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September 18, 2020

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A Rosh Hashanah greeting from President Rivlin to the global Jewish community

In a video message ahead of Rosh Hashanah President of Israel, H.E. Reuven
Rivlin, said, “As the year ends, and the new year begins, we are all hoping and
praying that the new year will bring us a cure for the coronavirus and that we
will, once again, be able to meet each other in person and return to our normal
lives. I hope and believe that these times have reminded us that kol Israel arevim ze la ze - that the entire Jewish people are one family, that we must take
responsibility for one another and that what unites us is much greater than what
divides.” Watch Now...
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[[link removed]]WATCH: A video message from WJC President Ronald S. Lauder

In a video message ahead of Rosh Hashanah, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said,
"On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, we take a pause from the pained world around us.
We take a moment to reflect back on months of upheaval and tragedy to consider:
What do we hope for in the year to come? What, together as individuals, can we
do, to ensure that we are building a better world, and a better future?" Watch Now...
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[[link removed]]Ronald S. Lauder at White House for signing of historic agreements between
Israel, UAE, and Bahrain

WJC President Lauder expressed his optimism for the future of peace in the
region and his gratitude for the White House’s role in the agreements, saying:
“I thank President Trump’s administration for its leadership in brokering these
accords. The bold initiatives undertaken by Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin
Netanyahu, Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates His Highness Khalifa Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, and King of Bahrain His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in
forging this new path toward peace will usher in a new era of regional
stability, prosperity, and opportunity.” Read More...
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[[link removed]]Palestinians should seize the moment as UAE, Bahrain sign peace deal with Israel

In an exclusive interview with Arab News , WJC President Ronald S. Lauder said, “I think many other countries will
follow in the Middle East, and it changes the whole dynamic. I think it will
have a major, major effect on the Palestinians. It will say to the Palestinians
the time is now to make peace. I believe it will be very important for the
Palestinians to come to the table.” Read More...
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[[link removed]]World Jewish Congress and major Jewish organizations launch unified position on
tackling antisemitism online

The joint call offers 10 recommendations for the future legislation to
effectively tackle antisemitic content online and demand higher accountability
from online platforms and service providers. Among the demands formulated are a
call to disincentivize profit stemming from harmful content, support for civil
society actors to be effective parts of the conversation, a push for platforms
to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism as part of their community
standards, data collection and analysis to better understand the spread of
antisemitism online, and platform transparency with regard to algorithms. Read More...
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The Sermons: A WJC High Holidays Initiative

As the High Holidays approach, we have gathered a collection of sermons from
Rabbis around the world, aiming to lift the spirits of our communities worldwide
and provide soul food to those who may be deprived of their usual holiday
experience. Read More... [[link removed]]

[[link removed]]Where individual peace meets community renewal

"In times of public health and economic crises, our people are craving new and
exciting beginnings more than ever. The already-announced UAE & Bahrain-Israel
agreements emanate hope, thus propelling a public discourse about the continuous
informal discussions with Arab countries in the region, such as Oman and others.
Mutual respect and shared values and interests in the region and the world bring
neighbors together," writes WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps member Dr. Efraim
Chalamish. Read More...
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Spanish Jewish community calls on university to cancel pro-BDS course

The course, entitled “Apartheid in Palestine and the Criminalization of
Solidarity” is set to feature several speakers with a history of spreading
antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric, including Omar Barghouti, a founding
member of the BDS Movement, Professor Lidón Soriano Segarra, who has justified
terrorism against Israel, and Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk, who has accused
Israel of war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Read Now...
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[[link removed]]Merkel slams antisemitism ‘disgrace’ on Jewish group’s 70th | Associated Press

During events commemorating the Central Council of Jews 70th anniversary,
Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “It is a disgrace, and it shames me deeply, how
racism and antisemitism are expressed in our country in these times. Racism and
antisemitism never disappeared, but for some time now they have become more
visible and uninhibited.” Read Now...
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[[link removed]]Europe must take action to combat rising antisemitism

“[T]he pandemic has fuelled conspiracy theories often intertwined with
antisemitism globally. Tel Aviv University said that the pandemic had sparked an
18% rise in antisemitic hate speech, especially online. The World Jewish
Congress has warned about the proliferation of conspiracy theories blaming Jews
for creating or spreading the virus. It also raised alarm about antisemitic
videos popular on social media,” writes Michael O’Flaherty, director of the EU
Agency for Fundamental Rights. Read More...
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Under lockdown, Israel faces bitter start of Jewish New Year | Associated Press

Religious and secular Israelis alike mark Rosh Hashanah with festive holiday
feasts with family and friends. They pack synagogues, often spending hours in
prayer, especially during the fast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which
falls later this month. But this year, traditional family gatherings will be
muted, synagogue prayers will be limited to small groups and travel restrictions
will leave many roads deserted. Read More... [[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]]Rockets from Gaza hit Israel as UAE, Bahrain and Israel sign agreement in
Washington | Jewish Telegraphic Agency

At least two people were injured by shrapnel when rockets landed near a mall in
Ashdod, Israel’s Channel 12 News reported. Several cars were damaged. Six pedestrians were also injured as
panicked shoppers ran for shelters and were treated by United Hatzalah
volunteers. Read More...
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[[link removed]]Serbia to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terror organization | The
Jerusalem Post

Serbia’s decision to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist
organization was welcomed by the United States, who called on the European Union
to follow suit by making a similar declaration with regard to the group’s
political arm. Read More...
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European Jewish schools saved from closure

The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation is one of seven funders that have come together
to ensure that Jewish day schools in Europe, whose operations have been
threatened by the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able
to continue to serve their communities. Thanks to these funders uniting to
create the European Jewish Community Day School Crisis Fund, more than 3,000
children in 13 communities across Europe will be able to continue to go to
school at Jewish community day schools. Read More...
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[[link removed]]Austrian government triples security funding for local Jewish community | The
Times of Israel

The decision was welcomed by Oskar Deutsch, the head of Austria’s Jewish
community, who wrote, “[w]ith this historic step the Austrian government is
manifesting Jewish life as a natural and inseparable part of Austria.” The
government’s decision came several weeks after an unknown assailant attacked
Elie Rosen, the president of the Jewish community of Graz, Austria, with a
baseball bat. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder condemned
[[link removed]] the incident saying, “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]]A student reflects: Taking pride in my Jewish identity as a Ronald S. Lauder
Fellow

"The Ronald S. Lauder Fellowship provided me with such a voice, and introduced
me to a global network of Jewish leaders who have taught me not only the
importance of representing our people and our values, but also that the Jewish
people transcend any form of regional, political or religious divides. I have
learned that every Jew comes with a different upbringing and has lived through
completely different experiences, but our souls and our struggles are one,"
writes Cami Tussie of Stanford University. Read More...
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Russian Jewish Community honors British citizens who saved Jews from Nazis

The Russian Jewish Congress along with the British Embassy in Moscow and the
British Holocaust Educational Foundation, held an online memorial service
commemorating British Righteous Among the Nations. In attendance were Russian
Jewish Congress President Yuri Kanner, British Ambassador to Russia Deborah
Bronnert, and House of Lords Member Ian Austin. The ceremony was led by Ilya
Altman, the co-chair of the Holocaust Center. Read More...
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15 September 1935 | German Parliament passes Nuremberg Race Laws

The Nuremberg Laws is the name given to two laws enacted in Nazi Germany in
September of 1935, the the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German
Honor and the Reich Citizenship Law. Their passage was especially significant as
it marked the first time that Jews faced persecution not only for their
religious beliefs but for their ethnic ancestry. The Laws stated that Jews were
members of an inherently inferior and dangerous race. Read More...
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[[link removed]]17 September 1978 | Israel and Egypt sign Camp David Accords

The Camp David Accords were the result of a private twelve-day summit with
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and United
States President Jimmy Carter at Camp David in rural Maryland. Following the
accords, Sadat and Begin signed the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, formally
making Egypt the first Arab state to achieve diplomatic normalization with
Israel and ending the state of war between the two countries. Read More...
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[[link removed]]13 September 1993 | Oslo Accords are signed

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel recognized the PLO as the legitimate
representative of the Palestinian people, while the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO) renounced terrorism and recognized Israel’s right to exist.
The agreement also spearheaded the creation of an interim Palestinian
self-government known as the Palestinian Authority and provided for Israel’s
eventual withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. While Israeli
Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin, Arafat and Peres would be awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in October 1994 for their “efforts to create peace in the Middle East,”
the agreement has yet to lead to a final peace deal. Read More...
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Blowing the Shofar

The Shofar plays an important role during the Jewish High Holidays. The beauty
has been seen across the globe throughout the decades. Watch Now...
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[[link removed]]A Rosh Hashanah take on kugel, an Ashkenazi staple

Kugel is a staple of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. For Rosh Hashanah, there's a
recipe that puts a festive twist on the beloved dish. Watch Now...
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