Other items in today’s column include
*Coalition demands Facebook curb antisemitic posts
*Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO — Last week, we carried the news that Rose Ritch stepped down from her position as student body vice president at the University of Southern California because of the harassment she had to endure for being a supporter of Israel. On Monday, Hillel International announced a new initiative to train campus administrators on how to recognize and deal with antisemitism.
The organization’s President and CEO Adam Lehman announced that Mark Rotenberg will head the initiative while Rebecca Russo will serve as its executive director. Rotenberg is Hillel International’s vice president for university initiatives and legal affairs and formerly general counsel at the University of Minnesota and at Johns Hopkins University. Russo previously served as a consultant for Interfaith Youth Corps.
Rotenberg commented: “We know college administrators want to eliminate antisemitism from their campus environments, but many are seeking better training and educational tools to do so. Through the Campus Climate Initiative, our Hillel professionals will work with campus administrators to adopt curriculum and best practices to recognize and proactively address these threats to create a campus climate where all students feel safe. CCI will also help local Hillels and university administrators respond appropriately to antisemitic incidents when they occur.”
Hillel International said it would begin work with a group of still-to-be-selected pilot-program campuses, and then “use digital and online collaboration techniques to extend those successes broadly across a much larger field of college leaders, helping them create and refine best-practice policies and procedures customized to their unique campus cultures and environments. CCI will also showcase its expertise by bringing together university and Jewish community leaders for national conferences and forums focusing on these issues.”
In San Diego County, Hillel has programs at Cal State San Marcos, San Diego State, UC-San Diego, and University of San Diego.
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Coalition demands Facebook curb antisemitic posts
One Hundred Twenty Jewish groups and allies have banded together to urge Facebook to adopt the definition of antisemitism promulgated by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
The coalition includes such organizations as StopAntisemitism.org, Zachor Legal Institute, NGO Monitor, Honest Reporting, Zionist Organization for America (ZOA), Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME), Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, National Council of Young Israel, Jewish Policy Center, RI Coalition for Israel, Haym Salomon Center, Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Jewish War Veterans, Israel Christian Nexus, Eagles’ Wings, Philos Project, Hasbara Fellowships and National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC).
Mark Greendorfer, President of Zachor Legal Institute, commented: “Today’s antisemitism is particularly potent online. Our New Antisemites report demonstrates how it breeds new forms of the age-old hatred manifesting in the delegitimization campaign against Israel which is blatantly antisemitic according to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. Hate speech and hate crimes are highly correlated. Social media platforms must assume responsibility to protect users and combat this inciteful hatred. The volume and velocity at which antisemitism grows online require greater responsibility on behalf of the platforms that enable them to spread. There is no free pass to amplifying antisemitism. We’re not just fighting hate speech; we’re fighting for people’s safety.”
The IHRA ‘definition,’ which has been adopted by the U.S. State Department, reads: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Recommended reading
*The Times of Israel reports that a Yemenite Jewish family separated for 15 years has enjoyed a reunion, thanks to the efforts of the United Arab Emirates.
*Times of San Diego reports that Joey Landwehr, director of the J*Company Youth Theatre , has announced plans to build an outdoor stage to permit live presentations even if COVID-19 persists.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
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