Jewish Federation of San Diego County responds to outbreaks of anti-Semitism
Michael Jeser, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, issued the following statement on Thursday:
The past several days have been trying ones for Jewish communities around our state, our country, and the world.
This week swastikas were discovered on the front of a school in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and on the JCC of Northern Virginia. Closer to home, anti-Semitic flyers were posted throughout the University of California Berkeley and Davis campuses, as well as New York State-based Vassar and Marist colleges. And less than a week after protests over racist graffiti in a bathroom at Sacramento City College was found, a bulletin board on campus was tagged with swastikas.
At the same time, we mourn the senseless and horrific murders of 24-year-old Rabbi Eliyahu Moscowitz in Chicago, and Kim Levengrond Yehezkel, 28, and Ziv Hajbi, 33, in Israel.
The Sacramento Bee reported, “UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May in a statement called the flyers’ message ‘reprehensible’ and against university posting policies. May advised students in need of support to contact the student counseling center or the campus Harassment and Discrimination and Prevention Program.”
The flyers found on the California campuses note, “Brought to you by your local Stormer book club.” According to the ADL, these book club chapters are “small crews of young white men who follow and support Andrew Anglin and his neo-Nazi website, the Daily Stormer.”
The Jewish Federation of San Diego County stands with members of our global Jewish community who have been impacted by these tragic events, which, unfortunately, are the result of ignorance and hateful ideologies that sadly remain pervasive in our communities and our world.
May the memories of Rabbi Moscowitz, Kim Levengrond Yehezkel, and Ziv Hajbi be for a blessing. Baruch dayan ha’emet. — From the Jewish Federation of San Diego County
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Moroccans to learn about Holocaust
Arthur Stark, Chairman and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following statement:
We are heartened by and grateful for the historic decision by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco to develop and now incorporate a Holocaust curriculum into the country’s educational system. This action follows numerous initiatives by His Majesty to enhance and enshrine Jewish heritage throughout the country. Once again, King Mohammed VI has displayed courage and vision by incorporating a pluralistic presentation of history that reflects humanity’s tragedies, as well as triumphs, regardless of the identity of the victim or perpetrator. His sensitivity and understanding of the importance of teaching the facts as well as the lessons of the Holocaust is a remarkable example for other leaders to emulate. His close working relationship with, and support of, the Moroccan Jewish community has justly earned him the recognition and appreciation of American and world Jewry over the years of his rule. This is yet another step in the His Majesty’s effort to confront anti-Semitism and extremism and make a Morocco that is a country for all of its citizens and a role model of religious coexistence.
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Bernie Sanders to stump for candidates across the nation
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement:
We are in a pivotal moment in American history, and the election on November 6 will determine, to a very significant degree, the future direction of our country.
Do we continue with a one-party, right-wing government in Washington led by a pathological liar with strong authoritarian tendencies? Or, do we stand up to Trump and fight for an agenda that represent all Americans, and not just the 1%?
That’s what this election is all about.
So today, I am happy to share that I will be going out on the campaign trail for an eight-day, nine-state tour with stops in Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and California.
In these states, I am going to do everything I can to win support for progressive candidates for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, Governor and state legislature.
In the midterm election of 2014, the United States had the lowest voter turnout since World War II. The result: Republicans won landslide victories all across the country. That has got to change, and that is what this campaign swing is all about.
Along with the candidates, I’m going to do everything I can to get working people and young people involved in the political process and to the polls. — From U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
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Hadassah distributes $165,000 in grants to promote female leadership
The Hadassah Foundation, which invests in social change to empower girls and women in Israel and the United States, announces that it has given $165,000 in grants in 2018 to six organizations that strengthen the leadership skills and capabilities of Jewish girls and young women in the United States.
Since 2000, approximately $8.3 million has been awarded by the Hadassah Foundation to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations. With this latest round of grants, the Foundation has awarded a total of $515,000 to Israeli and American groups in 2018.
This latest round of grants to organizations in the United States is part of the Foundation’s multi-year initiative—inaugurated in 2014—to strengthen leadership development opportunities for young Jewish women in the United States.
Four of the 2018 grantees are receiving renewal grants, one is a first-time grantee, and another is past a grantee receiving funds for a new project.
“We are proud to make such a difference in the lives of girls and women,” said Julie Morris, chair of the Hadassah Foundation.
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, $30,000:The JCH received funds for the Women’s POP (Positions of Power) Fellowship, which will engage a group of college-age women from the Russian-speaking Jewish emigre community in New York and focuses on civics, activism, and politics, all through the lens of Jewish values.
Jewish Community Center of Chicago, $20,000: The JCC received support for its Seed613 program, which provides teenage girls with entrepreneurial tools and knowledge to develop a socially responsible venture that will impact the Jewish community.
Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, $22,000:The JUF received support for the Research Training Internship (RTI), which enables teen girls to generate new knowledge about the lives and experiences of Jewish teen girls.
jGirls, $25,000: jGirls received a grant for its online magazine written and edited by Jewish female teens which amplifies the voices of young Jewish women.
Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy at Bar-Ilan University, $32,000: LVJA, an online school for Jewish Studies, received a grant to design and pilot an online course, Leadership Lab, a gender-sensitive, co-ed online course for 12- and 13-year olds that will develop age-appropriate leadership competencies and texts that will feature female leaders.
Moving Traditions, $36,000: Moving Traditions received a grant for Zazot, a new fellowship program for Jewish girls in grades 10-12, which will provide them with skills, mentorship, and hands-on leadership experience on issues they care about that affect the lives of women and girls. — From Hadassah Foundation
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Republican Jewish Coalition spends $1 million in North Dakota U.S. Senate race
The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC )has concluded its $1 million television and digital ad campaign in North Dakota and, given the dramatic shift in the race, it will not return.
Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks said: “When we launched our ad campaign on September 8, the polls showed a race within the margin of error. Now, Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer is up 12. Unless something unforeseen happens, we see no need to return.vI’m proud of the role the RJC played at a crucial time in this race. One million dollars goes a long way in North Dakota and we know our ad had a major impact. Kevin Cramer is a strong leader and we are confident he will be a great Senator.”
Cramer opposes Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp.
Click here to view the ad the RJC ran. — From the Republican Jewish Coalition
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StandWithUs circulates petition protesting anti-Israel convention at UCLA
StandWithUs, the pro-Israel organization based on North American college campuses, is protesting the upcoming national convention at UCLA of Students for Justice in Palestine, an organization that promotes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
The petition states:
Dear Chancellor Block,
As a strong supporter of free speech and academic freedom on campus, and an opponent of all forms of discrimination, I am deeply concerned about the National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Conference being held at UCLA in November, 2018. I believe you and your administration have a responsibility to explicitly condemn campus events that promote hatred, intolerance, and opposition to the free exchange of ideas.As you may know, SJP has a long record of spreading hate, expressing support for terrorists, and violating the free speech rights of people they disagree with on campus. Furthermore, the conference at UCLA explicitly promotes the destruction of Zionism and celebrates disruptions of speakers who support Israel’s right to exist. Coming after SJP members and others disrupted a Students Supporting Israel event last May, this support for violations of free speech and academic freedom cannot go unanswered.
The UC Regents Principles Against Intolerance state that, “anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism, and other forms of discrimination have no place at the University of California”. The Principles also state that the University of California will not tolerate, “actions that physically or otherwise interfere with the ability of an individual or group to assemble, speak, and share or hear the opinions of others”.
As such, I urge you to:
1. Strongly condemn the National SJP Conference for promoting anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism and celebrating actions that violate free speech and academic freedom.
2. Affirm your commitment to the UC Principles Against Intolerance, and make clear what steps UCLA will be taking to foster greater tolerance and protect the rights of all UCLA students.
3. Respond to rising efforts to isolate Jews, Israelis, and their supporters by celebrating and growing your cooperation with Israel and its academic institutions.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
The petition is linked here. — From StandWithUs
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