H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos
High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations
United Nations, New York

May 17, 2023

Your Excellencies,

We, the undersigned Jewish communities and organizations, civil society organizations, and scholars and practitioners from around the world, write to you regarding the “UN Action Plan on monitoring antisemitism and enhancing a system-wide response” that Under Secretary-General Moratinos is presently finalizing in his capacity as the UN’s senior focal point on antisemitism since 2020.

We greatly appreciate your consistent recognition that global antisemitism is an insidious danger that harms Jewish individuals and communities, and the broader societies in which we live. We welcome your commitment to making the United Nations a more effective force for countering and combating Jew-hatred around the world.

We have long recognized that in order to combat antisemitism we must understand it. Key to these efforts is employing a clear and comprehensive definition that explains the multiple forms antisemitism may take.

It is our collective view that the non-legally binding International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism is an indispensable tool to understand and fight antisemitism, and one that can be used entirely consistently with fundamental human rights standards. Indeed, any UN Action Plan must acknowledge the importance of the IHRA Working Definition to the vast majority of Jewish individuals, organizations, and communities who are the primary targets of antisemitic hatred, discrimination, and violence; are the Action Plan’s primary intended beneficiaries; and are best placed to identify manifestations of hatred and bias directed against us.

We note that the IHRA Working Definition (and its predecessor EUMC Working Definition), which was developed with the cooperation and support of Jewish communities, has provided essential guidance to governments and organizations in Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere for nearly two decades in their efforts to combat antisemitism. As the annex to this letter demonstrates, it has been adopted by more than 40 nations and multilateral organizations such as the European Union and the Organization of American States. It has earned the near-unanimous endorsement of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Thirty-one US states, numerous local governments, and countless businesses, universities, and organizations around the world use it to address harm to our communities. No other definition of antisemitism has been broadly adopted and utilized by practitioners, governments, and civil society. All recognize that the IHRA definition has immense value as an educational tool that offers an evaluative framework, with clear examples of the multiple forms antisemitism can take, that empowers the victims and society at large to identify forms of antisemitism that might otherwise go unrecognized. As you are aware, former UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, also recognized the unique value of the IHRA Working Definition and explicitly recommended its use as an educational and training tool in his 2019 report and 2022 action plan on antisemitism, which he prepared following wide consultations with Jewish organizations and community leaders.

We note that the IHRA Working Definition offers succinct explanations and practical examples that can help governments and individuals at all levels of society recognize antisemitism. These include conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial, as well as the demonization of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity.

It is this latter aspect of the IHRA Working Definition that has elicited concern from some civil society organizations. However, we stress that its inclusion in the IHRA Working Definition is precisely what makes this tool uniquely valuable for understanding and monitoring modern day antisemitism. Indeed, forms of antisemitism that are masked as “anti-Zionism” and that deny Jews the right to self-determination are among those most frequently encountered by many Jews today, whether or not they are Zionists. This is well-documented in surveys conducted by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights in Europe and by surveys in the United States as well. So-called “alternative definitions” that have been formulated as responses to the IHRA Working Definition do not adequately or effectively clarify this form of antisemitism and are not appropriate for inclusion in the UN Action Plan. There are few if any examples of their practical use. Thus, we believe any references to these alternative definitions would only introduce greater confusion into the UN Action Plan and undermine our common efforts to combat antisemitism.

We reiterate that, contrary to the assertions of some civil society organizations, the IHRA Working Definition explicitly affirms that criticism of Israel per se is not antisemitic. We note that many of the governments that have adopted the IHRA Working Definition and consider it a useful tool have found it entirely possible to sharply criticize Israeli policies and practices. We note, further, that the IHRA Working Definition is not legally binding and does nothing to prohibit any speech, even the most hateful.

We urge you to ensure that the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism is referenced positively in the forthcoming “UN Action Plan on monitoring antisemitism and enhancing a system-wide response” as an indispensable educational and monitoring tool, the value of which has been widely recognized by many key stakeholders, and one that should be used for training UN staff, among others, on how to recognize and respond to antisemitism.

Thank you for considering our views on this matter.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurance of our highest consideration.

 

Initiating Organizations

 

Other Global Organizations

8. Combat Antisemitism Movement
9. Commonwealth Jewish Council
10. Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC)
11. HIAS
12. National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry (NCSEJ)
13. United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
14. Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
15. World Union of Jewish Students
16. Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO)

 

Regional Organizations

Europe

1. European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage (AEPJ)
2. B’nai B’rith Europe
3. Conference of European Rabbis
4. European Coalition for Israel
5. European Union of Jewish Students
6. European Jewish Congress
7. Forum for Cultural Diplomacy

Latin America

8. B’nai B’rith Latin America

North America

9. Jewish Federations of North America
10. Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity

 

National Communities and Organizations (by United Nations regional group)

East European Region

Albania

11. Albania Jewish Community

Armenia

12. Jewish Community of Armenia

Azerbaijan

13. Baku Religious Community of European Jews

Belarus

14. Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities

Bosnia and Herzegovina

15. Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

16. Organization of the Jews in Bulgaria “Shalom”
17. Religious Community of the Jews in Bulgaria
18. Beit Shalom Jewish Educational Foundation Bulgaria
19. Tzedaka- Shalom foundation – OJB Shalom

Croatia

20. Coordination Committee of the Jewish Communities in the Republic of Croatia

Czech Republic

21. Federation of Jewish Communities in Czech Republic

Estonia

22. Jewish Community of Estonia

Georgia

23. Jewish Cultural and Education Fund

Hungary

24. Mazsihisz (Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary)

Latvia

25. Latvian Council of Jewish Communities

Lithuania

26. Jewish Community of Lithuania

Moldova

27. Jewish Community of Republic of Moldova

Montenegro

28. Jewish Community of Montenegro

North Macedonia

29. Jewish Community in the Republic of North Macedonia

Poland

30. Jewish Community of Poland
31. Lodge Polin of B’nai B’rith (B’nai B’rith Poland)
32. Jewish Association Czulent

Romania

33. B’nai B’rith Romania

Serbia

34. Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia
35. Terraforming

Slovakia

36. Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia

Ukraine

37. Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
38. Ukranian Jewish Committee

 

Latin American and Caribbean Region

Argentina

39. Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA)
40. B’nai B’rith Argentina

Bolivia

41. Circulo Israelita La Paz Bolivia

Brazil

42. B’nai B’rith Brazil
43. Confederação Israelita do Brasil (CONIB)

Chile

44. B’nai B’rith Chile
45. Comunidad Judía de Chile

Colombia

46. B’nai B’rith Colombia

Costa Rica

47. B’nai B’rith Costa Rica
48. Centro Israelita Sionista de Costa Rica

Dominican Republic

49. Centro Israelita de la República Dominicana

Ecuador

50. B’nai B’rith Ecuador

El Salvador

51. Comunidad Israelita de El Salvador

Guatemala

52. B’nai B’rith Guatemala

Honduras

53. B’nai B’rith Honduras

Mexico

54. B’nai B’rith Mexico
55. Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México
56. Tribuna Israelita

Panama

57. Comisión Antidifamación CAD B’nai B’rith (B’nai B’rith Panama)
58. Congreso Judio Panameño
59. Consejo Comunitario Hebreo de Panamá

Paraguay

60. Comunidad Judía del Paraguay

Peru

61. Asociación Judía del Perú
62. B’nai B’rith Peru

Uruguay

63. B’nai B’rith Uruguay

Venezuela

64. B’nai B’rith Venezuela
65. Confederación de Asociaciones Israelitas de Venezuela

 

Western European and Others (WEOG) Region

Australia

66. Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council
67. B’nai B’rith Australia and New Zealand
68. Executive Council of Australian Jewry

Austria

69. Centropa
70. Jewish Community Vienna (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien)

Belgium

71. Le Comité de Coordination des Organisations Juives de Belgique (CCOJB)
72. CCLJ-Belgium (Centre communautaire laïc juif David Suskind)
73. The International Jewish Center

Canada

74. Adas Yeshurun Herzlia
75. B’nai Brith Canada
76. Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
77. Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada
78. The Abraham Global Peace Initiative

Denmark

79. Jewish Community of Denmark

Finland

80. Central Council of Jewish Communities in Finland

France

81. B’nai B’rith France
82. CRIF – Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France
83. Ligue Internationale Contre le Racisme et l’Antisémitisme (LICRA)

Germany

84. Amadeu Antonio Foundation
85. Central Council of Jews in Germany
86. Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany (ZWST)
87. Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft e.V.
88. German Union of Jewish Students (JSUD)
89. “Jehi ˈOr” Jüdisches Bildungswerk für Demokratie – gegen Antisemitismus gUG
90. Jewish Forum for Democracy and Against Anti-Semitism (JFDA)
91. MAKKABI Deutschland e. V.
92. Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin
93. Service Center for Anti-Discrimination North Rhine-Westphalia (SABRA NRW)
94. WerteInitiative – Jewish-German Positions

Greece

95. Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece

Ireland

96. Jewish Representative Council of Ireland

Israel

97. B’nai B’rith World Center – Jerusalem
98. Centre for Jewish Impact
99. NGO Monitor

Italy

100. B’nai B’rith Italy
101. Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI)

Liechtenstein

102. Verein Jüdische Gemeinschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

102. Consistoire Israelite de Luxembourg

Malta

104. Jewish Community of Malta

Netherlands

105. Nederlands-Israëlitisch Kerkgenootschap (NIK) Org. Jewish Communities in the Netherlands
106. CIDI (Center for Information and Documentation Israel)

New Zealand

107. Australasian Union of Jewish Students in New Zealand
108. Beth Shalom Progressive Synagogue
109. Council of Jewish Women Aotearoa NZ
110. Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
111. Nelson Jewish Community Inc
112. New Zealand Community Security Group Trust
113. Wellington Jewish Community Centre
114. Wellington Progressive Jewish Congregation
115. Zionist Federation of New Zealand

Norway

116. Det Mosaiske Trossamfunn – Jewish Community Oslo

Other

117. Gibraltar Jewish Community

Portugal

118. Jewish Community of Lisbon

Spain

119. Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain

Sweden

120. Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities
121. Swedish Union of Jewish Youth (Judiska ungdomsförbundet i Sverige, JUS)

Switzerland

122. Gamaraal Foundation
123. Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities

Türkiye

124. The Jewish Community of Türkiye (Turkey)

United Kingdom

125. Antisemitism Policy Trust
126. Association of Jewish Refugees
127. Board of Deputies of British Jews
128. BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre)
129. Community Security Trust
130. Jewish Leadership Council
131. London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism

United States¹

132. AMIT Children
133. AIPAC
134. Alliance for Academic Freedom
135. American Friends of Likud
136. American Zionist Movement
137. CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis)
138. Center for Righteousness and Integrity (CRINY)
139. Emunah of America
140. Endowment for Middle East Truth
141. Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America
142. Indigenous Bridges
143. Jewish Studies Zionist Network
144. MERCAZ USA
145. NA’AMAT USA
146. North Carolina Coalition for Israel
147. ORT America
148. Rabbinical Assembly
149. Rabbinical Council of America
150. Religious Zionists of America – Mizrachi
151. Shields of David
152. Stop BDS on Campus
153. Swarthmore Alumni Against Antisemitism on Campus
154. Telluride Jewish Community
155. Temple Sinai
156. Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
157. United Teacher Los Angeles (UTLA) Educators Caucus for Israel
158. Zioness Movement
159. ZOA

 

African Region

South Africa

160. South African Jewish Board of Deputies

 

Asia-Pacific Region

Cyprus

161. Jewish Community of Cyprus

Japan

162. Jewish Community of Japan

Myanmar

163. Myanmar Jewish Community

 

Academics and Practitioners

Academics²

1. Dr. Steven Albert, University of Pittsburgh
2. Dr. Uzi Baram
3. Katherine Barbieri, University of South Carolina, Department of Political Science
4. Philip Barnett, City University of New York
5. Volker Beck, Lehrbeauftragter/Associate Lecturer Centrum für Religionswissenschaftliche Studien CERES Ruhr-Universität Bochum
6. Dr. Ulrike Becker, Middle East Freedom Forum, Berlin
7. Deidre Berger, Tikvah Institut gUG
8. Darrell Bock
9. Geoffrey Braswell, UCSD Department of Anthropology
10. Professor Bruce Bukiet
11. Dr. Mehak Burza, Head, Global Holocaust and Religion Studies
12. Dr. Ellen Cannon, Professor of Political Science and Jewish Studies, ISGAP
13. Paul Cantz, PsyD, ABPP
14. Professor Daniel Chernilo, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chiel
15. Perry Dane, Rutgers Law School
16. Morton M. Denn, Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus, City College of New York
17. Donna Robinson Divine, Morningstar Family Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of Government, Emerita, Smith College
18. Stanley Dubinsky, University of South Carolina
19. Dr. Tanja Ehmann, KHSB-Berlin
20. Miriam F. Elman, Syracuse University
21. Irina Esterlis, Yale University
22. Dr. Ayal Feinberg, Gratz College
23. Terri Susan Fine, University of Central Florida
24. Luis Fleischman, Palm Beach State College
25. Dr. Matthew Flisfeder, The University of Winnipeg
26. Steven Fraade, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Yale University
27. Professor Rosa Freedman, University of Reading
28. Ben M. Freeman
29. Anna Geifman, Bar Ilan University
30. Dr Aleksandra Gliszczyńska-Grabias Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences
31. Dr. Avraham Goldstein, The City University of New York (CUNY)
32. David Graizbord, University of Arizona
33. Dr. Susan Greenberg, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Roehampton
34. Haskel Greenfield, Distinguished Professor, University of Manitoba
35. Marc Grimm, Deputy Professor for the Didactis of Social Science at Wuppertal University
36. Jaime Grinberg, Montclair State University
37. Professor Oren Gross, Irving Younger Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School
38. Gary D. Grossman, University of Georgia
39. Amber Gum, PhD
40. David Halahmy, History Department Chair, Cypress College
41. Jaroslava Halper. University of Georgia
42. Linda Haramati, Yale School of Medicine
43. Kent D. Harber, Rutgers University at Newark
44. Professor Bernard Harrison, Chair Emeritus, University of Utah, University of Sussex
45. Allan Havis, University of California San Diego
46. Professor Jeffrey Herf, Distinguished University Professor, Emeritus, Department of History, University of Maryland, College Park
47. Professor David Hirsh, Academic Director and CEO of the London Centre for the Study of Antisemitism and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Goldsmiths, University of London
48. Dr. Dahn Hiuni
49. Morten Hunke, CEFR Journal – Research and Practice, Anna-Lindh-Schule, Berlin
50. Gunther Jikeli, Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, Indiana University
51. Alex Kamenev, University of Minnesota
52. Professor Sergei Kan, Dartmouth College
53. Ellen W. Kaplan, Professor Emeritus, Smith College
54. Jonathan Katz, University of Maryland
55. Marc Katz, Scripps College, Claremont Colleges Consortium
56. William Katz, University of Texas at Dallas
57. Steven G. Kellman, University of Texas at San Antonio
58. Lesley Klaff, Sheffield Hallam University, Journal of Contemporary Antisemitism
59. Cary Kogan, University of Ottawa
60. Marvin Koss, Upstate Medical University
61. Joël Kotek, Université Libre de Bruxelles
62. Dr. Matthias Kuntzel
63. Joseph Kushick
64. Norma Landau, University of California Davis
65. Armin Lange, Professor for Antisemitism Studies, University of Vienna, and Second Temple Judaism
66. Professor Ruth Langer, Boston College
67. David Leffell, Yale University
68. Diana Levin
69. Dr. Marian Levy, University of Memphis
70. Professor Joe Lockard, Arizona State University, English Department
71. Professor Doron Lubinsky
72. Dr. Lee Lukoff, Adjunct Professor, American University
73. Dyanne Martin, Wheaton College
74. Graeme Mason, Yale University
75. James Mendelsohn, University of the West of England
76. Professor Philip Mendes, Monash University
77. Professor Evan Morris, Yale University
78. Sebastien Mosbah-Natanson, Sorbonne Unviersite
79. Fred Naider, Professor Emeritus College of Staten Island, CUNY
80. Cary Nelson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
81. Serban Nichifor
82. S. Ben Niku
83. Pamela Paresky
84. David Patterson, Hillel A. Feinberg Distinguished Chair in Holocaust Studies, Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, University of Texas at Dallas
85. Andrew Pessin
86. Steven Pinker, Harvard University
87. Professor Dina Porat, Professor Emeritus, Modern Jewish History, Tel Aviv University
88. Professor Susan Prager, Brooklyn College, CUNY
89. Daniel Prober, Yale University
90. Elke Rajal
91. Walter Reich, Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Professor of International Affairs, Ethics and Human Behavior, The George Washington University
92. Dr. Lars Rensman, University of Passau
93. Dr. Dave Rich
94. Mark Rosenbaum, Hawaii Pacific University, College of Business
95. Jonathan Rosenberg
96. Professor Alvin Rosenfeld, Indiana University, Professor of English and Jewish Studies; Irving M. Glazer Chair in Jewish Studies; Director, Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism
97. Richard Ross, University of Illinois
98. Elisha Russ-Fishbane, New York University
99. Michael Schmitt, University of Reading
100. Allison E.Schottenstein, Gratz College
101. Dr. Joshua Schwartz, Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University
102. Sheri Schwartz
103. David Schwartzer
104. Maurice Schweitzer, University of Pennsylvania
105. Michael Scrivner, Professor of English, Emeritus, Wayne State University
106. David Seidman, Northwestern University
107. Dr. Miriam Shenkar, Ohio State University
108. Dr. Gale Sigal, Wake Forest University
109. Julie Simon, Scripps College, Claremont Colleges Consortium
110. Amanda J. Smith
111. Professor Philip Spencer
112. Scott Spitzer, California State University, Fullerton
113. Izabella Tabarovsky, Fellow, London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism
114. Professor Marc Tetel, Wellesley College
115. Ilan Troen, Brandeis University
116. Jefferey D. Ullman, Stanford University
117. Albert Wachtel, Professor of Creative Studies, Pitzer College
118. Professor James Wald, Hampshire College
119. Rivka Weinberg, Scripps College, Claremont Colleges Consortium
120. Michael Whine, Senior Consultant, World Jewish Congress
121. Batia Wiesenfeld
122. Malka Zeiger Simkovich, Catholic Theological Union
123. Professor Martin Zwick, Professor, Portland State University