by: Kenneth Jacobson | October 20, 2017 JTA Here we go again: The issue of how and why the United States should engage with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is back in the news.
The announcement by the Trump administration that the U.S. will be pulling out of UNESCO over its biased treatment of Israel is only the latest manifestation of a fraught relationship between America and this U.N. body.
Established soon after World War II as an effort to…
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New York, NY, October 9, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called on the Executive Board of UNESCO to choose a new Director General “who best exemplifies and champions the values and ideals of the institution,” and who will be a strong and constructive voice against discrimination, including ongoing efforts to isolate and denigrate Israel, and who continues UNESCO’s important work on Holocaust education.
ADL expressed concern that the front runner after…
September 28, 2017 Following the September 26 attack in the West Bank settlement of Har Adar, in which a Palestinian gunman killed three Israelis, extremist groups have been posting on various forums to celebrate the attacks and incite violence against Israel and Jews worldwide.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, many have posted lauding the attacker and calling him “a heroic martyr,” as Hamas stated on the day of the attack. The Al-Tawhid…
New York, NY, September 14, 2017 … In the post-Charlottesville environment and amid ongoing concerns about white supremacist activity and anti-Semitic acts in the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is providing expertise and resources to ensure Jewish institutions remain secure during the Jewish High Holidays. The holidays begin on the evening of Sept. 20 with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and continue with the observance of Yom Kippur on Sept. 30.
ADL’s Center on…
Washington, DC, September 7, 2017 – Today, civil rights leaders met with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other members of the Democratic caucus to discuss post-Charlottesville efforts to combat hate and protect civil rights. The groups participating in the meeting, convened at the request of Leader Schumer, included The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Anti-Defamation League; Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Human Rights Campaign;…
New York, NY, September 7, 2017 … As college students are returning to a new academic school year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has released a new, multi-platform resource to equip them with essential information and tools to deal with anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias on campus.
‘THINK. PLAN. ACT.’ is a comprehensive resource that prepares students for encounters with anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias by defining what constitutes anti-Jewish animus,…
New York, NY, August 28, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today announced the appointment of George Selim, a leading expert on Homeland Security and countering violent extremism (CVE), as Senior Vice President of Programs. In this newly created position, George will report directly to ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. Selim will lead ADL’s education, law enforcement, and community security programs, and oversee its Center on Extremism.
George has served Presidents Bush,…
New York, NY, August 24, 2017 ... Earlier this week, in response to the events in Charlottesville and ongoing concern about security for Jewish institutions across the country, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) held a nationwide briefing for leadership and security directors at local and national Jewish institutions. More than 500 individuals participated in the conference call from across the country, representing Jewish Community Centers, synagogues, and other communal organizations.
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New York, NY, August 24, 2017 ... Earlier this week, in response to the events in Charlottesville and ongoing concern about security for Jewish institutions across the country, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) held a nationwide briefing for leadership and security directors at local and national Jewish institutions. More than 500 individuals participated in the conference call from across the country, representing Jewish Community Centers, synagogues, and other communal organizations.
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ADL responded to an op-ed by a Jewish Voice for Peace staffer, who asserted that alt-right leader Richard Spencer was right in his remarks that Zionism is akin to white supremacy. Days after the horrific showcase of American far-right extremism in Charlottesville, America’s leading extremist, white supremacist leader Richard Spencer, appeared on an Israeli television newscast and compared his hate-filled ideology to Jewish nationalism, declaring it “white Zionism.”
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What is anti-Semitism?
Anti-Semitism is a form of prejudice or discrimination directed toward Jews as individuals or as a group. Anti-Semitism is based on age-old stereotypes and myths that target Jews as a people, their religious practices and beliefs, or the Jewish State of Israel.
Words or actions related to Israel are anti-Semitic when they blame all Jews for the actions of the state, single out Israel in denying the country’s right to exist as a Jewish state and an…
In the 1930s, the dean of Yale University’s medical school — who was Jewish himself — reportedly advised his admissions team, “Never admit more than five Jews, take only two Italian Catholics, and take no blacks at all.”
The American college campus has come a long way in the past century. Colleges are more diverse, and there are greater efforts to create inclusive environments whereby all students feel comfortable on campus. But that does not mean you…
What is the source of our free speech rights? Free speech rights emanate from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution[1] and from state constitutions. The U.S. Constitution limits the government’s ability to regulate speech based on content and it applies to all public colleges and universities. It serves as a floor, not a ceiling. State constitutions may grant more robust free speech rights than the U.S. Constitution, but never fewer. Is there a distinction between private and…
July 19, 2017 In recent months Jewish Voice for Peace, the largest and most influential Jewish pro-BDS group in the United States, has taken increasingly radical positions and has employed questionable tactics in pursuit of its mission to diminish support for Israel. The following are some of ADL’s main concerns with the group’s ideology and tactics.
Harassing LGBT Groups:
One of JVP’s longtime tactics has been to allege that Israel’s proud record of support for…
June 28, 2017 In early June, several Arab countries - notably Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain - announced that they were abruptly severing ties with Qatar over what they described as the latter’s support for terrorism. And even though what’s involved is mainly an internal Arab affair, some Qatari news sites published conspiratorial cartoons suggesting Israel was behind the diplomatic crisis. Some depicted Israel as a wolf in sheep’s clothing or as a…
New York, NY, May 25, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today released the following statement in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding Linda Sarsour’s selection as commencement speaker at the City University of New York (CUNY) graduation on June 1.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:
We profoundly reject Linda Sarsour’s positions that delegitimize Israel. We have vigorously opposed efforts like the Boycott Divestment…
New York, NY, May 12, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today strongly denounced the vote by a Norwegian trade union to adopt a full economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel.
The Congress of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), which represents over 900,000 unionized workers in the country – more than one quarter of the adult working population – voted 193 to 117 in favor of a total boycott of the State of Israel.
“The vote for…
New York, NY, May 2, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today condemned the UNESCO Executive Board’s newest resolution relating to Jerusalem and other issues.
The U.N.’s cultural and scientific organization’s latest resolution was harshly critical of alleged Israeli actions and policies. But, in contrast to recent resolutions, affirmed Jerusalem’s significance to the three monotheistic religions, among other changes.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO,…
Updated: March 17, 2017 On Friday March 17, U.N. Secretary General called on ESCWA to withdraw its report on Israel. It is currently not available on their website. In response, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf, who has a history of anti-Israel activity, resigned. New York, NY, March 16, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today joined with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, in calling for the immediate recall of a “hostile and biased report”…
January 01, 1970 Since January, 167 bomb threats have targeted Jewish institutions across the country, including Jewish Community Centers, schools, synagogues and ADL offices in New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Boston. To date, one man has been arrested in connection with eight of these threats.
(Note: Use the slider at the bottom of the interactive map to view the progression of incidents, and click on the institution types in the legend to toggle. Map is being…