December 23, 2021
THE WEEK’S BIG 3
A staff member from a D.C. elementary school is reported to have told third-graders in library class to reenact scenes from the Holocaust, directing them to dig their classmates’ mass graves and simulate shooting the victim. Former president Donald Trump was condemned by the head of ADL after using antisemitic tropes about American Jews in a recent interview. A virulently antisemitic group with a reputation for mounting propaganda stunts committed a surge of incidents over the past weekend in eight states.
Read on for more on these headlines, news you can use to fight hate and the latest info about ADL from around the country.
- D.C. Third-Graders Allegedly Made to Reenact the Holocaust
“A Watkins Elementary School staff member told third-graders in library class to reenact scenes from the Holocaust, directing them to dig their classmates’ mass graves and simulate shooting the victims, according to an email from the school’s principal. The instructor was placed on leave Friday.” The Washington Post: LEARN MORE
+ READ: Joint statement from ADL, AJC, JCRC on D.C. elementary school incident
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Trump Uses Antisemitic Tropes to Again Criticize Jewish Americans
“Former President Donald Trump, in a newly released interview, claimed that Jewish Americans ‘either don't like Israel or don't care about Israel,’ while also suggesting that evangelical Christians ‘love Israel more than the Jews in this country.’” CNN: FULL STORY
+ WATCH: ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt with CNN’s Jake Tapper -
Neo-Nazi Group Distributes Antisemitic COVID-19 Propaganda Across The Country During Weekend Campaign
“Private homes in California, Texas, North Carolina, Idaho, Vermont, Alabama, Illinois and Florida were targeted with antisemitic leaflets proclaiming the COVID-19 pandemic to be a Jewish plot.” Algemeiner: READ MORE
+ ADL Blog: Extremists Embark on Weekend of Hate
KEY ADL SOCIAL STATEMENTS
- A critical oped by @YehudaKurtzer on the importance of renewed Jewish-Muslim dialogue. The bigotry on display in recent weeks from some so-called activists illustrates that we must work harder to find common ground so we can better understand one another…
- 2021 was marked by a series of heart-wrenching setbacks in the fight against hate. At the close of each year, we take some time to reflect on the moments that shaped the year and our work in the trenches…
- As the year draws to a close, we are looking back on the moments from 2021 that gave us hope and encouragement in the fight against #antisemitism and hate…
IN THE COMMUNITY
- Ceremony amplifies importance of genocide education in public schools (Wicked Local, MA)
- Arizona hate crimes hit their highest level since 9/11, and it’s likely an undercount (AZ Family)
- Police investigating antisemitic fliers in Pasadena and Beverly Hills (Los Angeles Times)
ADL IN THE NEWS
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Don’t Be Hoodwinked by Iran’s Human Rights ‘Overtures’ (Algemeiner – Sharon Nazarian and Marjan Keypour Greenblatt op-ed)
- Muslim civil rights group leader continues attacks on ‘Zionists’ as she goes on sabbatical (JTA)
- CBS News Special: America Changed Forever (CBS News – Eileen Hershenov interviewed)
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