Blog Archive

Blog Archive

CJHPS Statement on Recent Antisemitic Events, Feb. 17 2023

Over the last ten days, a series of antisemitic acts have occurred on and off campus and on social media. It culminated with the draping of a Nazi flag on the Temple of the High Country sign. In response, Appstate's Chief Diversity Officer Jamie Parsons responded yesterday by writing that "such an expression of hatred and antisemitism impacts the wellbeing and sense of safety and belonging that all members of our campus community deserve." We at the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies also condemn these antisemitic acts.  Acts of hatred and violence against our neighbors diminish all of us. The Center stands in solidarity with our Jewish students, faculty, staff, and the greater community, as we do with all people facing hate speech and violent action. When a community takes a stand against violent behavior, the power of hate is diminished. Take a stand!

If you want to learn how to safely and appropriately respond to antisemitic acts, you can view a wealth of resources found in Parson's February 16, “Message from the Chief Diversity Officer" below.

Click here for a list of resources provided by the Anti-Defamation League or ADL, after their presentation at App State, Wednesday, February 15. 

  • Antisemitism Uncovered: ADL’s comprehensive guide to understanding the history of antisemitism and some of the most common myths about Jews, which was referenced at the beginning of George’s presentation. It has videos embedded and there is a toolkit for responding to antisemitism to be used as a supplement.
  • Antisemitism Today: A Table Talk family conversation guide developed after the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue massacre and updated to reflect further incidents
  • Antisemitic Attitude In America: The report from ADL’s Center for Antisemitism Research about Americans’ beliefs in antisemitic tropes
  • 2021 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents: Report on acts of antisemitism across America (the 2022 Audit will be released within a couple months)
  • 2021 Online Antisemitism Report Card: ADL’s Center for Technology and Society rated online platforms based on their policies and enforcement against antisemitism
  • Misogyny and White Supremacy Report: ADL’s Center on Extremism explains the connections between these two forms of hate
  • HEAT Map: interactive platform that depicts incidents of hate, extremism, antisemitism and terrorism across the country over many years
  • Reporting Link: incidents can be reported directly to this link and will be filtered the appropriate regional office.

Listed below are the events the Center will be holding for Spring 2023. Links for more information will soon be provided on our website.

Workshop on Antisemitism: What It Is and How to Respond

March 8, 6-8, Library room 421

Tanya Gersh: How I Fought Antisemites and Won

March 23, 6-8, Library room 114

A Day Against Hate organized by Hillel and AEPi

On the mall, April 16, afternoon

Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Day of Remembrance

Reading of names of the murdered in the Holocaust Outside between the library and the bookstore, 10-5. If you would like to read please contact us at the Center.

CJHPS Annual Student Awards Ceremony

April 24, 2-3, Center room 102 Edwin Duncan Hall, refreshments provided

Picnic with our AppState Police

Location TBA, 12-3 pm, join us for games and lunch

 

Statement on Recent Antisemitic attacks, October 2022 

This past week the country has been confronted with numerous antisemitic verbal attacks made in the mainstream press—as if such statements were acceptable.  

Beginning with antisemitic statements made by Kanye West, a rising white  supremacist group the Goyim Defense League then used that moment to make  antisemitic claims and supporting Kanye West’s antisemitism. It worked, the little  known GDL became front page news. Although antisemitism was nothing new from  Kanye West, the rise of further antisemitic statements across the country in the week  of October 23 was. And it all culminated in the anniversary of the attacks at the Tree  of Life Synagogue four years ago.  

What is striking about the last week is not that the statements occurred, but that they  are becoming part of a routine and normalization against Jews. The number of  overtly antisemitic public statements and attacks have risen precipitously in 2022.  Numerous organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti Defamation League have documented a stunning increase in American  xenophobic activity. The Washington Post observed “what has struck some experts is  how blatant the comments about Jews are at a time when incidents of harassment,  vandalism and violence against them have been at their highest levels since at least the  1970s. Recent data already showed that a majority of American Jews fear violence  against them” (Boorstein and Arnsdorf). We must not become complacent and  accustomed to these declarations of violence as a “new normal.” In fact, Nazi  Germany showed us that few things could be more dangerous than the normalization  of hate language and symbols. We cannot allow it to happen! 

The Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies condemns the use of any kind of (neo)Nazi, White Supremacist, racist, and/or antissemitic language and  imagery. We also urge every person in the High Country and beyond to take steps to: 

(1) Identify publicly any hate speech and graffiti. Hate speech is merely the  beginning of physical violence that can ultimately lead to death, like those who  lost their lives at the Tree of Life shooting.  

(2) When you see or hear hate speech used to humiliate and harm others, speak  out. Seek help if you are uncomfortable addressing it yourself. Contact the Center. 

Those people participating in hate rhetoric must be held accountable.  

(3) Participate in and educate others on how racism, anti---Semitism, and  othering work to normalize violent behavior. Learn about past and present hate groups. Attend programs that assist you in learning how to respond to  xenophobic violence. The Center is carrying out a year of lessons on antisemitism  and hate groups. Join us (see some of the events listed below)! 

The Center provides a safe environment for students and community members to  come and learn more about educating against hate. We welcome volunteers  interested in helping us teach about antisemitism and hate. We are invested in  making Appalachian State University and our community more welcoming to everyone, especially those students, faculty, staff and community members most  affected by hate speech. Jewish women and men are targeted, as are other  groups like women and men of color, immigrants, the disabled, religious minorities, and LGBTQIA+ people. Creating a caring and supportive  environment is our job, but it is also yours! 

On behalf of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies, yours in peace and  unity, 

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Amy C. Hudnall 

Interim Director  

Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies

Appalachian State University

P.O. Box 32146

Edwin Duncan Hall, Room 118  

Boone, NC 28608 

Reference 

Boorstein, Michelle, and Isaac Arndsdorf. 2022. “Overt U.S. Antisemitism Returns with Trump, Kanye West:  ‘Something Is Different’.” The Washington Post. October 27.  

Upcoming Events on Antisemitism: “A Year on Antisemitism: What It Is and Why We Care”

For a detailed list of upcoming events on antisemitism access our website https://holocaust.appstate.edu/

• November 9, 2022. Kristallnacht: 9 November 1938, The Night of Broken Glass: Visual Events  and Roundtable Conversation led by Dr. Chris Patti and including Hillel and AEPi. Belk Library, rm  114, 7 pm. 

• February 15, 2023. Anti-Defense Leagues’ Rachel Lang on “Antisemitism and its Manifestations” 

• March 28, 2023. Survivor Tanya Gersh talks about her standing up to white supremacists 

• March 2023. ADL presents the State of Hate to App State administrators  

• April 2023. Workshop on antisemitism led by Dr. Chris Patti  

• April 17 and 18, 2023. Yom HaShoah

Posted on Oct. 30th 2022.


Guest Speaker -  Craig Higson-Smith

"No Justice With Healing? No Healing Without Justice?"
Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at 7 p.m.
Room 114, Belk Library and Information Commons

International Human Rights expert Craig Higson-Smith is slated to speak at Appalachian State on the role of seeking justice in healing torture and genocide. Higson-Smith is a South African human rights activist and psychologist who has worked for years on the questions of healing and justice for survivors of organized violence and torture. He engaged deeply with survivors of war crimes in multiple locations including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa and in East Africa, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. Of particular relevance to this presentation and questions of transitional justice is his work with survivors of the Democratic Republic Trials in the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Syria.

This event is free and open to the public. For a disability accomodation, visit odr.appstate.edu.

Posted on Oct. 4th 2022.


Center Blog Opening Message 

Welcome to our first blog. We are looking for a great name, please feel free to email us if you have an idea. The blog will come out weekly, and we will cover any materials that are interesting and relevant as well as materials that the editor is excited about. Check us out every week!

As many of our followers and supporters may know, the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peaces Studies was envisioned over twenty years ago by faculty Zohara Boyd (English) and Rennie Brantz (History), to later be joined by Rosemary Horowitz (English. They were embraced by the Jewish community in the High Country who made Rennie, Zo, and Rosemary's vision a reality. The Center continues to grow and evolve according to the vision of this amazing community. 

Unfortunately, Rennie has had a difficult year in regard to his health. I had the pleasure of spending some time with Rennie Brantz last week. He is doing better and is welcoming visitors. He is very interested in what is going on in the community and with old friends and I think he would greatly appreciate emails. I can only imagine how bored he must be, so if you would like to reach out to Rennie email the Center and we will pass along his contact information. 

Yours in peace and unity, Amy Hudnall

Posted on Sept. 20th 2022.