PRINCE WILLIAM CONDEMNS RISE IN ANTISEMITISM DURING SYNAGOGUE VISIT
By ASHLEY BINLEY
LONDON, England -- Prince William has condemned a rise in antisemitism during a synagogue visit. The Prince of Wales said it "has no place in society" as he met young people and students in London. He was told about an increase in antisemitism since the 7 October Hamas attacks and Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza.
It was the prince's first public appearance since pulling out of a memorial service due to a "personal matter".
He had been due to give a reading at Tuesday's memorial for the late former King Constantine of Greece.
While at the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in central London, the 41-year-old met a Holocaust survivor, and Jewish student representatives and young people who told him how they had been affected by antisemitism.
The prince was told of its "dehumanising" effect and said he wanted to "reassure you all that people do care".
Edward Isaacs, the head of the Union of Jewish Students UK and Ireland, told Prince William about "an explosion of antisemitism on campus that we've never seen before.
"We've seen not only the number of incidents increase but the severity too. We've seen Jewish students receive death threats, we've seen Jewish students physically assaulted on campus, we've seen Jewish property desecrated as well on campus."
Even Jewish students who have not faced antisemitism know someone has, he added, creating "a climate of fear that we've never known before".
"It's never been like this before," Emma Levy, the president of Leeds Universities Jewish Society, told him. "Our grandparents and parents say the same."
Condemning the rise in hatred towards the Jewish community, Prince William said: "Well, you've heard it from me, antisemitism has no place in society. I've said that before and I'll say it again."
He added: "Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you guys have talked about so eloquently this morning, and I'm just so sorry you've had to experience that."
The prince also said it was "important" that people "break out" of "boxes" that keep them separate.
"A lot live in their silos, in their echo chamber on social media, they don't have different influences, they don't have anything else, they might not have anyone they know who's Jewish...it's so important we break out of those boxes."
After the visit, Mr Isaacs praised the prince for being an "ally".
PA Media Rabbi Daniel Epstein shows the Prince of Wales a 17th-century Torah scroll as he visits the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in LondonPA Media
Prince William is shown a 17th-century Torah by Rabbi Daniel Epstein
The heir to the throne also met Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, who described her fears surrounding antisemitism and he told her: "It must be horrible for all of you worrying about this and I'm sorry it's got to this. It will get better."
The 94-year-old told William how she was moved from "ghetto to ghetto" during World War Two.
The prince expressed his condolences when she said her mother died 12 days after they were liberated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp by the British Army in 1945.
He suggested it was important those who experienced the Holocaust continued to talk to the next generation, to which Ms Salt replied "some of the young people don't even believe it ever happened".
Ms Salt also said she wished the prince's wife Catherine - who is recovering from abdominal surgery she had last month - had been with him, as she would liked to have met her.
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said Prince William "reminded us that antisemitism is not only a problem for the Jewish community but for all society".
She added that his "visit sends a powerful message that Britain is a country where Jews, whether Holocaust survivors who came to find sanctuary or young Jewish students - are welcome and celebrated. He reminds us that even in the darkest days, the Jewish community is not alone".
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Speaking on Tuesday, Kensington Palace said the Princess of Wales is continuing to do well when announcing that Prince William was pulling out of the memorial service.
As King Charles steps back from public duties during his cancer treatment, Prince William is set to take on some of his work.
Last week, the Prince of Wales took part in a video call with Red Cross staff in Gaza, who gave him graphic first-hand accounts of their work.
On the day of the visit to the Red Cross headquarters in London, Prince William released a strongly worded intervention on the Israel-Gaza conflict, calling for an "end to the fighting as soon as possible" and describing the "terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack".
He added there is a "desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza" and for the hostages to be released.
The Hamas attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people, and more than 240 others were taken hostage.
JEWISH CAUCUS CONDEMNS ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE ON UC CAMPUSES
SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Legislative Jewish Caucus, led by Co-Chairs Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Vice Chair Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), issued the following statement in light of violence, threats, and harassment directed at Jewish students at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley:
“We unequivocally condemn the recent targeting of Jewish students at UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley, including violent threats, physical violence, and destruction of state property. The Jewish Caucus demands immediate action from University administrators to hold those responsible accountable and to protect our students.
“At UC Berkeley, students were harassed, threatened, and physically assaulted by protesters seeking to shut down a private event hosted by Jewish student organizations. These protesters shattered a glass window and assaulted two Jewish students to the point that they required medical care. Jewish students had to be evacuated from the event via underground tunnels after it was deemed unsafe for them to leave through the front entrance. This event featuring an Israeli speaker was meant to foster an important, nuanced conversation and would have provided a platform for open and difficult dialogue; instead, protesters used physical violence and intimidation to stifle speech with which they disagreed.
“At UC Santa Barbara, signs were posted in the campus multicultural center seeking to prohibit those who support Israel’s right to exist from accessing public spaces on campus. These signs also directly targeted and threatened the Student Body President, who is Jewish, threatening her “you can run but you can’t hide.” At the same time, the door to a Jewish student’s dorm was vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti and an arrow pointing to the student’s mezuzah – a Jewish cultural and religious object. These threats and hateful acts were intended to threaten, bully, and intimidate Jewish students on campus because of their Jewish identity.
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FIRST JERUSALEM HIGHT LIGHT SHOW
By NATALIE GATTEGNO
JERUSALEM - For the first time in the world, a laser show of sound and color lights up the sky, extending over large areas of the capital city. The show was initiated and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and was performed by the Jerusalem Development Authority in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality.
The capital's laser show is an ode of light and music to the fabric, history and culture of the city. From the Armon Hanatziv Promenade, the city of Jerusalem unfurls before us, a place like no other in the world, a city with a huge variety of cultures, at the heart of which is the hope of reaching the longed-for peace. Along the promenade of the ridge overlooking the Holy Basin, an advanced audio system was built that allows uniform and powerful sound to be distributed along its entire length to create a complete and immersive experience for the audience.
The show tells the story of the city and the shared life in it and in Israel through three different shows: a story of light, a story of peace and a story of an eternal longing for harmony. In order to control the many lasers located far from the promenade, a unique control system with remote control capability was established, which was designed in accordance with strict ecological requirements that create a spectacular effect without air pollution and damage to the environment.
YAD SARAH PURCHASES ADDITIONAL NEW HOME HOSPITAL VAN
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Yad Sarah Israel’s leading volunteer-staffed organization, announced today that it has purchased an additional Home Hospital van, using funds from Daily Giving – a non-profit organization that collects and distributes charitable giving to Jewish non-profits around the world. The newest addition to Yad Sarah’s fleet of vans will enable the organization to deliver additional home hospitalization units – including beds, wheelchairs, and oxygen concentrators – to reduce hospital stays and support individuals recovering at home.
“Yad Sarah is deeply committed to providing compassionate care to the people of Israel – a need that has grown significantly since October 7,” Executive Director of Friends of Yad Sarah Adele Goldberg said. “The organization’s home hospital vans are a large part of this mission, and we are grateful for Daily Giving’s support in helping us reach significantly more individuals, communities, and families in need.”
As a result of the ongoing war, hospitals in Israel are significantly overwhelmed with injured soldiers and civilians. Yad Sarah’s home hospitalization service addresses this need by delivering and installing medical equipment that permits individuals to recover at home. This service supports soldiers wounded in combat as well as victims of the October 7 attacks, evacuate civilians, and more.
Daily Giving is a Jewish non-profit that empowers people to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah every day. Givers donate between one and 50 dollars daily, and funds are disbursed to various Jewish non-profit organizations, including Yad Sarah. Daily Giving’s cumulative gifts to Yad Sarah over the past two years were used to purchase a new Home Hospital van. The van features Daily Giving’s logo and a decal that reads, “Donated by over 18,000 Daily Givers from around the world,” underscoring the partnership between Yad Sarah and Daily Giving. Future Daily Giving donations to the organization will be allocated to staffing and maintaining the vehicle.
“We select non-profits making a real difference in the community,” Co-Founder and President of Daily Giving Dr. Jonathan Donath said. “We are grateful to our over 18,000 Daily Givers and look forward to seeing the positive impact this new Home Hospital van makes for the people of Israel.”
On March 13, Yad Sarah hosted a dedication ceremony at Yad Sarah Headquarters (Beit Yad Sarah) in Jerusalem to unveil the new van and celebrate the participation of Daily Giving. The event will commemorate the partnership between Daily Giving and Yad Sarah, two non-profits with a shared passion for supporting the greater community.
SA CHIEF RABBI GOES TO WASHINGTON TO FIGHT FOR AFRICAN JIHADI TERROR VICTIMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein addressed AIPAC’s Congressional Summit in Washington, spotlighting a growing issue that elicits scant media coverage and no public outcry: the slaughter of Africans by Islamic terror groups.
The chief rabbi documented a litany of horrific attacks across the continent, with a plea to leaders and policymakers in Washington: “We cannot turn the other way. As G[-]d said to Cain in the Book of Genesis, ‘the blood of your brother calls out to me from the ground’.”
Rabbi Goldstein drew attention to recent atrocities that have included mass kidnappings, beheadings and the explicit targeting of children.
“A few days ago, gunmen from the Islamic State stormed a school in the town of Kuriga in Nigeria, and kidnapped 287 children from their morning assembly. The terrorists rode through the school on motorbikes firing their weapons and rounding up students aged 8-15.
“The horror is unspeakable, and unending. A decade after the 2014 mass kidnappings by Boko Haram from the Chibok village, in northern Nigeria, when 276 young girls were kidnapped, about 100 of them are still missing today.
“These kinds of atrocities are widespread across the continent. Just last week gruesome images emerged of a group of village elders being beheaded by ISIS in Mozambique, a country on South Africa’s northern border.”
“It seems as if Black lives do not matter if they are taken by jihadists in Africa,” he added to applause. Goldstein said this gave context to the war between Israel and Hamas.
“The world must take note that Israel’s war with Hamas – and by extension Iran – is against the same enemy raping and pillaging its way through African villages. The ideology of al-Shabaab and Boko Haram and ISIS is the same ideology espoused, funded and propagated, by Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.”
The chief rabbi said Africa in particular could prove a loyal and invaluable ally. “Africa, a continent with more than 50 votes on global fora, with a young and growing population, huge potential economic growth, and 600 million Christians – who understand first hand what it means to be attacked by Jihadi terror groups – can, in the long run, become a more reliable ally for Israel and America, than even Europe.”
To the surprise of many in the audience, the chief rabbi maintained South Africa itself could soon become “one of the most steadfast partners and allies of Israel and the United States.”
“Don’t judge the country by its government,” he said. “Sinking under the weight of corruption and ineptitude, the ANC has long since lost the support of the majority of South Africans, and with upcoming elections the country will enter a new era of coalitions and change.”
He invited an AIPAC delegation to visit South Africa to better understand the country. “You will find millions of hard-working, fair-minded, politically centrist and moderate, men and women, people of good will, who aspire to the same values cherished in America and Israel,” said Goldstein.
Going forward, Goldstein said, alliances with such faith communities would be critical. “The Talmud teaches us that when righteous people come together they make the world a better place. Now is the time to build much stronger institutional ties between communities of faith in Africa and their counterparts in Israel and her supporters in America.”
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29 Adar II - 8 Nissan, 5784 April 8-14, 2024 -- THE JEWISH OBSERVER, LOS ANGELES -- 680th Web Ed.