This Week’s Topline

The Dangers of Antisemitism & Anti-Israel Bias in Left-Wing European Politics

Expressions of anti-Israel bias from left-leaning political organizations in four European democracies have devolved into antisemitism and even violent attacks against local Jewish communities, according to a new assessment of France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.

“There’s no doubt that the anti-Zionist rhetoric and terminology popular in European left circles are increasingly being adopted and exploited by some in the U.S. political far left,” said Marina Rosenberg, ADL Senior Vice President of International Affairs.

The report also identifies common antisemitic themes that emerge from each of the four countries, including claims that Jewish cabals control politics and media; Holocaust trivialization; equating Israel with the Nazi regime; and the false charge that accusations of antisemitism are used to silence criticism of Israel. Read more about anti-Israel and anti-Jewish activism in Europe’s left-wing circles.

What’s News

RISING CONCERNS ONLINE: In our recent Online Hate & Harassment report, we revealed just how toxic the online environment has become for Jews. Among the thousands of people surveyed, 80% of Jewish people were concerned about being harassed for their religion compared to 41% of non-Jews. Read the report to find out more about these concerns and ADL recommendations for addressing these entrenched problems.
→ READ more.

BECOMING A KILLER: In the wake of the guilty verdicts for Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue murderer Robert Bowers, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt shines a spotlight on the role of tech in Bowers’ evolution. “Before Robert Bowers was a convicted mass murderer, he was a middle-aged truck driver who mostly kept to himself. ... He fell deep into the rabbit hole of conspiratorial thinking. Unlike in generations past, Bowers didn’t need to wear a white hood at Klan rallies in hidden forests when he made these claims. He could speak his mind at online ‘rallies’ 24/7.”
→ READ ‘Complicit: Big Tech and Antisemitism.’

EFFECTIVE EDUCATION: Among people in the U.S. who had learned the correct number of Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, there was far less belief in anti-Jewish tropes — in some cases, less than half as much belief in these problematic stereotypes. This finding from our study of antisemitic attitudes shows that Holocaust education can be a game-changer in intervening against antisemitic beliefs.
→ READ more about antisemitic attitudes in the US.

KULANU, KULANU, KULANU! A growing number of synagogues are taking action against antisemitism through ADL’s Kulanu initiative, a no-cost, self-paced program that empowers synagogues of any size, location, or movement to mobilize members and the local community to fight hate. Encourage your synagogue to apply today; registration closes August 15, 2023.
→ READ more and apply now!

SIX MILLION COOKIES: This ghoulish phrase has become a way for people to express doubts about the extermination of European Jews during the Holocaust. Read more about this new entry in ADL’s Glossary of Extremism, who popularized the phrase and how it is being used as an antisemitic dog whistle.
→ READ more about ‘Six Million Cookies.’

@ ADL’s Incident Tracker

The @ADL_tracker feed of news and developments in antisemitism activities.

This past Friday, hikers in Colorado Springs found antisemitic graffiti at the High Chaparral Open Space. The graffiti included swastikas and an image of Adolf Hitler.

— August 7, 2023 VIEW full Tracker post

This past weekend the antisemitic Goyim Defense League distributed fliers in several neighborhoods in Alpharetta, GA. The GDL has been behind nearly all of the antisemitic propaganda distributions in the state this year.

— August 7, 2023 VIEW full Tracker post

France’s new education minister Gabriel Attal has faced a barrage of antisemitic online harassment following his appointment. Attal, who is also openly gay, has faced anti-LGBTQ sentiment as well.

— August 2, 2023 VIEW full Tracker post

Social Spotlights

@ADL

As part of the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, we are honored to have joined @USEEOC for #EXCEL2023 for a panel discussion on “The Alarming Rise of Antisemitism and the Impact on Work,” the need for Jewish ERGs, and what needs to be done. #EEOCEXCEL. READ the full post.

@JGreenblattADL

As I shared at the @NatUrbanLeague #NULConf23 last week: We cannot just fight antisemitism or just fight racism or just fight any one form of prejudice. Our communities will never be safe if all of us aren’t equally safe — that’s why we’re marching together at #MOW60. READ the full post.