NEW YORK — As we welcome 2024, I am honored to share with you a recap of the impactful journey we’ve undertaken at The Lawfare Project over the past year. Amidst unprecedented challenges, our team has remained steadfast in our commitment to upholding justice and defending the legal rights of the Jewish community. Despite the adversities, our collective efforts have continued to make a tangible difference in countless lives. It has been a year filled with remarkable progress, resilience, and tireless dedication to our mission — fighting Jew-hatred via legal action.
The Lawfare Project filed a lawsuit against Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) on behalf of a brave Jewish student. This student faced persistent anti-Jewish discrimination throughout her time at CMU, beginning during her freshman year when she was denied an excused absence to attend a memorial service following the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre. Her experience culminated during her last year, when she was told by her instructor, after creating a model depicting the Orthodox Jewish community, that it would have been better had she done her project on “what Jewish people do to make themselves so hated.” The student’s complaints to school offices yielded nothing and her appeal to professors for help brought retaliation in the form of exclusion and an undeserved near-failing grade. The lawsuit aims to bring institutional policy changes and fair compensation for the student while shedding light on the lack of transparency in universities receiving foreign funding, advocating for legal reforms to enforce greater accountability.
*
In December 2023, after three years of high-conflict litigation, The Lawfare Project secured a major win as the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Canada) ruled in favor of our client Shai DeLuca, a Jewish resident of Toronto, in a defamation lawsuit against Kimberly Hawkins, owner of the now-defunct eatery Foodbenders (which had previously denied service to “Zionists”). In this groundbreaking case, Mr. DeLuca, a television personality and proud veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), filed suit after he was maliciously called a “terrorist” and a “killer” for the sole reason that he had proudly served in the IDF. The Court ordered Ms. Hawkins to pay $75,000 in damages, a $10,000 punitive fine, and also granted a permanent injunction. This victory stands not only for Mr. DeLuca but for all Jewish Canadians, who can avail themselves of this ruling and seek justice when their legal rights are violated.
*
In September 2023, the Federal Court of Australia ruled in favor of five Jewish former students of Brighton Secondary College in Melbourne, ordering nearly AUD $436,000 in damages and $130,000 for costs to be paid to the students, as well as an apology by the State of Victoria. This Lawfare Project-supported lawsuit revealed that the school had a failed system of education and discipline with respect to Jewish issues and concerns, which resulted in a normalized culture of antisemitism where racist actions of students and school authorities went entirely unpunished. Shortly after the Court’s ruling, the school’s principal — who the Court described as failing in his responsibilities and having been “unwilling to confront or address antisemitism” at the school — resigned.
*
The Lawfare Project reached a significant settlement with the Bronx Defenders, a legal aid organization in New York City, on behalf of a Jewish former employee who was forced to leave due to vicious antisemitic harassment. After lodging a complaint about an office-wide email that spewed anti-Zionist sentiments, the employee was met with an onslaught of vitriol, “cursed and badgered,” and told that her children who are dual U.S.-Israeli citizens were murderers. The work climate became so hostile that she felt she had no choice but to resign. In addition to the payout, which included attorney’s fees, the Bronx Defenders has instituted mandatory antisemitism training for its employees.
*
The Lawfare Project filed a lawsuit against the then Mayor of Barcelona, Ms. Ada Colau, challenging her February 2023 suspension of relations with Israel and all its institutions, including the international agreement of cooperation and friendship signed with the city of Tel Aviv. Ms. Colau was subsequently voted out of office and we appealed to her successor to cancel the suspension. After evaluating the circumstances, Barcelona’s new mayor, Jaume Collboni, reversed his predecessor’s actions and restored relations with Israel and with sister city Tel Aviv, bringing an end to Ms. Colau’s discriminatory and illegal boycott.
*
The Lawfare Project is representing a nonverbal autistic Jewish teenager who returned home from his Las Vegas high school with a swastika carved into his back. When his mother discovered the assault and realized her son was not safe at school, she pulled him from classes. In November 2023, we filed a legal complaint against the Clark County School District arguing violations of the student’s state and federal civil rights.
*
The above is only a small sampling of what we have been able to achieve, thanks to the incredible support from our network of volunteer lawyers, donors, partners, and dedicated staff. I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your unwavering commitment and support. Looking ahead to the new year, we are eager to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges that await us. We remain committed to furthering our impact, expanding our services, and strengthening our advocacy efforts. Together, we can ensure that justice and equality prevail for the Jewish community.
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and joyous New Year.
*
Brooke Goldstein is the founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project