Saturday, January 27 marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which commemorated 79 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where more than 1.1 million people were murdered. 

 

Social media users observed this day by posting about the importance of remembering the Holocaust and the death of six million Jews and millions of other victims. Many brought up how society must combat Holocaust denial and distortion in a time of increased antisemitism worldwide. Others shared stories of Holocaust survivors, including family members and historical figures. 

 

At a remembrance event in San Francisco on Saturday, a protester held a sign stylizing the Star of David as a swastika while shouting down speakers. On the same day, a synagogue in New Brunswick, Canada was vandalized, with multiple windows shattered. Users online expressed shock and disappointment that such antisemitic incidents occurred on a day for Holocaust remembrance and emphasized the continued need to stand up against antisemitism. 

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an interim ruling last Friday ordering Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide in Gaza but not calling for a ceasefire. The ICJ also demanded that Hamas release the remaining 136 Israeli hostages still being held. It is likely to take years for the court to issue a final ruling on the allegations against Israel. 

 

Many social media users expressed their relief that the court did not order an end to the war because Hamas has yet to be defeated. They also hoped that Hamas will abide by the court’s orders to release the hostages. The opposition argued Israel is ignoring the court’s provisional measures to prevent loss of life and that the ICJ is wrong for refusing to demand a ceasefire.

 

Several violent antisemitic incidents that occurred over the past week received little attention on social media, despite being covered by local media. 

 

A Jewish man on his way to synagogue in Crown Heights, N.Y. was attacked Tuesday morning. Crown Heights has been a common location for antisemitic incidents recently, with a recent assault on two Jewish men on January 11.

A man was arrested Monday for threatening to bomb a synagogue and kill its congregants in Attleboro, Mass on January 25. The only Jewish state representative in Georgia said she was threatened the day before the state’s legislature passed a bill on antisemitism. And a Los Angeles man pleaded guilty Monday for sending threatening texts to a Jewish woman for over a year, where he expressed the need to “exterminate” both Jews and Asian Americans.

 

Thursday marked the beginning of Black History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of influential Black figures who have shaped America’s history and its future. Many users online are sharing stories of Black history and resilience to begin the month. Users are expressing the ongoing struggles of anti-Black racism and how intersectionality and cross-movement solidarity are necessary to move forward as a more equitable society. 

 

 

The Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, World Zionist Organization, and Jewish Agency published a joint report detailing increases in antisemitic incidents worldwide in 2023 and January 2024. Among the information shared:

 

The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism is launching our Super Bowl ad featuring Dr. Clarence Jones, a legal counsel, strategic advisor, and draft speechwriter to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In August 1963, Dr. Jones assisted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the drafting of the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech delivered at the historic March on Washington on August 28, 1963. He has also been a passionate supporter and champion for the historic and powerful partnership between the Black and Jewish communities in America. The ad will further FCAS’ mission to stand up to Jewish hate and all hate.

 

 

 

 

 

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