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January 28, 2022

What's On Our Mind ...


Across our nation and the world, there were memorials and tributes for the victims of the Holocaust yesterday to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the Soviet liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.


Reflecting back on that dark time in history is important. Hate did not end when the camps were closed and the Germans were defeated. Similarly, it is just as important to pause and reflect on this moment in time.


Today, nearly 80 years later, hatred still exists, but the vehicle for spreading it has changed. Extremists have exploited Tik Tok and other social media platforms to share hateful content and recruit new followers. 


A recent review of the platform found that antisemitism continues to propagate across the app, including content from known antisemitic figures, as well as posts perpetuating age-old antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories. According to the U.N., 17% of content related to the Holocaust on TikTok either denied or distorted the Holocaust.


The Holocaust is also being used as a political and cultural weapon because it works to stir discontent and to make political points. Throughout the pandemic, we have seen Members of Congress, elected officials, and others use the Holocaust to make baseless and fraudulent comparisons about COVID. Last year saw the highest number of antisemitic incidents worldwide in 10 years.


Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has compared the requirement to wear safety masks in the U.S. House to the horrors of the Holocaust. Other of her GOP colleagues have also made false comparisons to the Holocaust. She apologized, as they all do. But words matter. Those soundbites will live forever on social media and will be used by others with ill intentions.


Now we are seeing that the teaching of the Holocaust is facing scrutiny. A Tennessee school district has voted to ban a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, Maus, about the Holocaust due to “inappropriate language.” The American Library Association says the number of attempts to ban school library books was 67% higher in September 2021 than in September 2020.


What can you do?


Pay attention to local elections — and get involved.


Report antisemitism and Holocaust denial on Facebook, Tik Tok, and Twitter.


Report antisemitic bias or discriminatory incidents to the ADL.


Call on the Senate to release the months-long hold on the nomination and confirmation of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt as the U.S. Envoy to Combat and Monitor Antisemitism Abroad.

  

Those that perished during the Holocaust no longer have a voice. But you do. Use it. Do not stay silent.

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Using the Power of Your Voice

 

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We're hiring! JAC is looking for a senior fellow and a social media intern to support our work in the 2022 midterm elections.


Email holliswein@jacpac.org to learn more

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Instagram of the Week

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January 26, 2022


Vox writer Marin Cogan writes about her experiences and others’ experiences as survivors of school shootings many years later.


Survivors are a central part of the gun violence prevention movement for legislation. Yet their pain doesn’t seem to be enough for lawmakers to take action.

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In the News

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ISRAEL


In the first-ever official visit by an Israeli president, Herzog will fly to the UAE. Israeli military officials are in talks with Russian army officers to calm tensions after Moscow held a military patrol with Syria in the Golan Heights. 106 House members from both parties are pushing to include supplemental Iron Dome funding in the final Congressional spending package.

ANTISEMITISM AND BDS


2021 was the worst year in a decade for antisemitism around the world, a Jewish Agency report finds. In a unanimous vote, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning Holocaust denial. Calls for boosted security funding are intensifying among faith leaders after the Texas synagogue hostage standoff.

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CHOICE


Jewish women are leaders on abortion rights. The broader community must rally behind them. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) writes the 'personal and painful' story of his wife's medically necessary abortion, but he cautions that 'it's not unique and it's why we must protect Roe v. Wade.' From the MS court case to the Biden administration: here are five things to watch as the abortion rights fight peaks in 2022.

RELIGION AND STATE


During oral arguments this week, Justice Gorsuch derided the constitutional right to separation of church and state. The backlash against right-wing evangelicals is reshaping American politics and faith. A Tennessee couple is suing the state's Department of Children's Services after they were denied services by a state-funded program because of their Judaism.

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BEYOND THE CORE



'Permitless' carry laws are sweeping the country — and fewer states are requiring gun owners to take live-fire training. Democrats’ razor-thin majority will make history to confirm Justice Breyer’s successor. A 50-50 Senate has never done it before. Biden thinks Putin will invade Ukraine. Read about why the West is so worried.

POLITICAL BYTE


More inexperienced candidates are running for office these days — and winning. An opening on the Supreme Court will inject urgency into the battle for the Senate majority, with both parties reminding voters of the stakes of the upcoming confirmation battle. Covid has exacerbated tribalism among Democrats and Republicans.

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FYI



Here are all the Jewish athletes to watch at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The filmmakers of 'RBG' now have plans to direct a documentary about former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) responded to a DOJ memo by saying that the ERA has already been ratified and should be recognized as the 28th Amendment.

The Last Word

“Today, and every day, we have a moral obligation to honor the victims, learn from the survivors, pay tribute to the rescuers, and carry forth the lessons of last century’s most heinous crime. From the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, to a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, we are continually and painfully reminded that hate doesn’t go away; it only hides,”


— President Biden, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

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Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.

Paid for by Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs. Contributions or gifts are not tax deductible. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle. Corporate contributions and contributions from non-US citizens who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence are prohibited. All contributions by individuals must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by another person.