World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder addressed the rise of anti-Semitism around the world and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, as part of the 2014-2015 Hal Israel Endowed Lectureship in Jewish-Catholic Relations at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
The lecture series seeks to facilitate dialogue and strengthen ties between Jews and Catholics, exploring the many ways in which members of these two faiths continue to replace ancient prejudices with cooperation and understanding in today’s world.
Lauder spoke about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and Africa, and about rising anti-Semitism in many parts of the world. "While the Jews are always the first to be targeted, they are never the last," he said.
"So, on one level, the merging today of anti-Semitism and the persecution of Christians is not completely unique. We've both been targeted before, often by the same enemy. But today's rampage against both religions at the same time is a direct attack on Western civilization. It's an attack on Judeo-Christian values: the fundamental building blocks of almost everything mankind has achieved over the last 2,000 years," the WJC president told the audience.
On Tuesday, Lauder had testified on the rise of European anti-Semitism in the wake of recent terror attacks in France and Denmark, before the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, urging the United States to take a more active role in the fight against radical Islam.
The Georgetown lecture series honors Hal Israel, who graduated from Georgetown University in 1992 and continued his studies at Yale University Law School, where he obtained his JD. Upon graduation, he practiced law in Phoenix. Hal Israel was an active and involved lawyer and was devoted to helping others. Hal is survived by his wife Donna, two children, parents Lesley and Fred Israel, and his brother Sandy.
