B’nai B’rith Critical of Police Response, Parole Measures as Region Grapples with Unprecedented
Anti-Jewish Violence

B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:  
 
Jews in the New York metropolitan region are again grappling with anti-Semitic violence. A machete attack at a Chanukah celebration in Monsey has left at least five hurt. Jews in Brooklyn, New Jersey and now Monsey are under daily threat of violence. We cannot accept as normal the beatings, stabbings, shovings and slurs targeting Jews. Though a suspect in the Monsey attack has been arrested, this cannot be the end of the story.

There must be an unequivocal condemnation of this across the spectrum — from political and religious leaders. We also call on the media to give this epidemic more extensive coverage than it has.

B’nai B’rith’s United Nations and Intercommunal Affairs Director David Michaels today joined New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and civic and religious leaders in pledging a firm response to a wave of anti-Semitism that has reached the largest Jewish population center in the diaspora.

The Jewish community should not be made to feel that what is now a near-daily occurrence of violence is just some phase that will go away on its own. Apathy or disinterest are not acceptable in this climate of hatred.

What we have seen in recent days and weeks has never occurred in this country. Before analogies are made to darker periods in history where this kind of behavior was not addressed – and in fact was encouraged – community leaders, judges and law enforcement must commit to a full range of resources to stop these outbreaks.

We thank the Guardian Angels – an unarmed crime-prevention group – for patrolling the neighborhoods most impacted by these attacks.

Meanwhile, we encourage police to work more proactively to protect the Jewish community. Also, we urge New York leaders to review the parole reform laws in the city, which allow those individuals arrested for hate crimes to be back on the streets almost immediately.

(Washington, D.C., Dec. 23, 2019)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

In a shocking act of anti-Semitism, anonymous vandals damaged 59 gravestones last week at a Jewish cemetery in Námestovo, Slovakia. The graves were knocked down and smashed. Although the extensive damage must have been the work of multiple people over a long period of time, no witnesses have come forward. In a letter to the Slovak ambassador to the United States, Ivan Korčok, B'nai B'rith called on Slovak authorities to investigate and find those responsible for the crime.

In our letter, we emphasized that “these vicious acts of vandalism come at a time of a global spike in anti-Semitic acts worldwide. Jewish communities depend on the active cooperation and support of national and local governments, together with law enforcement agencies, to protect the community against such incidents, and to vigorously pursue the perpetrators." 
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The embassy responded this week with the news that Slovak police have begun investigating. “You rightly underlined the need for national and local governments as well as law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the Jewish communities to protect them against such incidents, and to vigorously pursue the perpetrators. I cannot agree more," the embassy wrote in its response. "We surely have to join forces and step up efforts – in criminal justice and especially in education."

“With regard to the barbaric act in Jewish Cemetery in Námestovo, I would like to inform you that the investigator of the Slovak Police Department have already launched the process of criminal prosecution for criminal offense of defamation of the last resting place with the upper limit of the penalty rate of 5 years in prison. I strongly believe that the authorities will be able to find offenders of this shameful act soon and punish them according to the law.”

We trust and expect that the perpetrators of this horrific act will promptly be arrested and tried for their crimes. In a time when European Jews feel increasingly unsafe due to rising anti-Semitism, it is imperative that we confront and stamp out anti-Semitic hate wherever it is found. 
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

(Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2019)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s statement that she accepts the Palestinian canard that “war crimes have been or are being committed” by Israel, and that she will investigate those, is profoundly improper and dangerous.
 
Clearly, Bensouda cannot tell the difference between war crimes and Palestinian propaganda. It is the Palestinians who have for decades subjected Israel to the high crimes of unrelenting, indiscriminate terrorism – thus necessitating Israeli defensive efforts – and an open campaign of national extermination. By contrast, despite singularly difficult circumstances, Israel, the Middle East’s only actual democracy, has carried out its pursuit of security with a degree of restraint and care rarely if ever seen in the history of military conflict. 
 
Israel has appealed and sacrificed for peace with the Palestinians, as it had successfully with other Arab neighbors, but been met only with more Palestinian violence against its civilians, rejection of mutual compromise and attempts to circumvent direct negotiations by instead recruiting international political and even juridical bodies to pressure and harm the Jewish state.
 
Beyond the fact that Israel has its own renowned and fully functioning legal system to ensure the country’s compliance with key national and international obligations, the ICC does not have jurisdiction over baseless charges leveled by the Palestinians since the latter do not as of yet, and never have, represented an existing state. Since 1947, the Palestinians consistently rejected opportunities to establish their own state alongside a Jewish state.
 
The ICC gravely risks politicizing itself, and losing fundamental credibility, by exceeding its mandate and accepting false, politically motivated claims. Such a step is deeply harmful to peacemaking, to vital counterterrorism efforts anywhere and to the cause of all those suffering from genuine atrocity around the world.
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
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(Washington, D.C., Dec. 17, 2019)-The Jewish Community of Oporto and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oporto, Portugal, meet today in an unprecedented interfaith gathering between the two Portuguese communities as part of the Global Project in the Fields of Culture and Religion. As part of the project, the two communities have collaborated on artistic and humanitarian ventures. Today’s event is an unprecedented meeting promoting dialogue and understanding between the two communities and their heritage, culture and religion. The following is information from the Jewish Community of Oporto:

• Both institutions have established the Global Project in the Fields of Culture and Religion, resulting in common aid to charities, the production of four movies and the promotion of each other’s museums.
• The short film “The Nun’s Kaddish”, awarded in several film festivals, will be exhibited at the Catholic Cathedral and was described by Pope Francis as a “leaven of fraternity, hope and joy in the heart of the world”.
• During the meeting, the Jewish Community will give financial aid to two of Oporto charities.

Today’s event
 
At 10:30am, hosted by the Bishop of Oporto – Dom Manuel Linda –, twenty faithful of each community are joined in dialogue at the Catholic Episcopalian Palace. Together, they visited the catholic museum, and the Jewish Community presented a gift of financial aid to two of Oporto charities.
 
At 11:30am, for a better understating of their History and experiences, the delegations visited the Jewish Museum of Oporto.
 
Today’s unparalleled event ended in a common lunch at the Kadoorie - Mekor Haim Synagogue.
 
The protocol Global Project in the Fields of Culture and Religion was established to reinforce the relationship between both communities, in cooperation. D. Manuel Linda, Bishop of Oporto stated – “this project is a cut with the past of misunderstandings and certainty of a future made hand in hand. It is unique in the world, as Oporto is also unique”.
 
According to the President of the Jewish Community of Oporto, Dias ben Zion: “It is difficult to achieve positive relationships between Catholics and Jews without social, cultural and interfaith cooperation”

 
Gabriela Cantergi, member of the board of the Jewish Community in charge of interfaith relations, explained the Global Project in the Fields of Culture and Religion:
 
“Social, cultural and other dialogue is necessary to achieve full tolerance between the Roman Catholic Church and Jewish communities, particularly in societies in which negative stereotypes are entrenched, ignoring for example the fact that many Jews struggle financially.”
 
The Jewish Community of Oporto has devised a global project involving close cooperation with Oporto Roman Catholic Diocese, with the following activities:
 
1) Social causes, helping children, the elderly and the sick;
 
2) Promotion of the Jewish Museum and the Episcopal Palace Museum; and
 
3) The Production of four films - "The Nun's Kaddish", "Sefarad", "1618" and "The Light of Judah" - covering events that have occurred over the centuries in the Portuguese society. The proceeds from films in Portugal will go to social causes.
 
These initiatives have received financial and practical support from Jewish philanthropic families as well as organisations such as the Embassy of the State of Israel in Portugal, B´nai B´rith International and Anti-Defamation League.
 
The Jewish museum and films mentioned depict true events and have won the respect of Roman Catholic Church organisations. The scripts and rough cuts having been shown beforehand to the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oporto.  Gabriela Cantergi stated: “the proceeds from films in Portugal will go to social causes.”
 
About “The Nun’s Kaddish” and the other films
 
- Today the short film “The Nun’s Kaddish” is exhibited at the Catholic Museum, a short film that portrays a true story of inter-religious kindness when two catholic nuns observe the Jewish ritual, raising the spirituality of the two faiths towards a higher feeling of universal brotherhood.
 
Pope Francis wrote a letter to the Jewish community about the film “The Nun’s Kaddish”, saying that he, “Calls down divine favours in abundance on all those directly or indirectly involved and represented in carrying out this film, that they may be the leaven of fraternity, hope and joy in the heart of the world, and wishes everyone the greatest happiness with God’s blessings.”
 
- “1618” is a film about the inquisitorial visit to Porto that encountered resistance from priests, ordinary citizens and the city authorities themselves, all accustomed for centuries to living alongside the Jews.
 
- “Sefarad” reveals the existence in Portugal of Marranos right in the middle of the 20th century. They were neither Jews nor Christians but both at one and the same time, living outside the mainstream of both religions.

- “The Light of Judah” is a historical documentary covering centuries of the history of the Jews in Portugal and the city of Oporto in particular, from the Middle Ages to the Inquisition, from modernity to the present day.
The movies are directed by Luís Ismael: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1644176/
 
About the Jewish Community of Oporto
 
http://jewishcommunityofoporto.blogspot.com


The Synagogue Kadoorie Mekor Haim is the largest in the Iberian Peninsula and the Jewish Community of Oporto is composed by more than 400 members, from over 30 countries. It has a rabbinic court, structures for kashrut, offers courses to schoolteachers to combat anti-Semitism and provides food for Shabbat meals in 11 countries. It has a museum, a cinema and cooperation protocols with the Portuguese State, the Israeli Embassy to Portugal, B´nai B´rith International, the Anti-Defamation League, Keren Hayesod, Chabad Lubavitch, as well as with the Oporto Diocese and Oporto’s Muslim community.
 
The Oporto Jewish Museum was inaugurated this year, was opened by the President of B´nai B´rith International. In his speech, Charles Kaufman said: “This Jewish Museum will punctuate a reawakening of Jewish life in Portugal. It should serve as a beacon of light to the rest of Europe, a land darkened today by resurgent Antisemitism".
 
Abouth the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oporto
 
- https://www.diocese-porto.pt
 
Established as Diocese of Portucale in 576 CE, Oporto is the most populated Diocese of Portugal. Situated in the North of Portugal, by the Atlantic Ocean, has a jurisdiction of over 3010km² (1162mi²).
 The current Bishop (77th) is Dom Manuel Linda.
 
The Cathedral of Oporto is one of the city's oldest monuments and one of the most important local Romanesque monuments, started in the 12Ith century. The Episcopal Palace, where is now the Museum, is the former residence of the bishops of Porto, built in a late baroque and rococo style and is believed to be the work of Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni.
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

(Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2019)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
It is with deep sadness and anger that we condemn the attack on Nessah synagogue in Beverly Hills on Shabbat. Police are classifying the shocking attack as a hate crime.
 
In the early hours of Saturday morning, a vandal broke into the synagogue, overturned furniture and damaged religious objects.
 
The synagogue was founded by Persian Jews who fled the 1979 revolution in Iran. It is unthinkable that they should have to face religious persecution in the United States.
 
Whether in Brooklyn or Beverly Hills, local officials and law enforcement must protect citizens and institutions. Being able to worship or walk on the street without fear or intimidation should be a given.
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
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(Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2019)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
B’nai B’rith supports the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s decision to condemn the Aalst carnival parade’s anti-Semitism and remove the event from the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Although the parade’s organizers and the mayor of Aalst attempted to dodge criticism for the event’s anti-Semitism by preemptively renouncing its spot on the list, we support UNESCO’s choice to hold the organizers accountable by debating and voting on the parade’s delisting nonetheless.
 
The Aalst carnival has a history of trafficking in anti-Semitic and racist tropes. In preparation for the 2020 parade, organizers plan to distribute ribbons to all participants featuring Orthodox Jews with hooked noses and gold teeth. In March of this year, we condemned the 2019 parade’s “Shabbat Year” float, which depicted Orthodox Jews amidst bags of money; the float’s creators claimed the display was meant to protest “rising prices.” In the 2013 parade, one float featured a caricature of the Holocaust with Nazi rail cars and Zyklon B, the gas that was used to kill Jews at concentration camps. 
 
No event has ever been delisted before, and no clear procedure existed for delisting before today. The delay in creating a delisting mechanism allowed the Aalst carnival to remain on the list years after its endemic anti-Semitism was exposed. We call on UNESCO to streamline the formal delisting process to prevent future situations like this.  
 
While the UNESCO decision is welcome, the concern over the festival’s content remains. Exposing the public, and especially young people, to Nazi-era anti-Semitic tropes is not humorous, but immoral. 
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
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​(Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2019)— B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
We are outraged, but not surprised, by today’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adoption of eight resolutions that single out Israel and do not mention any other country by name.  
 
One of the resolutions renews the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), a corrupt, politicized agency with a bloated budget that promotes anti-Israel incitement. Another resolution renews the mandate of a pro-Palestinian “special committee” within the U.N. with the sole purpose of relentlessly attacking Israel. The General Assembly also passed an absurd resolution on the Golan Heights, the second of this session, which is more scrutiny than the murderous Syrian regime on the other side of the border from the Golan will receive this UNGA session. We thank all countries that voted with the United States and Israel against these heavily biased resolutions.
 
The U.N. cannot achieve progress working towards peace and security until it stops demonizing and singling out Israel more than all other countries, including egregious violators of human rights. The UNGA’s tendency to pass biased and redundant resolution after resolution blasting Israel while effectively ignoring serious concerns in other countries points to the continuing moral decay at this global institution.
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

(Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2019)--“Words should be weighed, not counted.” President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen commenced her speech this way at this week’s high-level conference jointly hosted by the European Parliament Working Group on Anti-Semitism, the European Jewish Congress and B’nai B’rith International.
 
“There are no speeches...that can take away the pain of what happened in Halle,” she continued, announcing that in response, she will dedicate an entire team under Vice President of the Commission Margaritis Schinas to work together with European Commission Coordinator on Combatting anti-Semitism Katharina von Schnurbein.
 
The conference brought together numerous members of the European Parliament, officials of permanent missions to the EU, Jewish community representatives and civil society representatives. The summit began with an early Hanukkah reception.
 
Powerful witness testimony was submitted by Anastassia Pletoukhina, an activist and educator in the Jewish community of Berlin, visiting Halle on this year’s Yom Kippur service. Pletoukhina recalled "for me and my family, who chose to live in Germany, it was very devastating to know that we are not as protected as we actually wish for."
 
Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, addressed the need for a moral reconvergence of world leaders and called attention to the opportunity presented by the upcoming World Summit ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day organized at Yad Vashem by the World Holocaust Forum and President Reuven Rivlin. He warned that "the crisis of anti-Semitism is a slippery slope to a global catastrophe.”
 
B’nai B’rith International Director of EU Affairs Alina Bricman drew on the event taking place on Dec. 10 - the anniversary of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “The declaration mandated that all people have the right to live securely. Today we fall short of this fundamental promise, and thus policy makers have a special responsibility to act. We are grateful to have such strong cross-party allies in the Working Group to make this finally a reality.”
 
Perspectives on contemporary anti-Semitism were shared on an expert panel moderated by Bojan Pancevski, Germany correspondent, the Wall Street Journal; Günther Jikeli; Jean-Yves Camus; and Marina Chernivsky. Each shared their insights into current manifestations of anti-Semitism, their effect on the Jewish community and the way they fit into broader socio-political trends seen in the world today.
 
The bureau of the European Parliament Working Group (MEP Karoline Edtstadler, chair; MEP Juan Fernando Lopez-Aguilar, vice-chair; and MEP Sergey Lagodinsky) outlined the political and policy avenues they identified in tackling anti-Semitism within the EU institutions.
 
The conference was concluded by Vice President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer from Germany, who also serves as vice chair of the Working Group on Anti-Semitism.
 
We look forward to seeing policy-makers and relevant stakeholders engaged year-long on a proactive and engaging agenda put forward by the working group.
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
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(Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2019)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
B’nai B’rith applauds President Donald Trump’s anticipated executive order extending federal civil right protections to the Jewish people. The order will help fight anti-Semitism on college campuses by making it possible for colleges and universities to lose federal funding if they discriminate against Jews. In recent years, the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has proliferated across college campuses. Colleges have been called on to divest from Israeli entities, Israeli goods are boycotted and Jewish students have reported feeling threatened.
 
Classifying Jews as an ethnic group, rather than purely as a religion, makes anti-Semitic discrimination a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Schools that discriminate against the racial, ethnic and national groups covered by Title VI are not allowed to receive federal funding.
 
The Education Department will define anti-Semitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, which has been adopted by governments and institutions around the world.
 
The anticipated executive order is based on bipartisan legislation supported by both Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org
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