Page 37 - Jewish News_December-2020

COMMENTARY December 2020 37A

Facebook bans Holocaust denial

By Rabbi Howard A. Simon
spired congregation. We gather for n Monday, October 12, Mark Congress, the American Jewish Com- wish is that they will realize how hate-
services on one weekend night of Cha- Zuckerberg, the Chief Exec- mittee, the Community Security Trust ful rejection of the Holocaust is to all
nukah. We have a prayer service and Outive Officer of Facebook, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center have who suffered through this horror, and We wait to see it emulated by other
members light their menorahs followed removed all Holocaust denial content devoted so much time urging Facebook the world that still has not come to ap- media presenting factual information
by a catered dairy/vegetarian dinner. from the social medium platform. to make the change that has now taken preciate the lesson of the Holocaust to their viewers.
Lora and I, our two daughters, In doing so, Zuckerberg stated, “My place. Ronald S. Lauder, President of and its meaning to humanity. Enough Rabbi Howard A. Simon is the found-
their husbands and two grandchildren own feeling has evolved, as I’ve seen the World Jewish Congress, respond- is enough. ing chair of the Robert and Esther
took a cruise from Tampa to Cozumel data showing an increase ed to the action of Zuck- Rabbi Marvin Hier, the Found- Heller Community Relations Commit-
during Chanukah two years ago. We in antisemitic violence, as erberg saying, “Denying er and Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal tee, formerly known as the Heller IAI.
brought an electric menorah and the have our wider policies the Holocaust trivializes Center, stated it in the most mean-
family gathered in our stateroom to on hate speech.” This ban- it. Minimizing it is a tool ingful fashion when he said, “De- Crossword Puzzle
light an additional candle every night ning of Holocaust denial used to spread hatred and nying the Holocaust has never been Solution to puzzle on page 27A
of the cruise. Now in 2020, our fam- represents a very positive false conspiracies about about free speech, but only the tool
ily is scattered in Denver, Baltimore, update to Facebook’s hate- Jews and other minorities. for genocide-seeking neo-Nazi big-
Chicago and Paris. Nevertheless, we speech policy. Today’s announcement ots to demean the dead and threaten
hope to celebrate the first night of As we reflect on this sends a strong message the living. At a time when the internet
decision, we also realize that Facebook will not is awash with fake news and techno-
that surveys in the United allow its platform to be logical tools that enable governments
States and Europe show Rabbi Howard A. Simon used to promote hate.” and virtually anyone to manipulate
that Holocaust denial beliefs are grow- We realize that today, Jews are all information, we welcome Facebook’s
ing and the rise in antisemitic acts are too often the objects of hate and vio- change of policy to stand with histor-
increasing throughout the world. A sur- lence. Germany, France, the United ic fact and the six million Jews mur-
vey in the United Kingdom found that Kingdom and the United States have dered by Nazi Germany during World
5% of the public deny the reality of the all reported significant rises in antise- War II.”
Holocaust and 12% believe the number mitic acts, personal attacks on Jews Facebook’s stand is a beginning.
of Jews exterminated is an exaggera- and, sadly, the death of many of our
tion. people at the hands of Jew haters who What do you think?
The denial of the Holocaust has wish our demise and the end of Juda-
Kol HaNeshama congregants’ menorahs on Chanukah last year become a major concern to all Jewish ism as a faith and a way of life. All too
Chanukah together on our computer agencies. This, coupled with the death often, platforms such as Twitter, You- The Jewish News wants to know!
screens via Zoom. We will see each of more and more sufferers of the Holo- Tube and Facebook have been used to
other as we light the candles to bask in caust, means that eyewitness accounts spread malicious hatred of Jews and Send an email to jewishnews18@gmail.com.
their warmth and hope that we can be of the death of six million of our peo- the Jewish faith.
together again in person next Chanu- ple are diminishing, paving the way for The hope is that this major step Letters Policy
kah. Chag Sameach! Holocaust deniers to have more oppor- taken by Facebook will be followed by Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words, must be typed, and include the
Sigmund Tobias is a university profes- tunities to project their hatred of Jews other groups that now provide expres- writer’s name, mailing address and phone number. Letters can be submitted via USPS
sor who has retired in Sarasota and is and Judaism. It is for this reason that sions of thought and beliefs destructive or email (jewishnews18@gmail.com). Not all letters will be published. Letters may be
an occasional contributor to this pub- representatives of the World Jewish to our people and our way of life. The edited for length and content.
lication.

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