Jewish History

Holocaust Inversion Latest Example of Antisemitism

As AJC Europe Managing Director Simone Rodan-Benzaquen points out in her piece published today, those engaging in the antisemitic Holocaust inversion trope by disgustingly portraying Gaza as the new Auschwitz is not only absurd, but also perpetuates the very same Jew-hatred that led to the extermination of six million Jews.  [Belle Etra Yoeli, American Jewish Committee]

Holocaust Inversion Latest Example of Antisemitism Read More »

Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Update on Southern California Wildfire Relief Efforts

These Jewish communities have been extensively impacted. According to the reporting of 27 organizations, we know so far:  446 families (approximately 1,353 individuals) have lost their homes completely. 451 families (approximately 1,514 individuals) have damaged/uninhabitable homes. 47 families have lost their businesses. Approximately 20 professionals who work in the Jewish community have lost their homes. [Heidi Gantwerk]

Update on Southern California Wildfire Relief Efforts Read More »

California, Heidi Gantwerk, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

3rd Generation Holocaust Survivors Vow to Keep Memory and Lessons Alive

As third-generation Holocaust survivors, we carry a sacred duty: to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and ensure its lessons resonate through time, touching the hearts and minds of future generations. [Montana Tucker and Sacha Roytman]

3rd Generation Holocaust Survivors Vow to Keep Memory and Lessons Alive Read More »

Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

WJC’s Lauder: Hatred Leading to Holocaust Still Rampant Today

The virulent antisemitism that led to the Holocaust is still rampant around the globe today, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said against the backdrop of Monday’s solemn commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the former Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. [Press Release]

WJC’s Lauder: Hatred Leading to Holocaust Still Rampant Today Read More »

Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, World Jewish Congress

Holocaust Museums Open in Muslim-Majority Countries

The “For a Righteous Cause” report, published for the fourth year by the Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University (TAU) in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, January 27, 2025, highlights an encouraging phenomenon: new exhibitions and museums commemorating the Holocaust and heroism that have opened or are under construction in Muslim countries. [Press Release]

Holocaust Museums Open in Muslim-Majority Countries Read More »

Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Press Release

Jewish Biography: Edmund Landau, Mathematician Hounded by Nazis

His main areas of research were function theory and analytic number theory. Landau became world famous for his two-volume course Foundations of Analysis (1930), written with impeccable logical rigor. As a professor he enjoyed great success, doctoral students came to him from all over the world. [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Edmund Landau, Mathematician Hounded by Nazis Read More »

Alex Gordon, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Saving Lives as the World Fell Apart

Streets in Jerusalem and Petach Tikvah bear the name of Paul Gruninger, a Swiss police officer who stood as a beacon of humanity during one of history’s darkest chapters. In 1938, Paul Gruninger chose to defy heartless government policies with acts of extraordinary bravery, saving thousands of Jewish lives as Europe descended into madness. [Gedaliah Borvick]

Saving Lives as the World Fell Apart Read More »

Gedaliah Borvick, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Holocaust Exhibit at La Jolla Library Draws Opening Day Crowd

A particularly emotional moment came during the yellow ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by Holocaust survivors, and by Irwin Jacobs and Lee Goldberg. The yellow ribbon, a symbol of solidarity with hostages around the world, added a layer of significance to the occasion, reminding everyone of the ongoing struggles for freedom and justice across the globe. [Sandra Scheller]

Holocaust Exhibit at La Jolla Library Draws Opening Day Crowd Read More »

Holocaust, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sandra Scheller, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Claims Conference Reports Growing Gaps in Holocaust Knowledge in 8 Countries

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) on Thursday, Jan. 23, released the first-ever, eight-country Index on Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness, exposing a global trend in fading knowledge of basic facts about the Holocaust. The countries surveyed include the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary and Romania. [Press Release]

Claims Conference Reports Growing Gaps in Holocaust Knowledge in 8 Countries Read More »

International, Jewish History, Press Release, USA

OpEd: Elon Musk is a Friend of the Jews and Not a Nazi

After the celebration of Donald Trump’s victory, Musk expressed gratitude with the statement, “This one matters, thank you, I give you my heart,” followed by a gesture perceived by some as resembling a Nazi salute. This incident quickly overshadowed his remarks about his ambitions for space exploration with SpaceX and Tesla. Musk’s actions sparked intense debate across political lines, particularly among left-wing commentators. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

OpEd: Elon Musk is a Friend of the Jews and Not a Nazi Read More »

Holocaust, Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Biography: Giacomo Meyerbeer, Opera Impresario

Meyerbeer’s vast fortune and the great success of his operas, as well as his observance of the laws of the Jewish religion, set him apart from many musicians. He was a sponsor of many young composers, including Wagner, who “thanked” him with an antisemitic article, “Jewry in Music.” [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Giacomo Meyerbeer, Opera Impresario Read More »

Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Frances Perkins, Nation’s First ‘Madam Secretary’ Tried to Help European Jewish Refugees

Struggling against American xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism in the 1930s, Labor Secretary Frances Perkins—the first woman to serve in a President’s Cabinet – sought in several ways to spare German Jewish refugees from annihilation by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. [Donald H. Harrison]

Frances Perkins, Nation’s First ‘Madam Secretary’ Tried to Help European Jewish Refugees Read More »

Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA