Elon Musk and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro visited Auschwitz in Poland Monday ahead of a European Jewish Association conference on antisemitism, where Musk shared his views around antisemitism and how he views X, formerly known as Twitter, in this context. The visit was a response to ongoing allegations of antisemitism against X and Musk. 

 

Many users online claimed that Musk has yielded to “Zionist control” and propaganda to make him more sympathetic towards Israel because of Shapiro, who is Jewish and pro-Israel, spearheading the visit with him. Others claimed the visit’s purpose was to distract the public from the “real genocide” occuring in Gaza, while making comparisons between Auschwitz and Gaza. 

Musk’s supporters thanked him for his visit and for bringing attention to the atrocities of the Holocaust ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Antisemitic incidents have occurred in universities across the country since the beginning of the spring semester. Members of the neo-Nazi Blood Tribe group gathered at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Sunday night to shout antisemitic chants and project a swastika on the outside of a residence hall. Videos of the demonstration circulated online, and users on social media shared their horror over the incident the night before classes began. 

 

Posters of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza hung around Harvard University’s campus were defaced Tuesday with antisemitic rhetoric, including conspiracy theories accusing Israel of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and denying the October 7 massacre in Israel. Social media users expressed disgust over the vile comments written on the posters.

 

Anti-Israel demonstrations also occurred at several schools, including Columbia University and Yale University in recent weeks, with Yale students participating in a “There Is No Back To School in Gaza” walkout last Tuesday and Columbia students chanting in support of Hamas and the Houthis. 

The U.S. Department of Education opened new investigations of Title VI violations into Northwestern University, Arizona State University, Yale, and Abraham Lincoln University this week, and Jewish students at American University filed a federal complaint due to ongoing campus antisemitism last Wednesday. Users online shared stories of student experiences from these universities.

 

Anti-Israel activists online are calling for people to boycott companies and products with alleged ties to Israel, in hopes that their actions will force corporations to cease business or support of Israel. Several of the main companies targeted by boycotts are McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Puma. 

Some activists, however, are expressing doubts over the effectiveness of boycotting, resulting in internal conflict among anti-Israel users online. While some call for boycotting all products to affect the global economy while others express confusion and deceit over which companies are targeted by the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

 

 

The Claims Conference published a new report detailing the global demographics of Holocaust survivors around the world and their increasing needs as they age. Among the information shared:

 

 

As Holocaust survivors age and their presence declines, the report emphasizes the importance of Holocaust education and keeping their memory alive.

 

 

The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) announced Thursday that it will run its first-ever Super Bowl ad next month as a continuation of the #StandUpToJewishHate 🟦 campaign. Jewish hate in the United States continues to rise — there have been more than 3,000 antisemitic incidents reported in the U.S. since last fall, an increase of almost 400%. This year’s 30-second ad aims to build on FCAS’ work to inspire Americans of all backgrounds to be vocal up-standers for the Jewish community and to stand up against all forms of hate.

 

FCAS gathered commissioners of major sports leagues Thursday to discuss the rise of Jewish hate and all hate across the nation, and opportunities to use sports as a platform to combat intolerance. The convening builds upon the momentum of FCAS’ initial convening of sports leaders in October at Gillette Stadium, which brought together over 80 representatives across various leagues and teams. During the convening, leaders heard from experts on the history of Jewish hate in the United States as well as its intersection with other forms of hate and diverse communities standing up for each other. 

 

“In today's world, we have seen hate manifest itself in more ways than one, in ways that have brought divisiveness and ugliness to communities across our nation,” said Robert Kraft, Founder of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. “As leaders in the sports community, we are uniquely suited to tackle this fight through our platforms. Sports bring people together in a way that nothing else can – to root for one team, and one cause. I am grateful for the willingness of these leaders to come together to discuss an issue that is so close to my heart and for their efforts to stand up to Jewish hate and all forms of hate.”

 

 

 

 

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