MEDIA-OCRITY OF THE WEEK
Antisemitism Increased Under Trump. Then It Got Even Worse: Michelle Goldberg, NY Times, Apr. 29, 2022“Antisemitism started increasing in 2015, when Donald Trump came on the political scene and electrified the far right, then spiked during his administration/ Trump is now gone, but the Republican Party has grown more hospitable than ever to cranks and zealots . . . The antisemitism of the QAnon conspiracy theory—always latent in its fantasies of elite blood-drinking cabals–has also become much more open … One of its influencers, Ghost Ezra “is an open Nazi who praises Hitler and decries the supposedly treacherous nature of the Jews.” … Our society, clearly is not healthy. It was unwell before the pandemic—a country that could elect Donald Trump is sick by definition—and it is in much worse shape now . . .Besides being a crisis, escalating antisemitism is a warning. Things are falling apart.” [The piece, which ignores the fact Trump was the most pro-Jewish and pro-Israel President in U.S. History, begins by noting that “right-wing extremism” was behind only 18% of the 2,717 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. reported by ADL for 2021—Editor]
WEEKLY QUOTES
“Our sons and daughters, who fell in defense of our state, fought together and fell together. They did not ask, nor did anyone ask them, who was right-wing and who was left-wing. Who was religious? Who was secular? Who was Jewish and who was not Jewish? Nor did grief pose these questions, to them or to you. They fell as Israelis, defending Israel. In cemeteries, arguments fall silent. Between the headstones, not a sound. A silence that demands that we fulfill, together, their single dying wish: the resurrection of Israel. The building of Israel. United, consolidated, responsible for each other. For we are all sisters and brothers.” – Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Western Wall to commemorate Yom HaZikaron. (Israel National News, May 3, 2022)
“When Iran started its nuclear program, our goal was to build a bomb; we failed to keep it a secret before conducting a nuclear test; having a nuclear bomb for deterrence is not a bad thing.” — Former Iranian Majles member Ali Motahari in an April 24th interview on ISCA News (Iran). (MEMRI,Apr. 24, 2022)
“Our people must prepare for a great battle if the occupation does not cease its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque … Violating Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem means a regional, religious war.” — Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza. He then gestured at a photo mounted behind him showing Israeli security personnel inside the mosque and said, “Whoever makes the decision to allow this photo to be repeated, the violation of Al-Aqsa — he has decided to allow the violation of thousands of synagogues all across the world.” (Times of Israel, Apr. 30, 2022)
“I want to speak to Ra’am and the Knesset member Mansour Abbas. That you serve as a support to this government which violates Al-Aqsa is an unforgivable crime.” — Hamas in Gaza head Yahya Sinwar, calling for Ra’am to immediately leave Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition government. “For an Arab to say that this is a Jewish state is the height of degeneracy. You get a few achievements for Arab society, in exchange for the violation of Al-Aqsa?” (Israel Hayom, May 1, 2022)
“So what if Zelensky is Jewish. It doesn’t disprove the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood,” and “some of the worst antisemites are Jews.” — Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with Zona Bianca, an Italian political talk show. (Jewish Press, May 2, 2022)
“Such lies are designed to accuse the Jews of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them. The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately” — Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “[The remarks were] an insult and a severe blow to the victims of real Nazism . . .an antisemitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.” — Dani Dayan, Chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. “Heinous remarks offensive to Zelenskyy [Ukraine’s Jewish President], to Israel, to Ukraine, and to Jews . . .today’s Russia is hateful to other nations” –Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. – political columnist Christian Balmer. The Russian Foreign Minister, defending Russia’s depiction of Ukrainians as Nazis, claimed that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, and noted that “Jewish people say that the biggest antisemites are the Jews themselves”. [Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, termed accusing Jews of antisemitism “the basest level of antisemitism.” (National Post, May 3, 2022)
“…The danger of nuclear confrontation is serious and “we must not underestimate it.” — Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warning of a possible nuclear attack by Russia. Speaking to lawmakers in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin reinforced the point. “If someone from the outside tries to intervene in what’s happening; if they create threats, threats of a strategic nature, our retribution, our counter-strike will be instantaneous. We have all the necessary instruments, ones that no-one else can boast of. And we will not be bragging about them, we will use them if necessary.” (National Post, Apr. 28, 2022)
“The danger is serious, real. NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.” — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, responding to a question about the prospect of World War III, and the comparison of Ukraine with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, which threatened nuclear war. (Toronto Sun, Apr. 26, 2022)
“Putin has to be put on trial and hanged. But only in accordance with the law.” — Igor Volobuyev, former vice-president of Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest bank, who fled to his natal country, Ukraine, at the February 24th start of the war. The grey-haired executive said he had been thinking about moving to Ukraine all this time but he was held back by family obligations. When Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine on Feb. 24, all of his plans shattered. “I couldn’t live like this much longer. I had to choose between my family and my motherland, and I chose my motherland.” – columnist Natalya Vasilyeva. (National Post, May 2, 2022)
“The fact that we can only afford four lousy howitzers to support an ally in a war of aggression raises another question: Just what has our government done to protect our continental infrastructure, resources and the Arctic–priceless assets that could easily be Russia’s next targets. The answer is: nothing . . . Without pressure from Washington, Trudeau and his inexperienced, unschooled cabinet would have done absolutely nothing for two reasons: they are hopelessly parochial and politically correct to a fault, and they have neglected our Armed Forces since gaining power in 2015. Canada’s military has been hollowed out and neglected and our NATO commitment have been ignored.” — Canadian political columnist Diane Francis. (Financial Post, May 3, 2022)
“I love Twitter. Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness. The idea and service are all that matters to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both.” — Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, supports the new owner of Twitter, Elon Musk. (Twitter, Apr. 25, 2022)
“In its original iteration as a free-speech platform, [Twitter] allowed Mr. Trump or anyone to bypass the media and reach millions of voters directly. In its revamped iteration as a content-moderation machine designed to favor some viewpoints over others, it became a tool to suppress voices and information progressives didn’t want Americans to hear.”—Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. (WSJ, Apr. 29, 2022)
“A Nanos Research poll last week found the Conservative Party enjoying 35.6 percent support against 30 percent for the Liberals. This is not only one of the highest showings for the Tories since the onset of COVID-19, but it’s more than enough to win them government should the numbers hold up in a general election.” — Tristan Hopper. (National Post, Apr. 29, 2022)
“When Iran started its nuclear program, our goal was to build a bomb; we failed to keep it a secret before conducting a nuclear test; having a nuclear bomb for deterrence is not a bad thing.” — Former Iranian Majles member Ali Motahari in an April 24th interview on ISCA News (Iran). (MEMRI,Apr. 24, 2022)
“Our people must prepare for a great battle if the occupation does not cease its aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque … Violating Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem means a regional, religious war.” — Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza. He then gestured at a photo mounted behind him showing Israeli security personnel inside the mosque and said, “Whoever makes the decision to allow this photo to be repeated, the violation of Al-Aqsa — he has decided to allow the violation of thousands of synagogues all across the world.” (Times of Israel, Apr. 30, 2022)
“I want to speak to Ra’am and the Knesset member Mansour Abbas. That you serve as a support to this government which violates Al-Aqsa is an unforgivable crime.” — Hamas in Gaza head Yahya Sinwar, calling for Ra’am to immediately leave Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition government. “For an Arab to say that this is a Jewish state is the height of degeneracy. You get a few achievements for Arab society, in exchange for the violation of Al-Aqsa?” (Israel Hayom, May 1, 2022)
“So what if Zelensky is Jewish. It doesn’t disprove the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood,” and “some of the worst antisemites are Jews.” — Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with Zona Bianca, an Italian political talk show. (Jewish Press, May 2, 2022)
“Such lies are designed to accuse the Jews of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them. The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately” — Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “[The remarks were] an insult and a severe blow to the victims of real Nazism . . .an antisemitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.” — Dani Dayan, Chairman of Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. “Heinous remarks offensive to Zelenskyy [Ukraine’s Jewish President], to Israel, to Ukraine, and to Jews . . .today’s Russia is hateful to other nations” –Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. – political columnist Christian Balmer. The Russian Foreign Minister, defending Russia’s depiction of Ukrainians as Nazis, claimed that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, and noted that “Jewish people say that the biggest antisemites are the Jews themselves”. [Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, termed accusing Jews of antisemitism “the basest level of antisemitism.” (National Post, May 3, 2022)
“…The danger of nuclear confrontation is serious and “we must not underestimate it.” — Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warning of a possible nuclear attack by Russia. Speaking to lawmakers in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin reinforced the point. “If someone from the outside tries to intervene in what’s happening; if they create threats, threats of a strategic nature, our retribution, our counter-strike will be instantaneous. We have all the necessary instruments, ones that no-one else can boast of. And we will not be bragging about them, we will use them if necessary.” (National Post, Apr. 28, 2022)
“The danger is serious, real. NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.” — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, responding to a question about the prospect of World War III, and the comparison of Ukraine with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, which threatened nuclear war. (Toronto Sun, Apr. 26, 2022)
“Putin has to be put on trial and hanged. But only in accordance with the law.” — Igor Volobuyev, former vice-president of Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest bank, who fled to his natal country, Ukraine, at the February 24th start of the war. The grey-haired executive said he had been thinking about moving to Ukraine all this time but he was held back by family obligations. When Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine on Feb. 24, all of his plans shattered. “I couldn’t live like this much longer. I had to choose between my family and my motherland, and I chose my motherland.” – columnist Natalya Vasilyeva. (National Post, May 2, 2022)
“The fact that we can only afford four lousy howitzers to support an ally in a war of aggression raises another question: Just what has our government done to protect our continental infrastructure, resources and the Arctic–priceless assets that could easily be Russia’s next targets. The answer is: nothing . . . Without pressure from Washington, Trudeau and his inexperienced, unschooled cabinet would have done absolutely nothing for two reasons: they are hopelessly parochial and politically correct to a fault, and they have neglected our Armed Forces since gaining power in 2015. Canada’s military has been hollowed out and neglected and our NATO commitment have been ignored.” — Canadian political columnist Diane Francis. (Financial Post, May 3, 2022)
“I love Twitter. Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness. The idea and service are all that matters to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both.” — Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, supports the new owner of Twitter, Elon Musk. (Twitter, Apr. 25, 2022)
“In its original iteration as a free-speech platform, [Twitter] allowed Mr. Trump or anyone to bypass the media and reach millions of voters directly. In its revamped iteration as a content-moderation machine designed to favor some viewpoints over others, it became a tool to suppress voices and information progressives didn’t want Americans to hear.”—Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. (WSJ, Apr. 29, 2022)
“A Nanos Research poll last week found the Conservative Party enjoying 35.6 percent support against 30 percent for the Liberals. This is not only one of the highest showings for the Tories since the onset of COVID-19, but it’s more than enough to win them government should the numbers hold up in a general election.” — Tristan Hopper. (National Post, Apr. 29, 2022)
SHORT TAKES
ISRAELI HERO: GUARD KILLED SHIELDING FIANCEE FROM PALESTINIAN SHOOTING ATTACK (Ariel) — Vyacheslav Golev, the Israeli security guard killed in Friday night’s Palestinian terror attack in Ariel had shielded his fiancee with his own body. The 23-year-old Golev was manning a security booth at the entrance of Ariel with his fiancee, Victoria Fligelman, also a security guard, when two Palestinian terrorists drove up in a Suzuki with yellow Israeli license plates and opened fire. (United With Israel, May 1, 2022)
SHIN BET EXPOSES ONLINE IRANIAN ESPIONAGE DRIVE TARGETING ISRAELIS (Jerusalem) — The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) uncovered an Iranian espionage network, which it said worked to track down and recruit Israeli civilians for spy missions and to prepare attacks on targets in Israel. The Iranian operatives used a fictitious Fake-Fact-Checker Facebook profile called “Sara Puppi,” who presented “herself” as a young Jewish woman with personal and business ties to Israel. Shin Bet officials had been monitoring the latest activity from its beginning. (JNS, May 3, 2022)
HAMAS SUPPORTERS SING ITS PRAISE DURING PRAYERS ON TEMPLE MOUNT (Jerusalem) — A massive Hamas poster was exhibited on the Al Aqsa Mosque compound when tens of thousands of Muslims prayed during the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Several hundred Hamas supporters called out chants praising the terror group and sang songs claiming to be the soldiers of Mohammed Deif, commander of the organization’s military wing. (Ynet, May 2, 2022)
ISRAEL TO INCREASE MILITARY, CIVILIAN AID TO UKRAINE – REPORT (Jerusalem) — Israel is leaning toward expanding its aid to Ukraine, including sending military assistance to the embattled country. The increase in aid would be a “substantial step” compared with what Israel has already provided, the report said. (Jerusalem Post, May 3, 2022)
EMIRATI ASTRONAUT WILL BE FIRST ARAB ON LONG-DURATION SPACE FLIGHT, UAE & ISRAEL COLLABORATE ON 2024 MOON MISSION (Abu Dhabi) — The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center is preparing for the first long space mission ever carried out by an Arab astronaut. Last year, the UAE sent its Hope Probe into orbit around Mars, the first Arab country and fifth space agency to do so. Next year, an Emirati astronaut will be sent to the International Space Station in accordance with an agreement signed by the Space Center with Axiom Space. The mission is set for launch in Spring 2023 as part of SpaceX Crew 6. Israel’s SpaceIL space company and the United Arab Emirates have signed a cooperation agreement to collaborate on a joint mission to the moon in 2024. (Jewish Press, May 1, 2022)
ISRAEL’S JEWISH DEMOGRAPHIC MOMENTUM IN 2022 (Jerusalem) — In 2021, the number of Jewish births in Israel was 141,250—76% higher than 1995 (80,400), compared to 43,806 Arab births—20% higher than 1995 (36,500). In 2021, Jewish births were 76% of total births, compared with 69% in 1995. The surge of Jewish births has taken place due to the unprecedented rise of births (since 1995) in the secular sector, simultaneously with a rising level of education, income and marriage age, as well as expanded urbanization. Since 1995, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox sector has experienced a mild decrease of fertility. (JNS, Apr. 28, 2022)
38,000 NEW IMMIGRANTS TO ISRAEL IN A SINGLE YEAR (Jerusalem) — A report by the Jewish Agency found that a total of roughly 38,000 new immigrants from around the world made Aliyah to Israel since Israel’s Independence Day in 2021. The spike in immigration to Israel resulted in part from the wave of migration from Ukraine this year, following the Russian invasion which began in February. (Israel National News, May 1, 2022)
ELI COHEN TRAIL TO COMMEMORATE ISRAEL’S GREATEST SPY(Jerusalem) — A special project is now coming together to commemorate Israel’s most famous spy, Eli Cohen. The Eli Cohen trail in the Golan Heights stretches several kilometers from Quneitra, Syria, to the Hamat Gader hot springs in the Yarmouk Valley. Its eight landmarks are situated at spots Cohen visited with the Syrian military. The legendary spy, known as “our man in Damascus,” spied on the Syrian military establishment for four years. After being discovered, he was tortured by the Syrians before being executed in Damascus on May 18, 1965. His body was never returned to Israel. (Algemeiner, Apr. 28, 2022)
LISTENING TO ISRAEL, TURKEY EXPELS HAMAS MEMBERS (Ankara) — Turkey is expelling Hamas operatives as a result of its warming ties with Israel. A Hamas official blamed Israel for the turnaround, which Jerusalem had been requesting for years. Hamas operatives have long been known to have orchestrated deadly attacks in the Jewish state from their homes in Istanbul. (WIN, Apr. 30, 2022)
ADL’S JONATHAN GREENBLATT DECLARES ANTIZIONISM IS ANTISEMITISM (Washington) – Anti Defamation League (iDF) Director Jonathan Greenblatt’s speech at the ADL Virtual National Leadership Summit stirred many surprises. The Soros liberal and former Obama official came to recognize the validity of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antizionism as antisemitism. Could it have to do with the most recent report on antisemitism that saw such a strong link between Jew-hatred and Israel hatred (ADL: US Antisemitism Surged to All-Time High in 2021, 61% Rise in Attacks on Synagogues, JCCs)? (Jewish Press, May 2, 2022)
HARVARD PAPER ENDORSES BDS, WON’T PRINT LETTER OPPOSING IT (Cambridge, Mass) — The Harvard Crimson broke with the paper’s longstanding editorial position to endorse the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that aims to economically isolate the Jewish state of Israel. The endorsement came at the tail end of an “Israeli Apartheid Week” hosted by the Ivy League school’s Palestinian Solidarity Committee, replete with an art show that equated Zionism with “racism” and “white supremacy.” (WIN, May 3, 2022)
CANADIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT PUTS ON ‘ANTI-RACIST’ SYMPOSIUM(Waterloo) — Ontario’s Waterloo Region District School Board is hosting its second “Roots and Wings” symposium. The two-hour livestream will feature remarks from Superintendent Pam Kaur, who was hired by the district because she demonstrated “strong equity leadership capacity grounded in social justice, anti-racism and anti-oppression.” (Washington Examiner, Apr. 30, 2022)
MARKET PLUNGE REFLECTS ALARM OF PAIN AHEAD (Washington) —April was the worst month for Wall Street since the advent of the coronavirus in March, 2020. The S&P Index fell 8.8% across April, and economists are expecting worse. As inflation spirals, bottlenecks continue, the Russian war on Ukraine affects energy prices and grain supplies, and the Fed begins raising interest rates, observers fear “stagflation”, economic decline and rising prices, key ingredients for a recession. (A 1.4% shrinkage in GDP in the last quarter, announced after this article appeared, reinforces the concerns—two such dips in a row is the actual definition of being in a recession—Editor.) (NY Times, Apr. 29, 2022)
HARVARD SETS UP $100 MILLION ENDOWMENT FUND FOR SLAVERY REPARATIONS (Cambridge, Mass) — Harvard University is setting up an endowment fund with $100 million to remedy its involvement in the “legacies of slavery and racism”, its use of slave labor and its profiting from investment in slave trade-related commercial endeavors. (Reuters, Apr. 26, 2022)
SHIN BET EXPOSES ONLINE IRANIAN ESPIONAGE DRIVE TARGETING ISRAELIS (Jerusalem) — The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) uncovered an Iranian espionage network, which it said worked to track down and recruit Israeli civilians for spy missions and to prepare attacks on targets in Israel. The Iranian operatives used a fictitious Fake-Fact-Checker Facebook profile called “Sara Puppi,” who presented “herself” as a young Jewish woman with personal and business ties to Israel. Shin Bet officials had been monitoring the latest activity from its beginning. (JNS, May 3, 2022)
HAMAS SUPPORTERS SING ITS PRAISE DURING PRAYERS ON TEMPLE MOUNT (Jerusalem) — A massive Hamas poster was exhibited on the Al Aqsa Mosque compound when tens of thousands of Muslims prayed during the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Several hundred Hamas supporters called out chants praising the terror group and sang songs claiming to be the soldiers of Mohammed Deif, commander of the organization’s military wing. (Ynet, May 2, 2022)
ISRAEL TO INCREASE MILITARY, CIVILIAN AID TO UKRAINE – REPORT (Jerusalem) — Israel is leaning toward expanding its aid to Ukraine, including sending military assistance to the embattled country. The increase in aid would be a “substantial step” compared with what Israel has already provided, the report said. (Jerusalem Post, May 3, 2022)
EMIRATI ASTRONAUT WILL BE FIRST ARAB ON LONG-DURATION SPACE FLIGHT, UAE & ISRAEL COLLABORATE ON 2024 MOON MISSION (Abu Dhabi) — The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center is preparing for the first long space mission ever carried out by an Arab astronaut. Last year, the UAE sent its Hope Probe into orbit around Mars, the first Arab country and fifth space agency to do so. Next year, an Emirati astronaut will be sent to the International Space Station in accordance with an agreement signed by the Space Center with Axiom Space. The mission is set for launch in Spring 2023 as part of SpaceX Crew 6. Israel’s SpaceIL space company and the United Arab Emirates have signed a cooperation agreement to collaborate on a joint mission to the moon in 2024. (Jewish Press, May 1, 2022)
ISRAEL’S JEWISH DEMOGRAPHIC MOMENTUM IN 2022 (Jerusalem) — In 2021, the number of Jewish births in Israel was 141,250—76% higher than 1995 (80,400), compared to 43,806 Arab births—20% higher than 1995 (36,500). In 2021, Jewish births were 76% of total births, compared with 69% in 1995. The surge of Jewish births has taken place due to the unprecedented rise of births (since 1995) in the secular sector, simultaneously with a rising level of education, income and marriage age, as well as expanded urbanization. Since 1995, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox sector has experienced a mild decrease of fertility. (JNS, Apr. 28, 2022)
38,000 NEW IMMIGRANTS TO ISRAEL IN A SINGLE YEAR (Jerusalem) — A report by the Jewish Agency found that a total of roughly 38,000 new immigrants from around the world made Aliyah to Israel since Israel’s Independence Day in 2021. The spike in immigration to Israel resulted in part from the wave of migration from Ukraine this year, following the Russian invasion which began in February. (Israel National News, May 1, 2022)
ELI COHEN TRAIL TO COMMEMORATE ISRAEL’S GREATEST SPY(Jerusalem) — A special project is now coming together to commemorate Israel’s most famous spy, Eli Cohen. The Eli Cohen trail in the Golan Heights stretches several kilometers from Quneitra, Syria, to the Hamat Gader hot springs in the Yarmouk Valley. Its eight landmarks are situated at spots Cohen visited with the Syrian military. The legendary spy, known as “our man in Damascus,” spied on the Syrian military establishment for four years. After being discovered, he was tortured by the Syrians before being executed in Damascus on May 18, 1965. His body was never returned to Israel. (Algemeiner, Apr. 28, 2022)
LISTENING TO ISRAEL, TURKEY EXPELS HAMAS MEMBERS (Ankara) — Turkey is expelling Hamas operatives as a result of its warming ties with Israel. A Hamas official blamed Israel for the turnaround, which Jerusalem had been requesting for years. Hamas operatives have long been known to have orchestrated deadly attacks in the Jewish state from their homes in Istanbul. (WIN, Apr. 30, 2022)
ADL’S JONATHAN GREENBLATT DECLARES ANTIZIONISM IS ANTISEMITISM (Washington) – Anti Defamation League (iDF) Director Jonathan Greenblatt’s speech at the ADL Virtual National Leadership Summit stirred many surprises. The Soros liberal and former Obama official came to recognize the validity of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antizionism as antisemitism. Could it have to do with the most recent report on antisemitism that saw such a strong link between Jew-hatred and Israel hatred (ADL: US Antisemitism Surged to All-Time High in 2021, 61% Rise in Attacks on Synagogues, JCCs)? (Jewish Press, May 2, 2022)
HARVARD PAPER ENDORSES BDS, WON’T PRINT LETTER OPPOSING IT (Cambridge, Mass) — The Harvard Crimson broke with the paper’s longstanding editorial position to endorse the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that aims to economically isolate the Jewish state of Israel. The endorsement came at the tail end of an “Israeli Apartheid Week” hosted by the Ivy League school’s Palestinian Solidarity Committee, replete with an art show that equated Zionism with “racism” and “white supremacy.” (WIN, May 3, 2022)
CANADIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT PUTS ON ‘ANTI-RACIST’ SYMPOSIUM(Waterloo) — Ontario’s Waterloo Region District School Board is hosting its second “Roots and Wings” symposium. The two-hour livestream will feature remarks from Superintendent Pam Kaur, who was hired by the district because she demonstrated “strong equity leadership capacity grounded in social justice, anti-racism and anti-oppression.” (Washington Examiner, Apr. 30, 2022)
MARKET PLUNGE REFLECTS ALARM OF PAIN AHEAD (Washington) —April was the worst month for Wall Street since the advent of the coronavirus in March, 2020. The S&P Index fell 8.8% across April, and economists are expecting worse. As inflation spirals, bottlenecks continue, the Russian war on Ukraine affects energy prices and grain supplies, and the Fed begins raising interest rates, observers fear “stagflation”, economic decline and rising prices, key ingredients for a recession. (A 1.4% shrinkage in GDP in the last quarter, announced after this article appeared, reinforces the concerns—two such dips in a row is the actual definition of being in a recession—Editor.) (NY Times, Apr. 29, 2022)
HARVARD SETS UP $100 MILLION ENDOWMENT FUND FOR SLAVERY REPARATIONS (Cambridge, Mass) — Harvard University is setting up an endowment fund with $100 million to remedy its involvement in the “legacies of slavery and racism”, its use of slave labor and its profiting from investment in slave trade-related commercial endeavors. (Reuters, Apr. 26, 2022)
FOR FURTHER REFERENCE
FLASHBACK: The Holocaust Photo that Offended Facebook: United With Israel, Apr. 28, 2022 — Julius Ciss is the executive director of Jews for Judaism, Canada. When he posted this picture of his daughter outside Auschwitz holding the Israeli flag in 2015, he was shocked to discover that Facebook considered it to be ‘insensitive’. What could be insensitive about such a picture?
