Donald H. Harrison

Wiesenthal Center Confronts Unilever over Antisemitism

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) announced on Tuesday a campaign to confront anti-Semitism at Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, in response to the ice cream maker’s recent boycott of Israel. The campaign, which launches with print ads in Jewish newspapers around America, calls on consumers, states, and legislators to hold Unilever accountable for anti-Semitism tied to its organization. A copy of the SWC advertisement as it appeared in one paper, the Cleveland Jewish News, can be found here. [Simon Wiesenthal Center press release]

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Business & Finance, Middle East, USA

Gov. Newsom Signs Bill for Better Reporting of Hate Crime incidents

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation to significantly strengthen California’s response to the recent surge in hate crimes and hate-motivated violence. Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), Chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, Assembly Bill (AB) 57 will implement specific recommendations from the State Auditor to enable law enforcement to better prevent, respond to, and document hate crimes. The measure passed with bipartisan support in both the State Assembly and the State Senate. [Assemblyman Gabriel press release]

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USA

Lapid and Blinken Have Numerous Differences to Overcome

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is arriving in Washington for talks with a wide range of American political figures and establishments. But most important is likely to be his peer-to-peer meetings with counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The last such meeting took place in May, at the end of the Hamas rocket war against Israel, abetted by intense incitement to anti-Israel violence by the Palestinian Authority (PA). That meeting, between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and PM/FM Benjamin Netanyahu, was itself cordial, but it laid out a wide gulf in the priorities of the two countries — and that gulf remains for FM Lapid. [Shoshana Bryen]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Israeli Deni Avdija Back in NBA Action

Deni Avdija, the only Israeli player in the NBA, returned to action on Saturday night after a longer than expected recovery and rehabilitation from an ankle injury earlier this year. The Washington Wizards faced the New York Knicks in a preseason game; it was the second preseason game for the Wizards but the first for Avdija. He scored four points, had three rebounds and one assist in only 16 minutes of play. Nevertheless, the Wizards lost to the Knicks 117-99. [JNS.org]

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Jewish Celebrities, Sports & Competitions

Kushner, Ivanka Trump in Jerusalem for Abraham Accords initiative

Published by AFP Jerusalem (AFP) – Israeli lawmakers flanked by former president Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law launched an initiative in Jerusalem on Monday to advance the Abraham Accords that saw Arab states normalise ties with Israel.  Jared Kushner, a former White House adviser married to Ivanka Trump, was a major architect of the deals

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Middle East