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JCPA Memorandum Jewish Council for Public Affairs August 14, 2001 To: JCPA and UJC Member Agencies From: Martin J. Raffel, Associate Director Below is a letter sent to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last week by a diverse group of Philadelphia religious and ethnic leaders urging him to fight efforts to “subvert” the World Conference Against Racism by portraying Israel as a racist nation. These efforts, the signers of the letter assert, “deserve particular censure” because they “are not only gross distortions of fact but are deliberate attempts to cast the Jewish nation and thus the Jewish people as purveyors of hatred and bigotry.” The ability of the Philadelphia Jewish Community Relations Council to facilitate such a letter is a reflection of its distinguished record of interfaith and community relations activity over many years. The JCRC often has been out front in responding to the special concerns of the African American community and other religious and ethnic coalition partners. Relationships established through such outreach efforts can be drawn upon at times like these when the Jewish community and Israel are in need of support. You are encouraged to circulate the letter to members of the Jewish community and to your religious and ethnic coalition partners. Of course, if there have been similar statements or communications from non-Jewish leaders in your community, please share them with us. As always, feel free to contact the JCPA if you have any questions. August 9, 2001 The Honorable Kofi Annan Dear Secretary General Annan, We are a group of individuals from the Philadelphia, PA area that has a long history of cooperation in combating bigotry and racism in all of its manifestations. We well understand the ugliness of prejudice and of its nature as a cancer upon any society in which it is allowed to flourish. We are writing to you to express our strong support for the goals of the upcoming United Nations World Conference Against Racism to be held in Durban, South Africa. We commend the United Nations for its determination to find the means for all people to live with one another in an atmosphere of respect and harmony. We are concerned, however, that some parties are attempting to subvert this important gathering for their own purposes. Efforts to portray Israel as a racist nation, one that deserves particular censure, are not only gross distortions of fact but are deliberate attempts to cast the Jewish nation and thus the Jewish people as purveyors of hatred and bigotry. Ironically, a number of nations that are supporting this campaign encourage the vilest expressions of anti-Semitism within their own governmentally supported media. We applaud your actions to reject this effort. We urge that you remain strong in your resolve to not allow the conference to be diverted from its true purpose and that the nations of the world will be able to expend their energies in finding ways to reduce divisiveness rather than in the furtherance of it. With all best wishes. Signatories include;
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