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"As a vulnerable minority Jews feel sensitive to the rise of conspiracy theories – particularly in non-democratic governments which use scapegoating of minorities, and especially Jews, to deflect from their own failures," said Dr. Nazarian, who is also the founder of the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at University of California, Los Angeles and a member of University of Haifa's Board of Governors. "Governments that are not able to provide for their own citizens really use conspiracy theories as a mechanism for deflecting blame."

Dr. Nazarian heads ADL's work fighting anti-Semitism and racial hatred globally. In her consultations with Jewish communities around the world since the start of the pandemic, she said that "one of the very common themes we saw were the economic anxieties people were expecting to happen. Jewish communities know that not only the pandemic itself, but the economic impact of a major slowdown like huge unemployment, what that historically rises to. Usually, the front and center of the reaction is anti-Semitism.

"We will call out anti-Semitism at ADL as we always have, at any instance where we see it," Dr. Nazarian said, "but as a civil rights organization with a long history of battling for civil rights, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the civil rights leaders of this country and all the people out demonstrating who really believe this is a moment of reckoning, and that we have to look at police brutality, and that we have to look at the racism that exists in the institutions in this country. When that narrative crosses the line and is hijacked into anti-Semitic or anti-Israel narrative, then we will call it out no questions asked."

This comment reflects the somewhat tenuous support by the ADL and other Jewish organizations to the protests across the US and the larger ideological camp of Black Lives Matter amidst a wave of accusations against the movement and many of its supporters for numerous anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments.

Regarding how social media has become a major amplifier of hate speech and anti-Semitism, Dr. Nazarian stated that large companies like Facebook must "come to terms with the fact that they have a role to play here and they have to be part of the solution."

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Dr. Nazarian also commented on a study published in June by the University of Haifa and Institute for Counter Terrorism researchers which brought to light the growing hotbed of extreme anti-Semitism on TikTok, today's fastest-growing social network platform. In a scan of TikTok videos, the study found that the most prevalent form of far-right extremism pertained to anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, comprising more than one-fifth of the posts that were analyzed.

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"Massacre the Jews, God, hit them with your sword, for they have left God, they have left the nations," Pastor Tupirani da Hora Lores bellowed at dozens of congregants in a sermon held earlier this month at his Geracao Jesus Cristo church in Rio de Janeiro.

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A recording of the sermon later posted online showed his followers repeating his words.

"They contrived, went with prostitutes, and when they were told to repent they said they'd do it but they lied," the pastor proclaimed, according to JTA. "God, what you have done in World War II, you must do again, this is what we ask for in our prayers to you: Justice, justice, justice!" da Hora Lores, who is known as a zealot, shouted at his followers.

Sinagoga Sem Fronteiras ("synagogues without borders"), a network of Jewish communities in Brazil, filed a police complaint against da Hora Lores for incitement. The police said they were looking into the case.

"With each complaint and lawsuit, we aim to make public the actions that are taken against offenders so that people will start thinking twice before taking such actions," SSF founder Rabbi Gilberto Ventura said.

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"Does #BDS 'single out' #Israel in the face of other global atrocities? YES! Because it was started by us Palestinians! I don't know why everyone is so shocked that Palestinians are obsessed [sic] with our oppressor. #FreePalestine #Palestine," he tweeted in July, reported The Washington Free Beacon.

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In May 2015, Zahr wrote, "Our land was stolen. We live under a brutal military occupation. Israel uses our residential areas to test military technology. Our land was stolen. The media portrays us as subhuman. Israeli politicians call for our extermination. Oh, and our land was stolen."

In February 2016, Zahr published an open letter to superstar singer Beyoncé, condemning her decision to perform in Tel Aviv: "So, Beyoncé, Bey, habibti, I'm asking you not to do it. Israel doesn't wear a halo. She's a naughty girl. She doesn't even pay her own bills, bills, bills."

He added that Israel is a "nation that has routinely discriminated against black individuals, destroying blood donated by Ethiopian Jews, injecting their women with contraceptives without their consent, and expelling thousands of African asylum-seekers."

The following July, Zahr tweeted that then-Democratic presidential candidate and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "should be on the #BDS list. Supporting her is a form of normalization. Voting for her is like buying Sabra hummus. #FreePalestine."

In May 2017, Zahr tweeted, "Zionists say the expulsion [sic] of Palestinians in 1948 AD is justified by a biblical promise in 1948 BC Sounds like Jewish jihad to me."

Zahr has expressed support for Zahra Billoo, who resigned in September from the Women's March board for her history of making anti-Semitic remarks, including applauding Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel.

"Zahra is a principled civil rights leader, and she is never shy or ashamed to highlight the suffering of the 'Palestinians and the atrocities of the Israeli state,'" tweeted Zahr in September.

Finally, he accused US President Donald Trump of holding "a KKK rally" in July when the president was at an event for his supporters.

The Sanders' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"It's deeply disturbing to find a candidate who claims to be '100% pro-Israel,' opposed to BDS and a fighter against anti-Semitism surrounding himself with a number of surrogates and endorsers who hate Israel, support BDS and have repeatedly made anti-Semitic statements," said Democratic Majority for Israel president and CEO Mark Mellman.

"We privately communicated our concern about some of his choices directly to Sen. Sanders, beginning with his naming of noted anti-Semite Linda Sarsour as an official surrogate. Unfortunately, the only responses we have received from the senator are more hostile choices on his part."

"Unfortunately, this is par for the course for the modern Democrat Party. Democrats are so busy pandering to the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic left-wing progressives that they will throw Jews under the bus," Republican Jewish Coalition spokesperson Neil Strauss told JNS.

"Amer Zahr is unrefutably an anti-Semite. It doesn't matter who he works for or what candidate he supports. It can't change what Mr. Zahr is. For Democrats to not stand up and loudly condemn this is an absolute disgrace," Strauss said.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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In the clip posted on Twitter ahead of the Jewish holiday, Corbyn visits a grocery store with Jewish Labour Party members to discuss the symbolism of honey and apples for the Jewish new year and promote Labour's "Green Industrial Revolution" program.

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Alongside him is Rob Abrams, a Jewish anti-Zionist activist who in May 2018 led the kaddish prayer in Parliament Square for 62 Palestinians killed on the Israel-Gaza border, at least 50 of whom were Hamas operatives, according to the Jewish Chronicle.

Israel activist David Collier wrote in response to the clip, "There is no way you are not aware much of the Jewish community were outraged when this person explicitly led a prayer service for dead Hamas terrorists. Which makes your actions here deliberate. Your spiteful nature highlights you are a real danger."

Also in the video is Labour counselor Sue Lukes, who tweeted an article titled the "Jewish 'War against Corbyn' risks bringing real antisemitism to Britain" and wrote a piece to "honor" Malia Bouattia, the former National Union of Students president who was accused of anti-Semitism.

Political activist Arsen Ostrovsky replied to the clip saying, "The Jewish people will continue to have a sweet & happy #RoshHashanah (New Year), notwithstanding the darkness, hate, and bitterness YOUR leadership has brought the community!"

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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More than half disapproved of Corbyn's handling of Brexit. And 48% of respondents rated him as either fairly or poorly dealing with complaints of anti-Semitism, while 47% said he was handling such complaints well or fairly well, with 5% responding that they don't know.

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"While other political parties and some of the media exaggerate and distort the scale of the problem in our party, we must face up to the unsettling truth that a small number of Labour members hold anti-Semitic views, and a larger number don't recognize anti-Semitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories," said Corbyn on Sunday, apparently pointing fingers elsewhere.

He has led the party since 2015.

A full-page ad in The Guardian less than a week ago, bought by 60 Labour members, accused Corbyn of "allowing anti-Semitism to grow in our party and presiding over the most shaming period in Labour's history."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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