneth Marcus, president of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Marcus’ group is representing the plaintiffs who argue that violates ASA’s own rules and mission (more details). “The mission of the American Studies Association is to promote the scholarly study of the United States; it is not to promote the study of the Middle East,” he emphasizes. “And it is certainly not to engage in political activism about countries outside of North America.” Marcus points out that two of the four plaintiffs are well-respected ASA award winners and another is one of the organization’s founding members. “They are upset,” he explains, “not just because they view the boycott as anti-Semitic and a violation of academic freedom, but because it undermines the scholarly quality of an organization that they worked so hard to build.” Despite attempts by the defendants to have the lawsuit suppressed, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras recently ruled the plaintiffs can move forward with most of their claims. The Brandeis Center leader calls the decision an important victory – not just their clients “but for everyone who is concerned about the anti-Semitic BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] movement and its deleterious impact on academic institutions.” Original Article
Download PDF On Wednesday, April 26th the South Carolina public will get an up close and personal look at the fight against anti-Semitism during Citizens Advocacy Day. Citizens Advocacy Day is an event intended to bring more public awareness to anti-Semitism legislation, as well as give an opportunity to meet the organizations and legislators working to fight against anti-Semitism in South Carolina. The Louis D. Brandeis Center will proudly be joining organizations such as Stand With Us, The Israel Project, Christians United for Israel, Israel Allies Foundation, and the Jewish Federations of both Columbia and Charleston for the event. Citizens Advocacy Day will include the opportunity to hear key legislators speak, such as Alan Clemmons (R-SC), on the H-3643 legislation that is currently attempting to apply a widely respected definition of anti-Semitism to South Carolina’s public universities. This is a state version of the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act that was introduced to the U.S. Senate last year. Similar bills have already been introduced in South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. The events start at 9:30 in Room 110 of the Solomon Blatt Building at 1105 Pendleton Street, SC State Capitol, Columbia. A complimentary lunch will be served and there will be a group photo taken on the capitol steps. This event offers a unique opportunity to both show direct support in the fight against anti-Semitism and to take part in the civic process that drives our nation. For more information, see the flyer below.