A university and college trade union in the United Kingdom has apologized for failing to include Jewish people on a list of groups persecuted in the Holocaust.
The University College Union sent out an email last week to "branch and local association secretaries" to encourage the observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27.
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The email included a list of nine groups of people oppressed by the Nazi regime, including "disabled people," "non-Jewish Poles and Slavic POWs," but Jews were noticeably missing from the list. A link in the email led to a page on the UCU website about Holocaust Memorial Day that also omitted Jews as victims of the Holocaust while mentioning other groups.
Social media users called the omission "shocking" and "sickening" after the email was publicized, with some suggesting the inclusion of "non-Jewish Poles" was proof the union deliberately left Jews off the list.
In a subsequent email from the union's "equality support official," the organization apologized for what it called "drafting errors."
"UCU apologizes for the offense this caused and reassures all members that it continues to fight against all forms of anti-Semitism, hatred, and bigotry in society."
UCU further said on Twitter that an "incomplete version" of the email was sent out. The website has since been updated to include Jewish persecution.
Those dissatisfied with the apology described it as "mealy-mouthed … adding insult to injury," and pointed out that it did not "even directly say what they are apologizing for."
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
