Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli and Elan Carr, former United States Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and CEO of the Israeli-American Council, engaged in a lively discussion on antisemitism with Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Zvika Klein at the Jerusalem Post Conference on Monday.
Chikli reported on the ministry’s activities since the beginning of the war. “We sent twelve delegations of families of the hostages across the globe, including Australia, Japan, Mexico, to heads of state, to put pressure, and to raise the awareness to the issue of the hostages and what happened on October 7,” he said.
Second, the ministry was responsible for over 100 civil initiatives drawing attention to the plight of the hostages, including bringing the Nova Music Festival Exhibition, “The Moment Music Stood Still,” to New York, which has attracted close to 100,000 visitors per month since its opening.
Chikli explained that in order to combat antisemitism, one must first define the term. “We’re not speaking about classical antisemitism,” he said. “We are speaking about mainly anti-Zionist activity.” He added that the only definition of antisemitism that the ministry uses and advocates throughout the world for its acceptance was developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and is based on the “three Ds” formulated by Natan Sharansky to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism – delegitimization, demonization, and double standards.
Elan Carr described the importance of the Israeli-American Council, explaining that it is an American Jewish organization that is meant to unify, strengthen, and engage the Israeli-American community. He pointed out that the American Jewish community could use a dose of Israeli optimism and pride. “I would argue that for the American Jewish community to be successful, we all have to absorb some sense of Israeliness, that sense of forward-leaning, of being proactive, of being unvarnished in our pride, in our heritage.” He added that bringing the Israeli ethos into a strong global Jewish community will lead to a brighter future for the Jewish people.
The Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism and the Israeli-American Council sponsored a portion of the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference. www.jpost.1eye.us/AC24