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In the 1840s, a Jewish Outreach Effort Led to Real Change; It Can Happen Today
On February 5, 1840, the Jewish community of Damascus was rocked by an accusation that exploded onto the consciousness of the Levant and soon began to reverberate around the world.
An Italian priest, Padre Tommaso, and his servant Ibrahim Amara, had disappeared, and local Christians were quick to accuse the Jewish community of murdering them to use their blood for Passover—an accusation based on an ancient and baseless charge that Jews need gentile blood for the preparation of matzah for Seder night.
The local authorities in Damascus, then under Ottoman rule, immediately arrested several prominent Jews and subjected them to cruel torture to extract confessions. This incident, known as the Damascus Affair, plunged the Jewish community in Syria into a state of fear and despair.
The charges were completely unfounded, rooted in a long history of antisemitic blood libels designed to incite violence and hatred against Jews. Despite the spurious nature of the accusations, the situation grew increasingly dire as torture-induced confessions were used to justify further persecution, and the Jewish community faced widespread violence.
Padre Tommaso, a Capuchin friar who had been living in Damascus for many years, was known for his work as a physician, frequently interacting with the diverse communities of the city. Despite his professional engagements and spiritual calling, Padre Tommaso harbored intense anti-Jewish sentiments and had a long history of stirring trouble against the Jews. His sudden disappearance—and the fact that he was never seen again, neither dead nor alive—provided a convenient pretext for those seeking to incite further antisemitic fervor.
The role of the French consul in Damascus, Ulysse de Ratti-Menton, was particularly insidious. He played a pivotal and pernicious role in escalating the Damascus Affair, actively encouraging and supporting the accusations against the Jewish community and lending his official status and influence to validate the baseless charges. Ratti-Menton sanctioned the use of torture to extract confessions from the arrested Jews. His approval and encouragement of these brutal methods led to the forced confessions, which were then used to further incriminate the Jewish community.
As news of the Damascus Affair spread beyond the Middle East, the global Jewish community recognized the urgency of the situation. Among the most notable figures who rose to the occasion was Sir Moses Montefiore, the distinguished British Jewish philanthropist and communal leader. Montefiore coupled his devout observance of Judaism with a pragmatic understanding that achieving results required a strategic blend of faith, diplomacy, and advocacy.
Montefiore, together with Adolphe Crémieux, a French Jewish lawyer and president of the Consistoire Central Israélite de France, embarked on a diplomatic mission that took them to Alexandria and then to Constantinople, where they sought the intervention of the Ottoman Sultan.
Their primary goal was to ensure the release of the imprisoned Jews and to put an end to the baseless blood libel accusations. Montefiore leveraged his extensive network of connections, engaging with influential political figures such as the British Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, and key members of the French government. His diplomatic efforts brought significant international attention to the plight of the Jews in Damascus, highlighting the need for justice and protection.
Long before the advent of social media and live-streaming TV, Sir Moses Montefiore understood the power of public opinion. He organized petitions and mobilized Jewish communities across Europe, who rallied in support, sending letters and appeals to their respective governments, urging them to take action against the injustice being perpetrated in Damascus. Ultimately, Montefiore and Crémieux’s relentless efforts led to the release of the imprisoned Jews and a firman (royal decree) from the Ottoman Sultan, reaffirming the rights and protection of Jews under Ottoman rule.
Even Martin Van Buren, the eighth president resident of the United States, played a role in responding to the Damascus Affair. When news of the event reached America, due to Montefiore’s extraordinary efforts to get the truth out as widely as possible, the Jewish community in the United States sought governmental intervention. In response to a petition from the Jewish community, Van Buren instructed the US consul in Egypt, Colonel David Porter, to make representations to the Ottoman government in support of the persecuted Jews in Damascus.
The parallels between the Damascus Affair and what is happening right now in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre are too numerous and too obvious to ignore. Once again, the blood libel against Jews—falsely accused of genocide against Palestinians—has gathered pace and exploded onto the international consciousness.
Jews around the world are being punished for the perceived “crimes” of their coreligionists in Israel, and the knives are out for Jews everywhere. The glee with which antisemites have seized upon the anti-Israel narrative, while far worse crimes against humanity continue to blot the international scene, says more about the endurance of the world’s oldest hatred than it does about anything that Israel has done, now or ever.
But it is the lesson of Sir Moses Montefiore in the wake of the Damascus Affair that must inspire us all. The man who said, “Never be afraid to do what is right and just; we are not alone,” and “We must do our duty, and leave the rest to God,” understood that when everything seems to conspire against justice and truth, and when those who revel in lies and falsehood appear to have the upper hand—that is exactly the time when we must use our faith reserves along with every advocacy resource we have as the platform to fight back. God is truth, and God always prevails.
In Parshat Behaalotecha, we encounter the powerful verses of “Vayehi Binesoa Ha’aron,” which describe the journey of the Ark of the Covenant as the Israelites traveled through the desert (Num. 10:35): וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה קוּמָה ה’ וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ — “When the Ark set out, Moses would say: ‘Arise, God, may Your enemies be scattered; may Your foes flee before You.’”
These verses symbolize the divine presence guiding and protecting the Jewish people throughout their journey. According to Rashi, the preeminent medieval Jewish commentator, the scattering of enemies symbolizes the overcoming of obstacles and adversaries of the Jewish people through divine intervention.
Ramban (Nachmanides) adds, based on a passage in the Talmud, that these verses are like a separate book within the Torah, a reminder that God’s presence is central to Jewish success and survival, providing both physical protection and spiritual guidance.
Drawing from the strength of our heritage, and inspired by the enduring example of proactive faith and advocacy demonstrated by heroes like Sir Moses Montefiore, we must confront the challenges of today with renewed determination.
The lessons from Parshat Behaalotecha remind us that divine guidance accompanies those who believe in and pursue righteousness and justice, even when the world seems to have gone mad and abandoned reason. By standing united and maintaining our faith, we can ensure that truth and righteousness will ultimately prevail.
The parallels between the Damascus Affair and the current crisis facing Jews globally are striking. Once again, we are called to stand firm in our faith and advocate fiercely for justice as we suffer the torture of blood libels and inexplicable hatred.
The enduring power of “Vayehi Binesoa Ha’aron” teaches us that with divine guidance and proactive leadership, we can overcome adversity. And we will. Just as the efforts of Sir Moses Montefiore, like those of his illustrious namesake Moses, led to the triumph of truth and justice in the aftermath of the Damascus Affair, so too our united actions will ensure that we overcome the overwhelming challenges we face.
The post In the 1840s, a Jewish Outreach Effort Led to Real Change; It Can Happen Today first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Sen. Rick Scott Donates Salary to US Holocaust Memorial Museum
US Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, Dec. 7, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) announced on Wednesday that he will donate a portion of his Senate salary to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, underscoring what he called the urgent need to combat antisemitism at home and abroad as threats to Jewish communities escalate.
Scott, who has given part of his congressional salary since joining the Senate in 2019, said his gift was motivated by the growing dangers facing Jewish people and the importance of ensuring younger generations understand the Holocaust.
“Ann and I are proud to support the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Years ago, Ann and I brought our daughters to the Auschwitz memorial and museum in Poland because it was so important to us that they learned about the Holocaust and understood the horrors that occurred,” he said in a statement.
“It’s so important that every generation understands the atrocities of the Holocaust, and the museum does an incredible job teaching those lessons to millions of people every year. By sharing the stories of those who survived and those who were murdered, providing critical resources to educators, and reminding each of us what it means when we say ‘Never Again,’ it is a vital institution,” he added.
Scott also recounted taking his daughters years ago to Auschwitz in Poland, describing the visit as an effort to show them the catastrophic consequences of unchecked hatred against Jews.
The senator tied his donation to the approaching second anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, the deadliest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Palestinian terrorists killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages during the onslaught.
“As we approach the second anniversary of Oct. 7, Ann and I are proud to support the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s meaningful work defending the truth of the Holocaust and their important efforts to teach its relevance for today,” Scott said.
Scott’s office did not disclose the specific amount of the donation.
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Texas State University Silent on Status of Professor Who Incited Violent Attack on Jews at Public Library
West Asheville Library in North Carolina. Photo: Screenshot/buncombecounty.org.
Texas State University is refusing to disclose whether it still currently employs a far-left professor who was filmed inciting a riotous assault on three pro-Israel individuals who peacefully spectated an anti-Israel presentation that was held in June 2024 at the West Asheville Library in North Carolina.
As previously reported by The Algemeiner, two of the victims, David Moritz and Monica Buckley, are Jewish, and one is cancer patient Bob Campbell, an 80-year-old military veteran. Their assailants kicked, punched, and dragged them out of the event, titled “Strategic Lessons From the Palestinian Resistance,” after Texas State University assistant professor of philosophy Idris Atsu Robinson spotted them in the audience and invited the 60-80 anti-Israel partisans in attendance to decide their fates.
At one point during harrowing footage taken of the incident, Robinson suggested that the encounter could lead to “murder.” At no point did he deescalate the situation and even seemed to find humor in igniting the passions of a mob.
Responding to an Algemeiner inquiry on Thursday, a Texas State media relations official declined to comment on Robinson’s employment status, saying the university “does not discuss personnel matters.”
The university has been asked before to account for its handling of Robinson.
In June, the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department, a pro-Israel nonprofit that seeks to combat antisemitism, notified the school of Robinson’s conduct and rhetoric. According to StandWithUs, “university sources” confirmed that he will not be teaching during the fall semester of the 2025-2026 academic year. However, the university would not comment on the matter “due to the confidential nature of personnel matters,” making it unclear whether Robinson is still employed by Texas State and will teach there in the future.
StandWithUs says Texas State should state Robinson’s employment status, share findings amassed during an internal investigation of him, and produce any previous complaints which accused him of wrongdoing.
“It is critical that universities protect Jewish and Zionist students by refusing to provide a classroom platform to faculty members unlawfully promoting antisemitic hate and violence,” Michael Scheinman, Saidoff Legal Department assistant director of campus and community affairs, told The Algemeiner on Wednesday. “Schools that do not act and fail to implement strong safeguards risk exposing their students to the same hatred and violence suffered by the victims of this attack.”
He added, “StandWithUS Saidoff Legal continues to support the victims of this horrendous hate incident by coordinating with law enforcement, helping to identify masked perpetrators, and urging Texas State University to condemn the antisemitic conduct that contributed to this violence.”
By his own words, Robinson took immense pride in what transpired in Asheville, North Carolina last year. Commenting on the matter the next day while being interviewed on a podcast produced by the organizers of the event, he argued for “popular riots” and “divine violence,” saying explicitly that “terrorists” reserve the right to “take the life of the oppressor.”
“My arms are chewed up,” Campbell, a Navy veteran, told The Algemeiner during an interview which followed the assault. He added that medical staff at a local US Veterans Affairs facility identified “severe contusions” on his body.
“What really upset me — I was [lying] on the floor, and this big guy was on top of me,” Campbell recalled. “The librarian came to the door, looked me right in the eye, turned around and walked back and didn’t do a damn thing. Didn’t call the police.”
The activists proved equally merciless to the other victims, putting Moritz in a headlock and heaving Buckley outside and ordering her not to free herself from their grip.
Expressions of anti-Zionism are escalating to violence more frequently, as previously reported by The Algemeiner.
Earlier this month, Eden Deckerhoff — a female student at Florida State University (FSU) — allegedly assaulted a Jewish male classmate at the Leach Student Recreation Center after noticing his wearing apparel issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“F—k Israel, Free Palestine. Put it [the video] on Barstool FSU. I really don’t give a f—k,” the woman said before shoving the man, according to video taken by the victim. “You’re an ignorant son of a b—h.” Deckerhoff has since been charged with misdemeanor battery.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Deckerhoff has denied assaulting the student when questioned by investigators, telling them, “No I did not shove him at all; I never put my hands on him.” However, law enforcement charged her with misdemeanor battery and described the incident in court documents as seen in viral footage of the incident, acknowledging that Deckerhoff “appears to touch [the man’s] left shoulder.” Despite her denial, the Democrat noted, she has offered to apologize.
In June, a gunman murdered two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, DC, while they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum hosted by a major Jewish organization. The suspect charged for the double murder, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, yelled “Free Palestine” while being arrested by police after the shooting, according to video of the incident. The FBI affidavit supporting the criminal charges against Rodriguez stated that he told law enforcement he “did it for Gaza.”
Less than two weeks later, a man firebombed a crowd of people who were participating in a demonstration to raise awareness of the Israeli hostages who remain imprisoned by Hamas in Gaza. A victim of the attack, Karen Diamond, 82, later died, having sustained severe, fatal injuries.
Another antisemitic incident motivated by anti-Zionism occurred in San Francisco, where an assailant identified by law enforcement as Juan Diaz-Rivas and others allegedly beat up a Jewish victim in the middle of the night. Diaz-Rivas and his friends approached the victim while shouting “F—k the Jews, Free Palestine,” according to local prosecutors.
“[O]ne of them punched the victim, who fell to the ground, hit his head and lost consciousness,” the San Francisco district attorney’s office said in a statement. “Allegedly, Mr. Diaz-Rivas and others in the group continued to punch and kick the victim while he was down. A worker at a nearby business heard the altercation and antisemitic language and attempted to intervene. While trying to help the victim, he was kicked and punched.”
According to the latest data released by the FBI, antisemitic hate crimes in the US have been tallying to break all previous statistical records. In 2024, even as hate crimes decreased overall, those perpetrated against Jews increased by 5.8 percent in 2024 to 1,938, the largest total recorded in over 30 years of the FBI’s counting them. Jewish American groups have noted that this surge, which included 178 assaults, is being experienced by a demographic group which constitutes just 2 percent of the US population.
A striking 69 percent of all religion-based hate crimes that were reported to the FBI in 2024 targeted Jews, with 2,041 out of 2,942 total such incidents being antisemitic in nature. Muslims were targeted the next highest amount as the victims of 256 offenses, or about 9 percent of the total.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
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Europeans Launch UN Sanctions Process Against Iran, Drawing Tehran’s Ire
Satellite image shows buildings at Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, before Israel launched an attack on Iran targeting nuclear facilities, in Isfahan, Iran, May 17, 2025. Photo: Planet Labs PBC via REUTERS
Britain, France, and Germany on Thursday launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, a step likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran.
A senior Iranian official quickly accused the three European powers of harming diplomacy and vowed that Tehran would not bow to pressure over the move by the E3 to launch the so-called “snapback mechanism.”
The three powers feared they would otherwise lose the prerogative in mid-October to restore sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear accord with world powers.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the decision did not signal the end of diplomacy. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul urged Iran to now fully cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog agency and commit to direct talks with the United States over the next month.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters the decision was “illegal and regrettable” but left the door open for engagement.
“The move is an action against diplomacy, not a chance for it. Diplomacy with Europe will continue,” the official said, adding: “Iran will not concede under pressure.”
The UN Security Council is due to meet behind closed doors on Friday at the request of the E3 to discuss the snapback move against the Islamic Republic, diplomats said.
Iran and the E3 have held several rounds of talks since Israel and the US bombed its nuclear installations in mid-June, aiming to agree to defer the snapback mechanism. But the E3 deemed that talks in Geneva on Tuesday did not yield sufficient signals of readiness for a new deal from Iran.
The E3 acted on Thursday over accusations that Iran has violated the 2015 deal that aimed to prevent it developing a nuclear weapons capability in return for a lifting of international sanctions. The E3, along with Russia, China, and the United States, were party to that accord.
US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of that accord in 2018 during his first term, calling the deal one-sided in Iran‘s favor, and it unraveled in ensuing years as Iran abandoned limits set on its enrichment of uranium.
Trump’s second administration held fruitless indirect negotiations earlier this year with Tehran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the E3 move and said Washington remained available for direct engagement with Iran “in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue.”
An Iranian source said Tehran would do so only “if Washington guarantees there will be no [military] strikes during the talks.”
The E3 said they hoped Iran would engage by the end of September to allay concerns about its nuclear agenda sufficiently for them to defer concrete action.
“The E3 are committed to using every diplomatic tool available to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon,” including the snapback mechanism, they said in a letter sent to the UN Security Council and seen by Reuters.
“The E3’s commitment to a diplomatic solution nonetheless remains steadfast.”
Iran has previously warned of a “harsh response” if sanctions are reinstated, and the Iranian official said it was reviewing its options, including withdrawing from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The E3 had offered to extend the snapback for as much as six months to enable serious negotiations if Iran restored access for UN nuclear inspectors – who would also seek to account for Iran‘s large stock of enriched uranium whose status has been unknown since the June war – and engages in talks with the U.S.
Calling the E3 decision inevitable, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said it was an “important step in the diplomatic campaign to counter the Iranian regime’s nuclear ambitions.”
GROWING FRUSTRATION IN IRAN
The UN process takes 30 days before sanctions that would hit Iran‘s financial, banking, hydrocarbons, and defense sectors are restored.
Russia and China, strategic partners of Iran, finalized a draft Security Council resolution on Thursday that would extend the 2015 nuclear deal for six months and urge all parties to immediately resume negotiations.
But they have not yet asked for a vote.
“The world is at crossroads,” Russia’s deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told reporters. “One option is peace, diplomacy, goodwill … Another option is a kind of diplomacy at the barrel of the gun.”
The specter of renewed sanctions is stirring frustration in Iran, where economic anxiety is rising and political divisions are deepening, three insiders close to the government said.
Iranian leaders are split over how to respond — with anti-Western hardliners urging defiance and confrontation, while moderates advocate diplomacy.
Iran has been enriching uranium to up to 60 percent fissile purity, a short step from the roughly 90 percent of bomb-grade, and had enough material enriched to that level, if refined further, for six nuclear weapons, before the airstrikes by Israel started on June 13, according to the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog.
Actually manufacturing a weapon would take more time, however, and the IAEA has said that while it cannot guarantee Tehran‘s nuclear program is entirely peaceful, it has no credible indication of a coordinated weapons project.
The West says the advancement of Iran‘s nuclear program goes beyond civilian needs, while Tehran says it wants nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes.