North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism to be held in Beverly Hills


North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism to be held in Beverly Hills

With the massive rise in Antisemitism in the U.S., the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) is focusing its attention on helping municipal and local leaders fight the increased scourge of Jew-hatred.

CAM’s plan of action is to work hand in hand with mayors throughout North America on a daily basis, fostering exchanges of municipal best practices, comprehensive strategies, and impactful actions to secure and nurture Jewish life in cities across the continent.

As mayors are the closest to their communities, they stand at the forefront of combating Antisemitism, bearing the responsibility to foster, develop, and invest additional efforts in creating the necessary infrastructure to prevent the spread of hatred against Jews in their cities.

CAM’s multifaceted approach will culminate in the 2024 North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in December to be held in Beverly Hills.

“We look forward to being the city that will host the North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in the coming months,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Lester J. Friedman. “Our City continues to fight hatred of all kinds and I look forward to joining my fellow colleagues in the effort to combat Antisemitism.”

Since the October 7th massacre in Israel, CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) has recorded a 58.2% increase in monitored anti-Semitic incidents globally. California, in particular, has become a hotbed of Antisemitism. On October 10th, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of California- San Diego released a statement supporting Hamas, and just nine days later, on October 16th, UC Berkeley’s Sather Gate bore witness to a student protest where participants chanted “intifada” and accused Israel of genocide.

Antisemitism in California only continues to worsen and intensify. According to CAM’s ARC, anti-Semitic incidents on American campuses have surged by an alarming 34.9%. Recent incidents, such as the violent protest against an Israeli speaker at UC Berkeley, underscore the urgent need to convene this year’s mayors summit in California.

Representatives of cities from all over America, including New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Miami, Cleveland, Richmond, Providence, and Little Rock, among others, have previously participated in CAM’s summits and pledged to implement new measures as commitments made during the gatherings. The city of Beverly Hills, having joined both the inaugural mayoral summit in Athens, Greece, in 2022 and last year’s North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is now excited to bring this initiative to the West Coast.

“Now more than ever, we are committed to ensuring that every city in North America is equipped with the resources to safeguard Jewish communities,” said CAM CEO Sacha Roytman. “As one of the smaller minorities, Jews endure a disproportionate amount of religious hate crimes. It is imperative for cities to understand how to eradicate extremism from their streets and create a safe environment for all citizens, which is the purpose of this summit. “

“We chose Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills chose us because it’s crucial that Jewish communities and students, who have suffered for years, receive support from their cities,” Roytman added. “Since October 7th, we have witnessed an escalation of Antisemitism stemming from extreme left ideologies and radical Islamic groups disseminating their hatred. Now is the time to stand firm against them. Beverly Hills also exemplifies how culture and media can contribute to fostering understanding.”

The 2024 North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Beverly Hills will unite leaders from across the political spectrum with one goal: to identify and combat Antisemitism wherever it appears. As far-left and far-right anti-Semitic incidents have reached parity for the first time in 2023, according to CAM’s ARC, addressing anti-Semitism of all forms is more important than ever.

The post North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism to be held in Beverly Hills appeared first on Israel365 News.


Israel in the News