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	February 14, 2020

WJC thanks the millions who took part in fourth annual #WeRemember campaign

“As eye-witness memories of the Holocaust fade, we are witnessing rising levels of antisemitism, xenophobia and Holocaust denial throughout the world,” said WJC President Ronald S. Lauder. “We must heed the horrific lessons of the past and learn from and share the stories of Holocaust survivors to honor the memory of the six million Jews the Nazis killed and to ensure today’s escalation of hatred does not become a repetition of those atrocities."

WJC urges companies blacklisted by UN Human Rights Council to condemn and distance themselves from database

By publishing this tendentious blacklist, the UN Human Rights Council has made it clear to the world that its priorities are indeed driven by political, rather than humane, motivations. There should be no doubt that the primary aim of this list is to condemn Israel, point blank, at the expense of the many countries and territories across the world in which the Council allows gross violations of human rights to continue.

South African Jewish community welcomes 15-year low in antisemitic incidents

Mary Kluk, who serves as President of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Chair of the Africa and Australia Jewish Congress, and as a WJC Vice President, welcomed the figures, adding, "It is very heartening for us as a community that the rate of antisemitism in South Africa has been and continues to be significantly lower than in other major Diaspora countries.”

Australian community sees increase in antisemitic activity

There were 368 antisemitic incidents logged in the 12 months to 30 September 2019 by WJC affiliate Executive Council of Australian Jewry. While this amounted to a small increase from the previous 12-month period, which saw a 59 percent increase in incidents, it shows that there was no decline from the previous high level of incidents. The number of incidents for the 2019 period was 56 percent higher than the average number over the previous seven years.

Board of Deputies urges Westminster Council to support National Holocaust Memorial

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl wrote to councillors: “At a time when the number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling by the year, and when antisemitism is on the rise across Europe and in the UK, a permanent and visible memorial will serve as a constant reminder of the danger of complacency to those we elect to represent us.” In its Tuesday evening meeting, the Council voted to oppose the move.

WJC joins first annual #ShukranDruze2020 campaign

Participating in the #ShukranDruze2020 campaign is simple – just take a photograph of yourself or record a message, thanking Druze citizens for their contribution to Israel with the corresponding #ShukranDruze2020 (#ThankYouDruze2020) hashtag. The campaign was launched by the International Friends of Israel’s Druze Veterans with the participation of prominent Jewish organizations around the world.

LAJC welcomes Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies moment of silence for victims of Holocaust

Latin American Jewish Congress President Adrián Werthein and Executive Director Claudio Epelman sent a letter to the president of Chamber of Deputies Sergio Massa, thanking him for the moment of silence, writing that it “was a sign of commitment” to Holocaust remembrance and the Jewish community.

From Auschwitz-Birkenau to Berlin | Op-ed by Robert Goot, Co-Chair of WJC Policy Council

The survivors are all old now – some very old, but that they were able to be there, bore testament to the determination, courage and optimism that marks them as Jewish heroes. I knew that these few days in Poland and Germany were likely to be painful and emotional, but they were also as inspiring as they were overwhelming.

Not in the name of Yad Vashem's historians | Op-ed by Professor Havi Dreifuss

“In retrospect, we understood that Yad Vashem had devoted immense resources to organizing what was essentially a diplomatic meeting, while totally neglecting the content put on display there. I have no doubt that Yad Vashem will ultimately find a way to clarify the genesis of this event, and more importantly, that it will also draw the appropriate conclusions.”

WATCH | At commemoration of Auschwitz liberation, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder urges world leaders to combat antisemitism

Marking 75 years of the liberation of Auschwitz, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder called on world leaders and societies to combat antisemitism and implement stronger Holocaust education.

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Watch | Neo-Nazis gather in Budapest

Last weekend, hundreds of neo-Nazis from across Europe marched in the streets of Budapest celebrating a World War II anniversary. Neo-Nazi marches are a growing and dangerous trend across Europe.

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WATCH | Kirk Douglas, a great friend of Israel and the Jewish people

While he didn’t end up pursuing a rabbinical career, actor Kirk Douglas, who passed away on February 5, 2020 at the age of 103, was deeply connected to the Jewish people and Israel throughout his life. May his memory be a blessing.

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