[Craic] FW: an important new declaration aims to fight antisemitism without curtailing free speech - re the Israeli - Palestinian tragedy

[MARTO HOARY]

David,
This is very well stated. It is simple and concise, with further
information for clarification. The main message can be lost in words
otherwise.

Marto

On Sat, Mar 27, 2021 at 10:22 PM David Walsh via craic <
craic at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:

> Councillor Mike Layton – I am writing to you as my Councillor.
>
>
>
> Fighting antisemitism is important, and it is also important to not
> curtail criticism of the oppressive Israeli policies towards the
> Palestinians.
>
>
>
> I urge you to consider the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ as an alternative to
> the IHRA definition that is being proposed to municipalities.
>
>
>
> Please see discussion on this matter below.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> David Walsh
> 173 Rosedale Heights Drive
>
>
>
> Cell -  416-361-1341
> david at dwalsh.ca <david at awakeningproject.ca>
>
> 
>
> The following article appeared in the American Jewish newspaper called The
> Forward. It's a justification for abandoning the IHRA definition and
> replacing it with a new one (the Jerusalem Declaration) that promotes free
> speech and rejects most of the IHRA examples on the basis that they are
> infringements on free speech and moreover do not demonstrate anti-Semitism.
>
>
>
> There is a link below to the actual new declaration, which is signed by
> 200 international scholars, most of whom are Jewish.
>
>
>
> A new declaration aims to fight antisemitism without curtailing free speech
>
> Alon Confino <https://forward.com/author/alon-confino/>, Derek Penslar
> <https://forward.com/author/derek-penslar/> and Elissa Bemporad
> <https://forward.com/author/elissa-bemporad/>Mar 25, 2021Image by Getty
> Images <https://forward.com/artist/getty-images/>
>
> Antisemitism is on the rise, with powerful instigators behind it, but the
> struggle against it is at risk of being derailed by acrimonious divisions
> among Jews and others over its very meaning. The drive for adoption of a
> single, fixed definition of antisemitism has devolved into a polemical
> political debate on Israel and Palestine with crucial free-speech
> implications.
>
> Today we introduce the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which was
> crafted by a group of scholars from the United States, Israel, Europe and
> the U.K, after more than a year of intense discussion and study. The
> declaration has been endorsed by 200 eminent scholars with a wide spectrum
> of political views. All of us agree on the need for a guide to effectively
> combat antisemitism that protects space for an open debate around all
> possibilities around the future for Israelis and Palestinians.
>
>
>
> Our work responds to the definition of antisemitism adopted by the
> International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016. Regardless of the
> initial intention behind that definition, it is now often invoked in the
> context of debates over Israel and Palestine to curtail legitimate freedom
> of expression — a democratic value that most American Jews cherish.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> To read the full text of the declaration and its signers, click here
> <https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/>.
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Though we do not underestimate the perniciousness of antisemitism from the
> left, it is clear that the most dangerous threat to Jews today comes from
> the extreme right and populist groups. We cannot and should not wage battle
> against these groups on our own. Rather, we must strive to create alliances
> with other groups who suffer from racism and bigotry.
>
>
>
> The IHRA definition, as it has been used and interpreted, makes these
> important alliances hard to achieve. Noting that the IHRA calls itself “a
> working definition,” our group sought to learn from several years of
> experiencing the IHRA in action and believes that the new declaration
> offers greater clarity and improvements.
>
> Invoking universal principles, our declaration claims that while
> antisemitism has certain distinctive features, the fight against it is
> inseparable from the overall fight against all forms of racial, ethnic,
> cultural, religious, and gender discrimination.
>
>
>
> *Thirty-nine words about antisemitism are splitting the Jewish community*
> <https://forward.com/news/462859/ihra-definition-conference-of-presidents-opposition-antisemitism/>
>
> Arno Rosenfeld <https://forward.com/author/arno-rosenfeld/>January 26,
> 2021
>
> It deepens understanding of antisemitism through a concise preamble, a
> one-sentence definition and 15 brief guidelines. It articulates what
> antisemitism is — and, in the context of Israel and Palestine, what it is
> not. We seek to distinguish between a political debate, harsh and
> contentious as it may be, and antisemitic speech and action..
>
> The declaration thus helps create a space for frank discussions of
> difficult questions about the political future for all inhabitants of
> Israel and Palestine without those discussions being conflated with
> antisemitism.
>
> But our document cannot settle all arguments. No document on antisemitism
> can be exhaustive or anticipate all the ways in which antisemitism will
> manifest in the future. Context, judgement, and sensitivity are always
> crucial in evaluating antisemitism.
>
>
>
> This declaration is not and should not be used as a judicial or
> semi-judicial tool, nor is it intended for codification. Rather, it should
> be an aid for critical thinking and thoughtful discussion in a vexed
> landscape.
>
>
>
> For some of its supporters, the IHRA definition has become sacred. But it
> is wiser to treat it as a living document that necessitates evolution and
> improvement.
>
> No human document is sacred. Even the United States Constitution has been
> amended 27 times — so far. Our declaration can be used as either an
> alternative to the IHRA definition — or, for bodies that have already
> adopted IHRA as a baseline, as a tool for addressing its shortcomings.
>
> Fighting antisemitism, opposing any form of bigotry, protecting free
> speech, standing up for the rights of all human beings without exceptions,
> and creating an inclusive, safe space for discussions and for disagreements
> on Palestine and Israel — these are the values around which we should all
> unite, Jews and non-Jews regardless of political opinions.
>
>
>
> The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism answers this call. We believe it
> is the right document for our time.
>
>
>
> *Elissa Bemporad is a professor of history at Queens College and the CUNY
> Graduate Center. Alon Confino is a professor of history and Jewish Studies
> and director of the Institute for Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies
> at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Derek Penslar is a professor of
> Jewish history at Harvard University. They are among the 200 signatories to
> the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.*
>
> The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and
> do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> craic at lists.integralshift.ca
> http://lists.integralshift.ca/listinfo.cgi/craic-integralshift.ca
>
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