September 27, 2024
The Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) by CAM released yesterday its 2024 mid-year report on IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism adoptions worldwide, analyzing relevant case studies since October 7th, and outlining actionable steps for public and private entities to best implement this vital tool. As the FBI's latest statistics demonstrate that antisemitic hate crimes surged to an all-time high last year, utilizing the IHRA definition to recognize and combat anti-Jewish hatred and discrimination is more important than ever.
Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania was presented with the CAM Global Leadership Award at an event during UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York City for his exemplary leadership and resolute allyship in the global fight against antisemitism. Notably, CAM previously collaborated with Albania's parliament to adopt the IHRA definition, making Albania the first Muslim-majority country to do so.
Prime Minister Rama's allyship stands in stark contrast to the venomous antisemitism promulgated by several other world leaders during the UN General Assembly in New York. Colombian President Gustav Petro falsely accused Israel of "genocide," and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan compared Israel's Prime Minister to Adolf Hitler, an egregious example Holocaust inversion that should have no place in halls of power.
Antisemitism on campuses persists, as the most recent ARC data highlights. More than one in four antisemitic incidents in the United States recorded this week - 14 out of 49, or 28.6% - occurred at a college or university.
Some recent positive developments on college campuses, however, offer a glimmer of hope. Columbia University updated its anti-discrimination rules to specify that harassing Jewish students under the guise of targeting "Zionists" was prohibited. Other university administrations must follow suit, and the U.S. Senate should urgently help protect Jewish students by voting on and passing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, as 26 Republican governors recently urged in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
On Wednesday, CAM hosted a wine-tasting event in Deal, New Jersey, featuring products from five renowned Israeli wineries, an important initiative to uplift an industry that has faced daunting challenges since October 7th.