AJC Applauds Appointment of Jews to German Anti-Semitism Commission

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May 21, 2015, 01:28 ET

BERLIN, May 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following the intervention of AJC Berlin, the German government has expanded its recently formed blue-ribbon commission on anti-Semitism, adding two long-time experts and professionals from the Jewish world.

"We applaud the appointment of additional members to the German experts commission on anti-Semitism who will represent the viewpoints and concerns of the Jewish community," said Deidre Berger, Director of the AJC Berlin Ramer Institute for German-Jewish Relations.

"We appreciate the response of the German government to our criticism of the original makeup of the commission. After all, how can such a body be called a commission of 'experts' without the expertise of those most directly affected by anti-Semitism?" Berger continued. "In light of the ongoing incidents of anti-Semitism in all sectors of society, it is not a moment too soon for the commission to begin its work."

Berger also announced that AJC, together with two German partners—the Moses Mendelsohn Center of the University of Potsdam and the Berlin-based Amadeu Antonio Foundation—will hold a conference in Berlin on July 2 on the challenges of addressing anti-Semitism. The three organizations have formed NEBA (Network for Researching and Combating Anti-Semitism) to raise awareness about the dangers of anti-Semitism and promote more extensive monitoring, research, and education. NEBA was formed in direct response to the controversy about the government commission.

Earlier this month, at the AJC strategy conference on combating anti-Semitism, "A Defining Moment for Europe," in Brussels, AJC presented a "Call to Action" that urges all European governments and the European Union to create central coordinating bodies to accelerate responses to outbreaks of anti-Semitism and to work more consistently to prevent them. In this regard, Berger called on the German government to create an inter-ministerial authority to initiate and coordinate measures to combat anti-Semitism.

AJC Berlin hosts the European Forum on Anti-Semitism, which brings together European Jewish leaders and experts to discuss strategies on combating anti-Semitism, as well as the Task Force: Education on Anti-Semitism, a national forum of educators and representatives of civil society who create educational material to counter anti-Semitism.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee