Waverley Council adopts International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism

19 November 2021

Waverley Council has endorsed and formally adopted in the full the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, including all IHRA examples of antisemitic behaviour in contemporary life.

It follows a Notice of Motion put forward at the November Council meeting (see page 347 of the Meeting Agenda).

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism begins as follows:

‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.’

Contemporary examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

• Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion
• making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions
• accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews
• denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).

A spokesperson for Waverley Council said adoption of the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism was an important tool in recognising and combating manifestations of the racism.

“There is no room for antisemitism or racism of any kind and we are very pleased that Waverley Council is leading the way in not only fighting antisemitism but anti racism generally,” the spokesperson said.

“Our recently launched Cultural Diversity Strategy puts fighting discrimination of this nature front and centre.”

At the November Council meeting, Council resolved:

That Council:

1. Endorses and formally adopts in full the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, including all IHRA examples of contemporary antisemitism (both contained in the background provided with this notice of motion) as an important tool in recognising and combating manifestations of antisemitism.

2. Calls on all Australian political parties, universities, councils, and other public bodies and organisations to also adopt the definition and use it to better understand and act against anti-Jewish.

3. Where appropriate, publicises the resolution and the background provided with this notice of motion on Council’s website, in social media and in the Mayor’s Message and media release, and informs at least the following of the resolution and background: Woollahra, Randwick and the City of Sydney councils, the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC), Local Government NSW (LGNSW), Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC), and the Precinct committees.

4. Officers consider how adoption of the working definition and its examples informs the development of Council’s Community Strategic Plan 2022–2032 and actions in Council’s Cultural Diversity Strategy 2021–2031.

-ENDS-

Waverley Council and our community’s Jewish leaders would like to take this opportunity to wish peace and light to all families celebrating Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, from 26 November to 6 December. Chanukah is celebrated with a nightly lighting of the menorah to symbolise hope burning in the community, special songs and prayers, and traditional foods shared with family and friends. Waverley is home to one of Australia’s largest Jewish populations and we look forward to coming together next year for our traditional lighting of the public menorah at Council Chambers.

Thumbnail image credit: An artist's impression of the Central Synagogue, Bon Accord Avenue, Bondi Junction. For Jewish community stories, visit the Eat, Pray, Naches section of the Waverley Library website here.