Students 4
IHRA
#Students4IHRA
#DefineAntisemitism
United to
Define it
Antisemitism (anti-Jewish bigotry) is rising around the world at a disturbing rate. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we saw classical antisemitism play out as Jews around the world were attacked due to false claims that they were causing and spreading the virus. During the tragic war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas in 2021, we saw anti-Zionism fuel violence when Jews were assaulted in the streets of major global cities in the name of "pro-Palestinian activism.”
A lot of this bigotry is caused by misinformation about Jews and the Jewish state on campus and online. Plus, many people don't know enough to identify antisemitism when it occurs, allowing it to spread even further.
So how can we turn things around? It all starts with education through defining antisemitism. We need a clear and specific definition to help us name, identify, respond to, and combat bigotry against Jews. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism does just that.
Join the movement to #DefineAntisemitism as #Students4IHRA.
DOES THE IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM SPEAK FOR YOU? SIGN THE UNITY
STATEMENT.
“
As Jewish students studying at universities around the world, the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism represents our voices and lived experiences. This definition reflects the many different forms of antisemitism we face across the political spectrum, empowering us to more effectively identify and respond to this hate. That is why its text is considered the “gold standard” and has been widely adopted or endorsed by prominent Jewish organizations, over 30 countries to date, and a growing number of other respected institutions. Together, we are saying loud and clear: the IHRA definition speaks for us.”
See who supports IHRA and add your organization as an official signatory.
Hear what students around the world have to say on the multimedia page.
Learn more about the history of IHRA in your country and how they're using the definition.
What does adopting the IHRA definition actually do to fight antisemitism?
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Equips government departments, universities, and other institutions with a tool to identify, educate about, and fight antisemitism.
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Empowers a marginalized community, the Jewish people, to prevent or stop discrimination against them and signals the support of those in power as allies in that cause.
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Acknowledges how antisemitism can appear across the political spectrum, both in ways that may be blatantly offensive – like Nazi imagery and historic tropes like the blood libel, scapegoating, and dual loyalty allegations – and more subtle and harder-to-recognize manifestations.
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Keeps the memory of the Holocaust alive, recognizing its uniqueness and scope, and commits to the principle of “never again.”
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Upholds the universal right of all peoples to self-determination, including the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland of Israel.
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Encourages critical thinking and nuanced dialogue about the State of Israel, while recognizing that rhetoric about this issue can and sometimes does descend into antisemitism.
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Supports the right to free speech, which is essential in a democratic society, and empowers people to use their own free speech rights to speak out against injustice and hatred.