While Jews continued to be attacked, their synagogues vandalized, and their history and culture, especially related to the Holocaust, distorted, there was progress in the fight against Jew hatred.
Positive trends included the adoption by the Council of the European Union of measures to combat racism and antisemitism; the appointment by of antisemitism envoys and the IHRA definition of antisemitism by several countries; and strides at the United Nations in the fight against antisemitism.
EU Council plan to combat antisemitism
Under the leadership of France, who led the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted measures, officially known as “conclusions,” to combat the rise of racism and antisemitism. The measures call on member states to adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism and “to adopt and implement a holistic strategy to prevent and fight all forms of antisemitism.”
The conclusions called on the EU to “ensure a future for Jewish people to live with the same sense of security and freedom as all other citizens in the European Union,” and on member states “to increase their efforts to ensure security of Jewish communities, institutions, and citizens,” including providing the financial support for “necessary security measures.”
WJC worked closely with European governments at all levels, as well as Jewish communities across Europe, to codify ways to combat the hatred of Jews. In welcoming the measures, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder thanked France and the leadership of the European Union for recognizing “the danger that antisemitism poses to the Jewish people and society at large,” adding, “We must never be passive or negligent in combating antisemitism or any other form of bigotry.”
Amb. Lauder said, “As antisemitism continues to surge across Europe—one recent study found 10 antisemitic incidents daily around the globe, almost half of them in Europe—the Council’s commitment to fighting the world’s oldest hatred is more critical than ever. Member States will now need to adopt the specific policies laid out to ensure that the hatred of Jews is tackled head-on, perpetrators are held responsible, and future generations learn that all forms of hatred are unacceptable.”
Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands adopted national action plans to combat antisemitism. Germany, and the Netherlands plan dealt exclusively with antisemitism while the plan from Denmark, and France also dealt with other forms of bigotry.
Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt appointed as antisemitism envoy
Countries appointed special envoys to focus on combating antisemitism.
In the United States, after the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism was upgraded to the rank of ambassador, thus increasing the office’s influence and demonstrating American bipartisan commitment to the security and rights of Jewish communities around the globe, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt was confirmed to the position.
That development was welcomed by WJC President Lauder, who reiterated his position that President Biden “could not have found anyone better qualified to confront today’s challenges.” He added that he was “tremendously relieved that we will now have her powerful voice and moral leadership in the global fight against virulent and surging Jew-hatred, for make no mistake about it, that is what antisemitism is.”
The World Jewish Congress, alongside the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France (Crif), hosted Ambassador Lipstadt, for a discussion on antisemitism, the growth of far-right movements, and Holocaust denial.
In her remarks, Lipstadt asserted that the current rise in antisemitism is a global phenomenon and not limited to Europe or any single country. “If we had had this conversation 15 years ago, I would have said, ‘France is a unique situation.’ Sadly, it’s not unique anymore,” she said, adding that “antisemitism is the canary in the coal mine. It may start with the Jews, it does not end with the Jews.”
Countries continue battle against antisemitism, adopt IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Finland, and the Philippines all adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in 2022.
The definition states, “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.”
In addition to the definition, a list of 11 reference examples to aid in the identification of antisemitism also has been gradually adopted by member countries and other entities around the world. Universities, municipalities, religious groups, and sports clubs are among the bodies that have thus far formally adopted the definition.
Despite efforts by the international community to define anti-Jewish hate, there are many who claim that their antisemitic or anti-Israel comments are simply their opinions, the objective truth, or are devoid of malicious intent. These individuals often claim that their criticism of Israel has nothing to do with the people who live there, and that their accusations of Jewish global domination are supported by fact. Therefore, WJC created a tool to debunk some of the misconceptions and mistruths circulating about the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism.
UN takes strides to combat antisemitism
While elements in the United Nations continued to treat Israel with tremendous bias, the organization also demonstrated significant progress in the fight against antisemitism.
For instance, in January 2022, on the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference, where fifteen senior Nazi German officials met to discuss the coordination and implementation of the mass extermination of European Jewry, the United Nations General Assembly passed by consensus a resolution calling on member states and non-state actors to take active measures against Holocaust denial. WJC President Lauder applauded the passage of the resolution, calling it “an unambiguous message that if you deny the Holocaust, if you deny the story of the Jewish people, you are propagating antisemitism.”
In June, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, published an action plan to combat antisemitism. The eight-point report includes recommendations on how to react to antisemitic incidents, establish national structures, promote educational activities, and monitor hate crimes. In addition, the plan contains a section on ensuring the physical safety of Jewish communities and their ability to practice their religion freely without fear, as well as actions the United Nations and governments should take at the international level. It urges governments to use the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism as a non-legally binding educational and training tool and incorporate it into training and educational materials for officials such as police, prosecutors and judges, government employees, educators, and those working for national human rights institutions.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, in response to the action plan, said: “Antisemitism is not just a Jewish issue; it is a phenomenon that threatens democracy, human rights and inclusive societies and must be combated by all. Dr. Shaheed tells governments how to do it.”
In addition, in an October statement on behalf of 50 supporting countries, Slovak Foreign Minister Rastislav Káčer warned against the dangers of antisemitism and racism, saying that they “pose a constant and serious challenge to human rights and the dignity of every person," during the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council.
#WeRemember campaign hits new heights, preserves memory of Holocaust and genocide remembrance
The World Jewish Congress annual #WeRemember campaign culminated with the illumination of more than 50 sites in more than 20 countries and a live-streaming exhibition at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
The illuminated landmarks included the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Knesset in Israel; the Bundestag in Germany; the Austrian and Greek parliaments; the European Commission in Brussels; other institutions and parliaments across Europe; 1 World Trade Center; and Niagara Falls in New York. In Canada alone, 30 landmarks were lit up in partnership with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held up a #WeRemember sign while standing alongside a Holocaust survivor. Other illuminated sites in Israel included the Azrieli Center and the electric station, both in Tel Aviv.
The message of #WeRemember resounded in Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz took part in the campaign and the Bundesrat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Defense were all illuminated, in addition to the German Parliament. Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander also shared her story with some 600 German students, through a program created by the WJC.
During the week-long campaign, the World Jewish Congress and UNESCO announced a partnership with TikTok to ensure that its community members have easy access to authoritative information about the Holocaust. They will now be directed to the website AboutHolocaust.org, a comprehensive resource developed by the WJC and UNESCO. The announcement coincided with International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
In addition to Holocaust remembrance, WJC took steps to preserve the memory of other genocides. WJC Associate Executive Vice President Menachem Rosensaft addressed the annual Srebrenica commemoration, organized by the Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina In his remarks, Rosensaft said that it is critical for the entire international community to formally commemorate the Srebrenica genocide every year on July 11, adding that it should be done “not just out of respect for its victims, but as a public countermeasure to the repeated efforts, especially—but by no means exclusively—in Republika Srpska, to deny this genocide.”
