This article was originally published in the Algemeiner on July 12, 2021.

Few could have imagined that the current wave of violence against Jews in major American cities would be possible within living memory of the Holocaust.

Jews in America now fear walking the streets wearing Jewish artifacts, congregating outside Jewish community buildings, or even speaking Hebrew or Yiddish in public. Shocking and unparalleled scenes of Jews being assaulted by mobs of anti-Israel thugs in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and other American cities, have begun to ring alarm bells.

Early in July, a rabbi sitting outside a Boston synagogue was stabbed eight times by Khaled Awad, 24, a known and violent antisemite.

At anti-Israel rallies from Europe to our major cities in America, violent and murderous slogans against Jews are regularly chanted such as “Long live intifada,” “From the River to the Sea,” and “Khaybar, Khaybar ya yahud! J’aish Mohammed sa ya’ud!” (“Khaybar, Khaybar, oh, Jews! Mohammed’s army will rise again!”–  a reference to the 7th-century Muslim massacre of the Jews of Khaybar, near Medina in the northwestern Arabian Peninsula, i.e., present-day Saudi Arabia).

This torrent of Jew-hatred has also included harassment, vandalism, and online abuse.

Not the Usual Suspects Anymore

For the most part, this onslaught of antisemitic activity didn’t come from far-right groups. It has overwhelmingly been carried out by Muslim extremists, as well as  radical leftist allies. This didn’t happen out of the blue. Activists of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to delegitimize the State of Israel and promote antisemitism, have committed previous attacks against Jews in many universities and in major American cities.

As the Jewish-American community has been focused largely on the threats emanating from white supremacists, these acts of violence have been ignored and dismissed time and time again, while law enforcement agencies did not investigate or held these violent antisemites accountable.

The 2019 “The New Antisemites” report documented how the BDS movement has radicalized other hate groups, from the radical right to the radical left, and promoted violence against Jews. The American proponents of the BDS movement, including many Jews and Jewish institutions, bear responsibility for the transformation of anti-Israel vilification into the antisemitic violent attacks we have seen in recent weeks.

The Warning Signs: Anti-Israel Rallies and Aggressive Disruption of Pro-Israel Events

Over the past decade, extremists from the Islamo-Leftist alliance have become increasingly brazen and violent.

On college campuses, pro-Israel events have been disrupted for years, often violently. Anti-Israel activists have aggressively attacked and deplatformed speakers. As a result, pro-Israel speakers have been harassed, and events have had to be cancelled or required high security. This hasn’t been confined to universities.

In December 2017, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Time Square and called for violence against Jews worldwide chanting, “There is only one solution, Intifada Revolution” and “Khaybar, Khaybar ya yahud! J’aish Mohammed sa ya’ud.”

In 2018, anti-Israel extremists with criminal records aggressively disrupted an event held by the pro-Israel nonprofit Reservists on Duty at the Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York. The NYPD was immediately called to the rescue, and while they removed the disrupters from the event, the latter were quickly released, no charges were filed, and no criminal investigation took place.

It was clear that it would only be a matter of time until we saw violent acts normalized against “evil” Israel supporters. The lack of a sufficient response by the Jewish community and law enforcement — and the fact that the perpetrators were not held accountable — sanctioned their actions, and paved the way for more severe violence against Jews. This has escalated to the situation we are witnessing today of Jews being openly targeted and attacked.

The Dam Breaks: Renewed Israel-Hamas Clashes in the Age of BLM

Following the riots related to George Floyd’s death and the rise of the BLM movement, Islamo-leftist extremists who see themselves as “justice warriors” for Palestinians became empowered and more radicalized. They saw this as a justification and an opportunity to physically intimidate and attack Jews in America, without consequence.

However, those who have been arrested in recent weeks are dangerous extremists and not social justice activists.

In Los Angeles, assailants Samer Jayylusi and Xavier Pabon both have criminal records. In New York, extremist Waseem Awawdeh showed no remorse for his actions, telling one of his jailers, “If I could do it again, I would do it again.” Upon his release on $10,000 bail, Awawdeh received a hero’s welcome in his community.

Palestinian social media influencer and model Bella Hadid even shared a photograph of a radical anti-Israel rally she participated in in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in which violent offender Awawdeh was also pictured. She lauded these violent radicals as “beautiful, smart, respectful, loving, kind and generous” — without any consequences.

The American Jewish Community Must Go on the Offensive

We, the American Jewish community, now know the reality of the violent, antisemitic threat originating from radical Islamic and leftist extremists. It is not just about hate speech; it is now a physical threat which, as current experience has shown, will escalate even further as the perpetrators are set free with no real consequences.

We can no longer afford to dismiss this growing danger as inconsequential, and rely solely on law enforcement agencies and security guards to prevent hate crimes against the Jewish community. We must become proactive, go on the offensive, and take responsibility for protecting our loved ones.

Otherwise, we Jews in America are condemning ourselves to live in fear like our Jewish brethren in Paris, London, Berlin, and similar European cities, where antisemitic assaults are commonplace and Jewish institutions are hardened like fortresses. That is not the life I want for myself, my family, for my community, for my people, and for all Americans.

This article was originally published in the Jerusalem Post on June 10, 2021.

Each year Jews and non-Jews around the world recite the mantra “Never Again” to remember the six million Jewish lives and tens of millions of other victims murdered by the Nazis. And then, each year, we continue to see Jew-hatred and antisemitic violent attacks continue to soar all over the world.

We have a responsibility to remember the Holocaust, honor those precious lives lost, and elevate the voices of survivors. However, with the memory of the Holocaust fading, remembrance is not enough. We must do everything in our power to recognize the growing Jew-hatred and prevent it from being increasingly violent. “Never Again” must be accompanied by meaningful actions to prevent future genocides.

Defining antisemitism is critical to preventing and combating Jew-hatred

To effectively prevent and fight Jew-hatred, it first must be clearly defined. Antisemitism takes many shapes and forms, and its expression has morphed over the years. Classic antisemitic canards and age-old conspiracy theories about Jews focus on hatred of the Jewish people because of their religion, and from the 19th century onwards because of their race and ethnicity. While this type of hatred is currently prevalent among white supremacists and neo-Nazis, it is no longer the predominant form of antisemitism today.

Today’s antisemitism uses a new, pernicious expression of Jew-hatred: the delegitimization, demonization, and double standards placed on the Jewish State of Israel. While the new antisemitism has been popularized by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, it has now been adopted by all the other key antisemitic movements, such as white supremacists, radical Muslims, the far-left, and the followers of Louis Farrakhan.

In fact, the recently released The New Antisemites report documents how under the guise of “social justice” activism, the BDS movement radicalizes all other hate groups, promotes violence against Jews, and creates a threatening environment that normalizes antisemitism, something that history has shown to have deadly consequences.

The IHRA working definition of antisemitism encapsulates both the “old” and “new” Jew-hatred

On May 26, 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) published its working definition of antisemitism, which has since been adopted or endorsed by 36 UN Member States, including the US. The IHRA is a unique intergovernmental organization that empowers political and social leaders to address the need for Holocaust remembrance, research, and education worldwide to combat Holocaust denial and incitement of violence against Jews.

The IHRA definition encompasses both the old and new forms of Jew-hatred. Examples of the “old” include: “Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective…”, and from the “new:” “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;” “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis;” and “Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel.”

The IHRA definition exposes the true agenda of today’s Jew-haters and holds them accountable for their antisemitism. To disguise their true, antisemitic goal of annihilating Israel, these new antisemites purport to support “human rights” and “social justice.” It is unsurprising then that the leading voices against the IHRA definition come from the BDS movement and far-left organizations.

The IHRA definition must be widely adopted to prevent Jew hatred and combat the violence antisemitism promotes and incites.

Realizing that proper education about the Holocaust is key to fighting today’s Jew-hatred, 19 US states require Holocaust education as part of their secondary school curricula. A comprehensive curriculum must include the IHRA definition of antisemitism, enabling educators to inform students about all of the different types of contemporary antisemitism and the severe consequences of sitting idle and not firmly fighting against Jew-hatred.

The IHRA definition is the most comprehensive definition of antisemitism. It has been endorsed by the Biden Administration and adopted by the US State Department, dozens of universities across the US and Canada, and the states of Kentucky, South Carolina, and Florida. All other states, universities, social media companies, schools, companies, and government entities should follow suit.

Remembrance alone is not enough: we must actively work to prevent future genocides

Analyses of the rising patterns of antisemitism around the globe today ominously resemble those in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. The latest conflict between Israel and the terror group Hamas, funded and incited by the Holocaust-denying Iranian terrorist regime, generated a new onslaught of antisemitic hate and violence against Jews in Europe and America.

We’ve seen stunning scenes of Jews from New York to Los Angeles being assaulted on the streets by mobs of antisemitic, anti-Israel thugs. In a shocking development many would never have thought possible within living memory of the Holocaust, many Jews in America now fear walking on the streets in their kippot, speaking Hebrew in public, or wearing other articles or items that readily identify them as Jewish.

As Winston Churchill once said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” It is our moral responsibility to recognize the similarities of the antisemitic events today to those preceding the Holocaust and take action.

We must actively work to ensure that activities, organizations, and movements promoting Jew-hatred will not result in mass genocide occurring again. To do so, we must expose and hold the perpetrators of hate and violence accountable.

To stop Jew-hatred we must not only focus on teaching about the lessons of the Holocaust, but we must also learn from them and act vigorously to prevent it from happening again. We must unite in pushing for the widespread adoption of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, particularly when passing legislation mandating Holocaust education.

History has shown us that “The hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.” When we say “Never Again,” let us take action to prevent a future holocaust.

The writer is an Israeli-American “active philanthropist.” He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP.

Article originally published in JNS on May 18, 2021.

Our American way of life and Western values are under attack by radical hate groups funded by wealthy ideologues. To counter them, we must draw upon the same successful methods I employed in the fight against Jew-hatred.

Over the past decade, I have focused my activist efforts on the fight against anti-Semitism in the United States through strategic impact philanthropy. This approach to philanthropy requires not only financial giving but also the investment of time, experience, vision, and personal connections.

This has all been possible because America has afforded me, an immigrant from Israel, tremendous opportunities to succeed in business and build a wonderful life for my family. My business success allowed me to dedicate my resources to make an impact.

In recognition of all that America has given me, I have decided to expand my philanthropic focus to counter the unprecedented assault on America and its values.

Contributing to a strong, secure America benefits not only the American people but also ensures the well-being of the Jewish people and other minorities in the U.S. and around the world.

Empowering a coalition to combat anti-Semitism

To fight Jew-hatred, I analyzed which organizations were the most effective in combating anti-Semitism and which philanthropists were supporting them. Then, I cultivated a network of like-minded donors, and together we selected organizations to support, based on their impact and willingness to collaborate with one another.

Knowing it takes a network to defeat a network, my fellow donors and I directed the organizations in our coalition to map out the network of adversaries propagating Jew-hatred and the various groups fighting anti-Semitism.

We, the connected donors, facilitated and provided funding for partnerships among the organizations. We ensured that they develop and share actionable research that would be actively utilized to go on the offensive.

As a result, a coalition of dozens of groups marginalized and discredited the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement by exposing its affiliations with terrorism; how it promotes hate towards and violence against Jews; and its opposition to peace and normalization in the Middle East.

Broadening the battle to protect America and its values

Our American way of life and Western values are under attack by radical hate groups on both the left and the right, funded by wealthy ideologues. To counter them, we must draw upon the same successful methods I employed in the fight against Jew-hatred.

First, we must map out the fundamental American values that we are fighting for, including democracy; freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly; education without indoctrination; rule of law; and capitalism.

Second, we need to network with like-minded philanthropists who are willing and able to provide a coalition of organizations with funding, direction informed by high-quality research, and a network to promote collaboration.

Third, we need to identify the allies that excel at each one of these key standards and are willing to share information and build relationships with like-minded organizations. These allies include grassroots groups that are directly involved on the ground and with the public, think tanks, legal and media organizations, and research groups.

The movements working to harm America are organized in a similar structure and empowered by a network of mega-donors. To defeat them, our network of donors and allies will have to identify the opposing groups’ agendas, objectives, networks, funders, and plans. We will then use this information to counter the opposing organizations in the environments in which they currently hold sway.

Partnering with the best in class

To start, we need to determine the most effective willing, and able financial partners and organizations with which to work. We must evaluate the organization to ensure that it is fully committed to strengthening and protecting American values and freedoms. An organization should have a clear definition of what these values are, and must accurately recognize the threat that our enemies pose to America and the American way of life.

It is then critical to evaluate the organization’s track record of success. One marker of long-term success is the ability to build synergies. It is necessary to select groups that habitually and naturally collaborate with others and complement one another’s distinctive contributions.

My successful track record in fighting anti-Semitism, forged by more than a decade of adversity and experience in the field, provides a readily available template to developing a powerful network of like-minded organizations to safeguard a strong and secure America.

I call on fellow philanthropists who want to fight for America and the cherished values it represents to join us in taking this new, assertive approach of active strategic impact philanthropy, to combat the groups that seek to undermine America and all it stands for.

Adam Milstein is an Israeli-American philanthropreneur. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @AdamMilstein, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/AdamMilsteinCP.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Times on January 4, 2021.

Rejoining the Iran deal puts Middle East normalization and regional peace at risk

During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden declared he wanted to go back to the Iran deal if Tehran returns to “strict compliance.” European leaders have urged the U.S. to rejoin the deal to prevent further Iranian violations and continued expansion of its nuclear infrastructure.

The problem with the rush to reaffirm the old, flawed deal is that it would benefit only one country: Iran. The cascading consequences of that decision could destabilize not just the Middle East, but trigger problems around the world.

The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the deal and slap Iran with severe sanctions has crippled the Iranian economy, decreased its oil production, and caused a significant devaluation of the rial. Tehran is even more desperate now than it was in 2015. It would be a mistake to waste the gains of the outgoing administration.

If America rejoined the Iran deal as is, Iran would not be held accountable for past cheating and blatant violations of the deal. Sanctions would be lifted, and the arms embargo would end. None of the obvious defects of the deal would be addressed. Iran’s ballistic missile program would continue to grow, as would its destabilizing activities in the region.

Iran has been increasingly belligerent since the U.S. elections. Evidence recently emerged that they continue to expand their nuclear infrastructure. They increased uranium reprocessing to 12 times the limit allowed under the deal. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq undertook a new round of attacks on U.S. facilities. To hand the Iranian regime a new old deal in the face of these aggressive actions would only be interpreted as a sign of American weakness and humiliation.

Such an act of deliberate self-weakening by Washington would trigger a cascade of chaos. For starters, the moderate Arab nations would view the U.S. as feckless and an unreliable partner, assuming Washington was returning to the ways of disengaging from the region that occurred under the Obama presidency.

The process of normalization between the Arab nations and Israel, without the guarantor of U.S. engagement and support in pushing back against Iran, could well die still-born. That will mean the collapse of building regional collective security and economic integration that could serve as the foundation for security and prosperity in the region.

Further, since the Arab nations were not consulted on the Iran deal, and they were never reassured the deal could forestall an Iranian nuclear breakout, we could see rapid proliferation in the region. Facing an unconstrained Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt could well rapidly seek nuclear weapons. This would be a nightmare scenario and could well represent a death to global nonproliferation efforts.

In addition, the Arab nations will likely start hedging against the declining interest and influence of Washington. They will increasingly look to cut deals with China and Russia. They might well go back to isolating Israel. None of these actions will leave the region or the U.S. better off.

Nor would the missteps of U.S. action be limited to the Middle East. North Korea and Iran both observe very closely how Washington treats the other. If the Biden team gives Tehran a sweetheart deal, then Pyongyang will likely do exactly what it did under Obama, rapidly escalate and act aggressively, demanding quick relief from sanctions — and concessions as well. Mr. Biden could well provoke a new round of crisis in Northeast Asia by showing a weak hand in the Middle East.

A Biden administration ought to consult with America’s Mideast allies on how to make a stronger Iran deal that addresses all the region’s legitimate concerns. For any deal to succeed, it must not only address uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons issues, but must include a comprehensive solution to address Iran’s continued development of ballistic missiles, its support for terrorism, its involvement in regional instability, its attacks on other regional countries, and domestic violations of human rights.

Before any such commitments are made, Mr. Biden ought to keep the sanctions and arms embargo in place. This is Washington’s primary leverage in negotiating with Tehran. They must also continue moving the process of normalization of relations between the Arab nations and Israel. With a united Middle East, the pressure of sanctions, and a unified front with the Europeans, the U.S. will be in the strongest position to secure the strongest deal for our national security.

James Jay Carafano, a Heritage Foundation vice president, directs the think tank’s research in matters of national security and foreign affairs. Adam Milstein is an active philanthropist and a co-founder of the Israeli-American Council and the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation.