In case you missed it, this past Saturday, February 25th, was declared a “day of hate” by white
supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. In this week’s Action Update, we analyze the hatred espoused by these bigots as well as the violent antisemitism perpetrated by Palestinian terrorists.
Day of Unity
In Genesis (50:20) it is written, “And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass....” This past February 25th we witnessed that promise in action. Despite plans for the so-called Nazi “day of hate,” thank God, no violence was reported against our Jewish brothers and sisters.
Moreover, Jewish communities around the country came together in unity and love. They answered the darkness with light. A statement released by the Anti-Defamation League noted, “In the face of threats and rising antisemitism, the American Jewish community was not cowed. We were defiant. We lit Shabbat candles, attended services, and proudly celebrated our faith.”
Defiance in the face of hatred is the responsibility of every conscientious person. We all have a role to play in the battle between good and evil. And as long as we remember God’s promises and abide by His divine mandate, we will prevail.
Pushing Back Against the Hate
In the days leading up to February 25th, we saw two states advance legislation codifying the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
In Virginia, after efforts by CUFI in conjunction with the Jewish Community, the Senate and House advanced legislation codifying the IHRA definition with widespread bipartisan support. Marking the bill’s passage, Governor Youngkin said, “Hate has no place in the Commonwealth and I’m proud to take continued steps to fight antisemitism.” As always, we thank those of you who answer the call when CUFI issues action alerts, these successes are not possible without your continued engagement.
In Georgia, following a letter from CUFI’s Co-executive director and State Director, an IHRA definition codification bill passed out of the House Judiciary Committee where it had been held up for some time.
These bills, and the overall effort to advance the IHRA definition at the state level, are vital to combating antisemitism as one cannot defeat that which they will not define. Moreover, President Trump’s 2019 executive order combatting antisemitism - which President Biden has sustained - uses the IHRA definition as its foundation.
Sometimes the states lead and other times it’s the federal government that takes the first step, but in either case, we are stronger when the states and Washington are in lockstep, and on the issue of what is antisemitism and the need to combat it, that is exactly what is taking place.
Palestinian Hate
2022 was a challenging year for Israeli security forces. In total, during the year 5,326 terror attacks were committed by Palestinian terrorists. Of these, 513 involved throwing grenades or Molotov cocktails with an additional 111 being explosive attacks of a different kind. 173 were shootings and nearly 1,000 were rocket, mortar, or similar attacks. In sum, Palestinians engaged in 14-15 attacks on Israelis each day last year. As a result, 31 people were killed and 415 were injured.
Americans and Israelis agree on a lot, but at the foundation of the relationship is the belief that human life has inherent value. That means that every lost innocent life is an immeasurable tragedy. We mourn the 31 innocent people murdered by Palestinian terrorists. And we thank God for the bravery and determination of the Israeli military, police, intelligence, and security forces that prevented the massive loss of life that would’ve occurred had Palestinian terrorists had their way. But our mandate for action does not end there.
We must continue to fight. We must ensure Israel has the means to defend her citizens and the political space in which to operate. We must stand up to antisemites of all stripes, be they neo-Nazis or violent radical Islamic extremists. And that is what we at the Action Fund will continue to do, thanks to your support and God’s favor.
Sincerely,
The CUFI Action Fund Team
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