Features
Defining antisemitism – a history of the “IHRA” definition
By SIMONE COHEN SCOTT Late last year I was asked by The Jerusalem Report to interview the Hon. Irwin Cotler, upon his appointment by Prime Minister Trudeau as Special Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism. His responsibilities will cover domestic and international antisemitism, and Holocaust education at every level.
His first assignment was to head the Canadian Delegation to the plenary of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA, (pronounced eera). The meeting, hosted in Leipzig, Germany, was already in progress, but being virtual it was easy to jump in, except for the time difference. Until that assignment, the plethora of acronyms signifying organizations studying antisemitism and Holocaust had formed a sort of alphabet soup in my head. Ever since, like with a word you’ve just looked up, I notice references to IHRA all over the place, especially in connection with its definition of antisemitism. This is causing a lot of consternation among even more groups, with and without acronyms.
More about that later; first I’d like to focus on the two Winnipeg delegates at the plenary. When I spoke to Prof. Cotler, the meeting had just wound up, and when he learned I was from Winnipeg he mentioned how impressed he had been with Belle Jarniewski and David Matas. I made up my mind right then to pitch this article idea to Bernie; I believed it would be interesting to learn through these members of our community, what IHRA, the plenary, the definition, and the work, is all about.
David Matas, senior legal counsel at Bnai B’brith Canada, was one of the Canadian delegates at the original meeting in Stockholm in 2000, which drafted the founding document (Stockholm Declaration) that became IHRA. He attended again in 2007, 2008, 2018 and every year since. This recent plenary ran from November 24th to December 3rd, which meant attending a couple of weeks of meetings at 5:30 am Winnipeg time, 12:30 pm Leipzig time. Cotler joined the second week, from Montreal. Meeting electronically with the Canadian delegates was his first task as special envoy.
Belle Jarniewski, Executive Director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, was part of the national group bringing Canada into the International Task Force for Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, (which evolved to become IHRA). When Canada became the 27th member of IHRA, (on June 24th, 2009, according to the Canada and the IHRA websites), she became a member of that delegation.
When a country joins IHRA, among other criteria, it must establish a Holocaust Memorial Day, and commit to Holocaust education at a senior political level. Its archives for the years 1933-1950 must be open for research, allowing academic, educational, and public access to the examination of those years of the country’s history. IHRA currently has 34 Members, one Liaison country, seven Observer Countries and eight Permanent International Partners, studying the latest developments in the field of Holocaust education, remembrance and research. According to IHRA’s own report on the plenary, there were 250 delegates at the meeting.
I asked Jarniewski how she saw IHRA differing from all those other organizations (the alphabet soup). She explained “…IHRA is the only intergovernmental organization mandated to focus solely on Holocaust-related issues, bringing together government representatives as well as experts. In addition to the definitions on antisemitism, Holocaust denial and distortion, and anti-Roma discrimination, the IHRA’s academic research publications have contributed greatly to the field of Holocaust Studies. IHRA’s pedagogical experts continue to develop detailed resources in order to help educators keep abreast of the latest best practices in education on the Holocaust and antisemitism. IHRA also supports and helps fund projects and conferences in the fields of Holocaust remembrance, research, and education. This in turn provides guidance to policy-makers, educators, civil society, and researchers.”
Part of Cotler’s mandate in his new position will be to address Holocaust denial and distortion, together with enhancing the adoption and implementation of the IHRA definition. Anyone who has experienced antisemitism, even in a mild form, recognizes it and doesn’t need a definition, but so that scholarly folk can study and deal with it empirically, and so it can be applied in a practical sense, a working definition is necessary. The definition was first developed in 2005 by the European Union Monitoring Centre. After careful study and adaptation it was adopted by IHRA in 2016.
It consists of two parts. The first part reads as follows: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The second part, accompanying the statement and forming an integral part of it, are 11 indicators of antisemitism. In total, the definition is meant to be a working tool, not legally binding, and it is gradually being adopted by governments, parliaments and communities at all levels, in efforts to combat this oldest hatred which irrationally metastasizes wherever it infects.
Recently in the JP&N, Jarniewski wrote an effective rebuttal to a complaint someone had sent the newspaper regarding some of the definition’s examples, which he said made it inconvenient for him to express certain of his ideas. In her rebuttal she stated… “The definition must be adopted holus bolus along with the examples”…a stipulation that she says has been “….repeated over and over again by the IHRA.” Here are the 11 examples, as stated on IHRA’s website:
—Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
—Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
—Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
—Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality, of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
—Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
—Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
—Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
—Applying double standards by requiring of Israel a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
—Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
—Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
-Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
There they are! Taken together with the earlier section, they define antisemitism. It must have been an emotionally wrenching exercise, putting this list together.
In November 2019, Matas presented a paper entitled “The IHRA definition of antisemitism: criticisms and responses” for a seminar at the Kantor Centre on Contemporary Antisemitism, wherein he methodically set out the extent of official acceptance of the definition, criticism of that acceptance, and proposed responses to the critics. In it he urges member states of the European Union to encourages its members that have not done so yet to “…endorse the non legally binding working definition of antisemitism employed by the IHRA, as a useful guidance tool in education and training, including for law enforcement authorities in their efforts to identify and investigate antisemitic attacks efficiently and effectively.”
Several EU members have indeed done so, and in fact the EU has recently put out a handbook for practical use of the IHRA working definition. I further asked Matas if the United Nations had endorsed the definition. He referred me to the remarks in November 2020 of Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations: “I plan to work on having an agreement on a definition of anti-Semitism within the UN, based on the IHRA definition which constitutes a basis to start from.” (I suppose it would be too much to ask that he incorporate the part about Israel?)
According to Matas, any organization can accept the definition of antisemitism. He told me that Bnai B’rith is proactive in getting organizations to endorse the effort, but any association can introduce discussion and begin the procedure…. sports organizations, service clubs like Kiwanis and Rotary, Police Departments, Community Clubs, synagogues, community newspapers. Jarniewski pointed out municipalities in Quebec and Ontario that have endorsed the IHRA definition include: Westmount; Cote Saint-Luc; Aurora; Newmarket; Markham; and Richmond Hill.
Notably, one of the accomplishments of the plenary this year has been the definition of “anti-Roma”. Between 250,000 and 500,000 Roma perished in the Holocaust, out of a pre-war population of between 1 and 1.5 million. As special delegate Cotler never tires of pointing out “…while it begins with the Jews it doesn’t end with Jews, and antisemitism is the bloodied canary in the mineshaft of global evil today.” I asked if there were Roma delegates to IHRA and Jarniewski told me there were, including in the Canadian delegation.
Features
The Magic of DNA
By GERRY POSNER This is my story, but it just as easily could have been yours. Even at my older age, a new relative popped into the family. This was unexpected to me and the whole family and indeed the new family member as well.
Put the blame on or credit to DNA. What transpired I suspect is happening all over the world these days. That is, there is now a new first cousin in the family. Call her KBP. It seems that KBP took a test through ancestry.com not that long ago, just as I had done years ago. When you take the test, you end up receiving messages from Ancestry from time to time identifying people who have similar genetic markers to you, some closer than others. I have looked at these messages and have identified people I know to be my cousins just from the initials. However, most of the initials listed are completely unknown to me. These lists of relatives go on for pages and pages. I struggle with the value of trying to reach these distant relatives because, even if I can connect with any of them, no one can figure out just how we are related. What would we even talk about should we ever meet? Often, I just ignore the lists as there seem to be too many names to contemplate a possible contact.
As it turned out, KBP also took the same test with the same company, ancestry.com. But she also failed to notice a connection between her and anyone else. This story would have ended there but for the intervention of another cousin who also had taken the DNA spit test with Ancestry. This cousin spotted the relationship and alerted me. Once that occurred, we established a connection and then the rest of this story developed.
What took place some almost seventy years ago was the cause of this new relationship. Recall ( and this is particularly relevant to young readers) the decade of the 1950s was an era when abortion, though present, was in back lanes or in the shadows. Most of the time a child born out of wedlock was put up for adoption. In this case, an uncle and his then non-Jewish partner elected to put the child up for adoption and she was adopted into a family located in Alberta where she grew up. That would have been the end of the story – but for DNA.
My new cousin was ecstatic to find out about the whole new family she was now a part of and whose history was now hers. Even though she is now a Mormon, she was eager to explore her Jewish origins and indeed even came with me and my wife to synagogue at the Beth Tzedec Synagogue in Calgary not that long ago. She had much in common with the family. Most of all, she was so happy to delve into a past previously unknown. On the other hand, her birth mother, still alive at 93, rejected meeting her daughter from so long ago. KBP respects that view and has made peace with just her new association with Dad’s family.
Of course, what made this secret such a well kept secret for so long is that the uncle died young and never told anyone. Who then could have known? The truth is out and I, for one, am glad it is now out there. Not everyone in my family agrees with me, but the main protagonist in this tale, KBP, was supportive of my writing this article. Of course, the real test now is to see if and how this new relationship with KBP unfolds, if at all.
As I said in the beginning, this is not an isolated story. You can bet there are hundreds, maybe thousands of such stories out there waiting to be unearthed and told. It is all about DNA.
Features
Kevin Leach and the Sabre Training Advisory Group: Providing training assistance to the Ukrainian military
By MARTIN ZEILIG As a private citizen, Kevin Leach is following the example of the Government of Canada by providing much needed assistance to our democratic ally, Ukraine, in its fight against the unprovoked war of aggression launched by Russia on February 24, 2022.
Mr. Leach, who grew up in Palgrave, Ontario and lived in Toronto before moving to Ukraine, is the founder of the Sabre Training Advisory Group, a not-for-profit organization geared towards providing training assistance Ukraine’s military. He is a 10-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, and served as an OSCE ceasefire observer in Ukraine from 2018 until the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
He founded the STAG in November 2022.
“Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed $4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine,” says the Government of Canada website.
“This funding will allow Canada to deliver military assistance to Ukraine through to 2029. We deeply admire the bravery and courage of Ukrainians who are fighting to defend their independence and freedom, and we will continue to work closely with our Allies and partners to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and security Canada and Ukraine are close partners with a long-standing defence relationship.”
As well, Operation (Op) UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) military training and capacity building mission in Ukraine, “was launched in 2015 at the request of the Ukrainian government,” and in 2023, was expanded and extended until March 2026.
“Since the start of Op UNIFIER, the CAF has trained approximately 41,000 Ukrainian military and security personnel in battlefield tactics and advanced military skills,” says the online information.
“As the mission progressed, much of the direct training undertaken by CAF members transitioned to members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with Canadians acting as advisors and mentors as well as assisting in the development of courses.”
“Ukraine’s fight is a fight for international law, for the United Nations Charter, and for innocent civilians, including children, who deserve to live in peace,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says on his website.
Besides military aid and training, Canada has also provided significant economic support, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and has welcomed tens of thousands Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war into our country.
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Mr. Leach, who is a frequent guest on the Mriya Report, a 24/7 site on X that provides in-depth information on the war, agreed to an email interview with this reporter.
Q: What was your motivation in forming STAG?
KL: Sabre is a professional military training non-profit. Our aim is to give Ukrainian defenders the skills to come home alive. We are building the capacity for Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression.
Sabre Training Advisory Group grew out of the frustrations its founding members had with the chaotic and unprofessional way that many foreign instructors were attempting to train Ukrainian soldiers in the NATO and Allied style of warfare.
Q: Who else works with you in the STAG?
KL: We have a team of volunteers from all over the world. They are former soldiers from Canada, the US, UK, and even Australia, plus our local Ukrainian volunteers. Our executive staff, besides myself, are two former officers from the British Army and US Marine Corps, respectively.
Q: Do you work closely with the Government of Ukraine or Ukraine’s military and/or the Canadian Armed Forces?
KL: We don’t work closely at this time with any civilian government, but we have an official partnership with the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade “Rubizh”. As we’re still a relatively small organization, we don’t warrant much attention from governments.
Q: What else that you would like the public to know about your work?
KL: Training inside of Ukraine is vital. It is far more efficient than moving large numbers of Ukrainian troops around Europe, and being here puts us closer to the action, and allows us to adjust faster to lessons learned on the battlefield. We also need support! It is hard to fund a program like ours, as it’s quite unique. Typically the role we are filling would be performed by private military contractors, which are illegal in Ukraine and carry severe political risk due to public perception of these companies.
We set out to establish a high standard, using proper training techniques and taking a systematic approach to instruction. In just a few short months we were able to secure a high-quality training area, and a team of excellent instructors who draw on decades of collected military experience. We have successfully trained over 3000 Ukrainian warriors and medics, equipping them with essential skills and knowledge to excel on the battlefield. Our track record of tangible results demonstrates our commitment to the mission and the decisive impact on Ukrainian defenders.
For further information, visit the STAG website: www.sabretag.org
Features
Exploring 8 Innovative New Services in In-Home Care
In-home care has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by advancements in technology, changing demographics, and an increased focus on personalized care. These innovative services are transforming the way support is delivered, enhancing the quality of life for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Here are some of the most exciting and groundbreaking innovations that families can depend on when it comes to their space and the best practices to ensure comfort and safety.
Telehealth and Telemedicine
Telehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized health care by providing remote access to services. Through video consultations, seniors and caregivers can communicate with doctors, nurses, and specialists without leaving their homes. This reduces the need for frequent visits to health facilities, which can be challenging for those with mobility issues. Telehealth also enables continuous monitoring of chronic conditions, allowing providers to adjust treatments promptly and prevent complications.
Remote Monitoring and Wearable Devices
Wearable devices and remote monitoring systems are becoming essential tools. These devices can track vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, providing real-time data to caregivers and health professionals. Advanced systems can detect falls, monitor medication adherence, and even predict health issues before they become severe. This proactive approach allows for timely interventions, improving outcomes and enhancing the safety of in-home recipients.
Virtual Companionship and Social Engagement
Loneliness and social isolation are significant concerns for seniors living at home. Virtual companionship services, such as those provided by robots or virtual assistants, offer interaction and engagement to mitigate these issues. These technologies can remind individuals to take their medications, guide them through exercises, and provide cognitive stimulation through games and conversations. Additionally, platforms that facilitate virtual social gatherings and activities help seniors stay connected with family and friends, promoting mental and emotional well-being.
Personalized Care Plans and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial role in developing personalized plans. AI algorithms can analyze data from various sources, including health records, lifestyle habits, and genetic information, to create customized strategies. These plans are tailored to the unique needs and preferences of each individual, ensuring they receive the most appropriate and effective solutions. AI can also assist caregivers by predicting potential health issues and suggesting preventive measures, thereby enhancing the overall quality of support.
Smart Home Technology
Smart technology is making it easier for seniors to live independently. Voice-activated assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home can control lights, thermostats, and appliances, reducing the physical effort required for daily tasks. Smart systems can also include sensors that detect movement, alerting caregivers if there is unusual activity or inactivity. This technology not only improves safety but also provides peace of mind for both the recipients and their families.
On-Demand and Flexible Care Services
The gig economy has introduced on-demand services to the in-home care industry. Platforms like Honor and CareLinx allow families to find and hire support quickly, providing flexibility and convenience. These services offer a wide range of options, from a few hours of assistance to round-the-clock support, accommodating the varying needs of individuals. The ability to schedule help on short notice ensures that support is available when it’s needed most. This includes teams like the one at Parners for Home Care; more on their services and support options can be found on their website: https://partnersforhomecare.ca/
Integrative Health and Wellness Programs
Holistic approaches to health and wellness are gaining traction – and for good reason. Integrative health programs combine traditional medical care with complementary therapies such as yoga, meditation, nutrition counseling, and physical therapy. These programs focus on the overall well-being of the individual, addressing physical, mental, and emotional health. As a result of promoting a balanced and healthy lifestyle, integrative health services can enhance the quality of life and prevent the onset of chronic conditions.
Enhanced Training and Support for Caregivers
Innovative training programs for caregivers are crucial in improving the quality of in-home care. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies provide immersive training experiences, allowing support workers to practice and develop their skills in realistic scenarios. Additionally, online platforms offer ongoing education and support, helping individuals stay updated on best practices and new developments in the field. Enhanced training ensures that everyone is well-prepared to meet the diverse needs of their clients.
The Future of In-Home Care Services
The way we grow and age in comfort is rapidly changing, thanks to these innovative services and technologies. Telehealth, remote monitoring, virtual companionship, AI-driven plans, smart technology, on-demand services, integrative health programs, and enhanced training are all contributing to more personalized, efficient, and effective support. As these innovations continue to evolve, they hold the promise of significantly improving the lives of those who rely on in-home care, allowing them to age gracefully and independently in the comfort of their own spaces.