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August 28, 2020

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WJC President Ronald S. Lauder builds community of Auschwitz-Birkenau Survivors

The group of Survivors participated in WJC President Ronald S. Lauder's
delegation to the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on 27
January. Now, under Lauder’s continued unifying support, they have become a
community with a shared story of survival and a network of support to each other
during these difficult times. Read More...
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[[link removed]]WJC condemns attack on head of Graz, Austria’s Jewish community

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder: “Such assault on Jews is becoming far too
commonplace, especially in Europe but also elsewhere, including in the United
States and Canada. I cannot condemn the perpetrator strongly enough, and we must
acknowledge the deeper tragedy of global antisemitism, xenophobia and bigotry
that threatens the fiber of societies worldwide.” Read More...
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[[link removed]]WJC President laments UN Security Council failure to extend arms embargo on Iran

President Lauder: "Iran is closer to having more weapons than it was before the
deal, and it continues its deadly accrual of weapons, support of terrorism, and
destabilization efforts across the Middle East, while the UN Security Council
stands by a deal that Iran itself has ceased to adhere to. This is a failure of
the international community in its quest for peace and security.” Read More...
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[[link removed]]World Jewish Congress mourns passing of Gábor Hirsch, a Holocaust Survivor, at
90

“I always had great admiration for Gábor Hirsch, and held him in the highest
regard, particularly for the manner in which he shared his experiences of the
Shoah with his children, without imposing anything upon them," said WJC
Executive Vice President Maram Stern. "His way of transmitting the memory of the
Holocaust was very personal and touching, and he will be sorely missed. May his
family find comfort in their mourning and may his memory be unto a blessing." Read More...
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[[link removed]]WJC and JNF honor outgoing UN Ambassador Danon

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder opened the event, speaking to Ambassador Danon
directly, saying, “It is with pleasure and gratitude that we meet here today to
wish you farewell and to thank you for all you have done for the State of Israel
and the Jewish people as ambassador of Israel to the United Nations.” Lauder
proceeded to discuss some of Ambassador Danon’s most impressive accomplishments
during his tenure at the UN, such as bringing over 100 United Nations
ambassadors to Israel. Read More...
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[[link removed]]WebTalk | The fight against online hate

Facebook's Head of Policy - Israel Jordana Cutler speaks with WJC Jewish
Diplomatic Corps member Gadi Ezra about recent changes to Facebook’s community
guidelines related to identifying antisemitic hate speech. Watch Now... [[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]]WebTalk | The Current Tide of Antisemitism with Abe Foxman

Noting his dedication to fighting antisemitism over the past fifty years, Foxman
offered insights into the current state of antisemitism in the United States. He
explained that the rise we are seeing is nothing new. Rather, “antisemitism has
survived thousands of years, the left and the right, monarchies and democracies,
socialism, communism, fascism, capitalism- it survived it all.” Read More...
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Online is the new frontline in the fight against antisemitism

"According to the Community Security Trust’s figures, 39% of antisemitic
incidents recorded in 2019 occurred online, with that number rising to 43.6% of
incidents in the first six months of this year. In short, this means that online
is the new frontline in the fight against antisemitism," writes Board of
Deputies President Marie van der Zyl in The Jewish Chronicle . Read More...
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[[link removed]]Fighting antisemitism on campus, one person at a time

"After 3,000 years of exclusion, persecution and bloodshed, we should know that
when people threaten Jews, they mean it. Every form of Jew hatred carries within
it the existential threat of genocide. Jews must be alert to threats, stand up
and fight back. That history is what underlies recent events at the University
of Southern California, where I teach," writes USC Professor Stephen D. Smith in
the Jewish Journal . Read More...
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[[link removed]]EU Commissioner for Antisemitism Schnurbein: Antisemitism will intensify during
the COVID-19 crisis

EU Commissioner for Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein and President of the
Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka sat down with the Austrian-based
newspaper Die Presse for an exclusive interview about antisemitism in Austria and across Europe. Read More...
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Israeli Air Force pilot fulfills dream of 14-Year-old Holocaust victim | Aish

For Lieutenant C, one of Israel’s newest air force graduates, a poem written by
a 13-year-old Holocaust victim about flying an airplane to the Holy Land has
been a source of daily inspiration ever since he read it nine months into his
training. “When I am twenty years old,” the poem by Abramek Koplewicz reads “In
a motorized bird I’ll sit, and to the reaches of space I’ll rise. I will fly, I
will float, to a beautiful faraway world…” Read More...
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[[link removed]]Remembering Primo Levi

Primo Levi is not only a survivor of the Shoah, but became, as early as 1945
when he began to write If This Is a Man, one of the spokespersons of the duty to remember. The horrific antisemitism and
discrimination that he experienced, and the ways in which he courageously shared
his experience, made him a prominent figure of the 20th century. Read More...
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[[link removed]]French WWII memorial at site of Nazi massacre vandalized with denial messages

According to the regional paper Le Populaire du Centre, the word “lie” was scrawled on the memorial’s wall and the inscription "Martyr
Village" was crossed out. The defacement was condemned by Francis Kalifat,
president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions (Crif), who said,
“The fight against Holocaust denial is similar to the one we must wage against
racism, antisemitism [and] homophobia. These are poisons that corrupt minds and
attack our society." Read More...
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NOA Project | Channeling the power of interfaith relations in France

The organization, Emouna, was founded by Rabbi Pauline Bebe and several other
faith leaders. During the nine-month program, participants will tackle difficult
issues, as well as discuss challenges religious leaders face; the goal of these
conversations and programs is to reach mutual understanding and respect. Read More...
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[[link removed]]German Federal President to sponsor events commemorating 1700 years of Jewish
life in Germany

The commemoration ceremony will be orchestrated by the association entitled,
‘321-2021: 1,700 years of Jewish Life in Germany,’ or, ‘321,’ for short. The
festivities will begin with a central ceremony in Cologne on 21 February. Read More...
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[[link removed]]Newly released footage shows police performing Nazi salute following beating of
arrested Slovakian man

Reacting to the Nazi salute as well as the physical abuse in the footage, the
Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations in Belgium (CCOJB) released a
statement saying, “The CCOJB deplores the fact that the excellent work done on a
daily basis by the Federal Police is tainted by this type of behavior on the
part of a minority of officers...The CCOJB expects that this gesture will be
sanctioned in a manner commensurate with its seriousness." Read More...
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First commercial flight from Israel to UAE set for next week | Associated Press

Senior U.S. and Israeli officials will take the first commercial flight between
Israel and the United Arab Emirates next week, flying from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi
in a symbolic and substantive demonstration of improved ties since the
countries’ historic agreement this month to normalize relations. Read More... [[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]]Man killed in stabbing attack in central Israel, Palestinian arrested | The
Jerusalem Post

The victim, Rabbi Shay Ohayon, 39, was a prominent figure in his neighborhood
and according to his neighbors was always offering Torah lessons to anyone who
was interested. He leaves behind a wife and four children. The background of the
incident is still being investigated, but Israel Police say that it is being
looked into as a terror attack. Read More...
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23 August 1939 | Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union sign non-aggression pact

By signing the agreement, named after Nazi German Foreign Minister Joachim von
Ribbentrop and Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, both nations pledged
not to attack each other for at least ten-years, allowing Hitler to avoid a
two-fronted war, while Stalin could extend Soviet rule over eastern Poland, the
Baltic states, and parts of Romania. Read More...
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[[link removed]]23-24 August 1929 | Massacre in Hebron kills 67

The massacre began on 23 August when local Arabs began staging small-scale
attacks. By the next day, the violence had escalated, and mobs went door to door
screaming, "Kill the Jews." The angry crowd broke into Jewish houses and
castrated, raped, and murdered the inhabitants. Read More...
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The Russian town with a rich Jewish history

In 1939, Jews comprised about 20% of the Russian town of Birobidzhan. While the
population size of Jews is significantly less today, the town is still home to a
rich Jewish culture. Watch Now...
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[[link removed]]Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman: Educating generations of Yiddish writers

This month marks the 100th anniversary of Yiddish writer and activist Beyle
Schaechter-Gottesman’s birth. Her contribution to Yiddish folklore, poetry, and
music have become must-reads for any Yiddish lover. Watch Now...
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