Holocaust Survivors From Around The World Post
Videos Of Themselves Reading Hateful Holocaust Denial Posts From
Social Media, Asking The World To Join Them And Cancel
Hate.
NEW
YORK, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the
Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims
Conference) launched a new digital campaign,
#CancelHate. The campaign features Holocaust
survivors reading Holocaust denial posts from across social media
platforms. Each post illustrates how Holocaust denial and
distortion can not only rewrite history but perpetuate antisemitic
tropes and spread hate.
Gideon Taylor, President of
the Claims Conference, said, "The world is a volatile
place right now. Social media offers individuals a place to hide
while they spread words of hate. This campaign shows that these are
not victimless posts – these mean and vile words deny the
first-hand testimony of each and every Holocaust survivor, their
suffering and the suffering and often loss of their families."
The #CancelHate campaign features Holocaust
survivors introducing themselves, reading social media posts about
Holocaust denial and then addressing what they've read, debunking
the lies and speaking to the truth with testimony of their
experiences in the Holocaust. Every video ends with the tagline,
"Words matter. Cancel hate."
This powerful campaign addresses head-on the ongoing issue of
Holocaust denial and distortion on social media. The anonymity of
the channels and the distance from actual human contact make social
media platforms ideal for this level of antisemitic hate.
Greg Schneider, Executive Vice
President of the Claims Conference, said, "I could never have
imagined a day when Holocaust survivors would be confronting such a
tremendous wave of Holocaust denial and distortion, but sadly, that
day is here. We all saw what unchecked hatred led to — words of
hate and antisemitism led to deportations, gas chambers and
crematoria. Holocaust survivors from around the world are
participating in this campaign to show that hate will not win.
Those who read these depraved posts are putting aside their own
discomfort and trauma to ensure that current and future generations
understand that unchecked hatred has no place in society."
A recent study in the United
States of Millennials and Gen Z over the age of 18 found
that approximately half (49 percent) have seen Holocaust denial or
distortion posts on social media or elsewhere online, a sentiment
that mirrored the results in other countries. In the U.K., 29
percent of adults saw denial or distortion on social media. These
surveys also found that in many countries, Holocaust knowledge was
waning. In Canada, 22 percent of
Millennials and Gen Z were not sure if they had heard of the
Holocaust, and in France, 25
percent of Millennials were unsure if they have ever heard of – or
have not heard of – the Holocaust. This growing gap in basic
knowledge of the Holocaust is leaving younger generations more and
more vulnerable to denial and distortion.
Holocaust survivor and #CancelHate campaign participant in
the United States, Abe Foxman said, "I survived the
Holocaust, but 13 members of my immediate family were murdered
because they were Jewish. Holocaust denial on social media isn't
just another post. These things we say matter. Posts that deny the
Holocaust are hateful and deny the suffering of millions of people.
We must take our words seriously. Our words matter."
Herbert Rubinstein, a
Holocaust survivor in Germany who
read a Holocaust denial post from a user in Germany, said, "I lived through the
Holocaust. Six million were murdered. Hate and Holocaust denial
have returned to our society today. I am very, very, very sad about
this and I am fighting it with all my might and strength. Words
matter. Our words are our power."
Hedi Argent, a
Holocaust survivor in the U.K., said, "My family was
turned out of our home… because we were Jews. My father was
forced to scrub the streets and was later arrested for making
anti-Nazi comments, yet we were the lucky ones. The 17 members of
my family who were murdered were not lucky. The Holocaust did
happen."
The #CancelHate campaign is a month-long campaign
against Holocaust denial and distortion. Starting today, videos
from Holocaust survivors around the world will be posted every day
for 30 days featuring testimony from a Holocaust survivor disputing
Holocaust denial social media posts.
All videos can be seen on the organization's website:
www.Claimscon.org/CancelHate
About the Claims Conference: The Conference on Jewish
Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), a nonprofit
organization with offices in New
York, Israel, Germany and Austria, secures material compensation for
Holocaust survivors around the world. Founded in 1951 by
representatives of 23 major international Jewish organizations, the
Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals
and organizations and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen
during the Holocaust. As a result of negotiations with the Claims
Conference since 1952, the German government has paid more than
$90 billion in indemnification to
individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by
the Nazis. In 2023, the Claims Conference distributed over
$560 million in compensation to over
200,000 survivors in 83 countries and allocated over $750 million in grants to over 300 social service
agencies worldwide that provide vital services for Holocaust
survivors, such as home care, food and medicine. For 2024, the
Claims Conference successfully negotiated approximately
$535 million in compensation for
survivors globally and $888 million
for survivors' home health care needs.
For more information, please visit: www.claimscon.org
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SOURCE Claims Conference