Caption top photo: Anti-Israel protesters attack pro-Israel counter-protesters in Raleigh, NC on May 13, 2023. Note that the assaulted man immediately got up and went after his assailant to prevent him from assaulting anybody else.
The year 2023 profoundly changed the trajectory of Israel and the Jewish people. In the wake of the October 7th attacks, many Jews and Israel supporters are waking up to the existential threats we face. It’s time for an all hands-on-deck approach, and we hope you’ll join us. To understand NCCI’s role in fighting antisemitism, here is a brief summary of key actions NCCI took in 2023.
January 2023: A synagogue hosted notorious former Durham mayor Steve Schewel on a panel discussion about antisemitism. Schewel doesn’t just talk antisemitism, he lives it. He actively promoted the antisemitic BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign in Durham. He and others on the panel focused on right-wing threats only. After October 7th many now realize the folly of ignoring leftist and Islamic Jew hatred. We exposed the problem in our article in the Jewish Journal.
March, April: We documented the terrorism supporters disrupting and walking out on Naftali Bennett at Duke. We also filmed as Duke students were told falsely that “Jews come from Europe” at Duke’s Israel Apartheid week.
April: We ended a busy month by running a booth at the community Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) festival at the Raleigh JCC. Our booth focused on a fun game where kids (and some adults) would spin a wheel to get questions about Israel and win prizes.
May and beyond: We learned that anti-Israel terrorism supporters would be holding a “Nakba” rally in Raleigh. We showed up to counter the antisemitic propaganda. While wearing EndJewHatred t-shirts, we quietly held up our signs, but we were pushed, punched and thrown to the ground while being told “Jews kill babies.” The streets of Raleigh were cleared as the Jew haters shouted for intifada. We met with the District Attorney’s office to help them understand that “intifada” is a call for violence against Jews. The criminal cases for the assaults we endured are ongoing. Our article about the event is included here. The film of the speakers was picked up by MEMRI, the Clarion Project and others.
August: Princeton University organized a course using a Duke University Press publication, Right to Maim by Jasbir Puar. The book is a blood libel against Jews, which claims that Israelis intentionally maim “Palestinians” in order to control them and for economic gain. We highlighted Duke as the source of the Princeton problem in this article.
October through December: The horrific attacks against Israel took place on October 7th, but it didn’t take long for the Hamas supporters to organize rallies in support of terrorism. Their first at UNC was on October 12th, before Israel even had a chance to fight back. NCCI was there to film and document young people (led by faculty and local anti-Israel activists) in their quest to destroy the only Jewish state. Duke students also marched for Hamas. NCCI ran a letter writing campaign to leaders at Duke and UNC, urging them to address antisemitism on campus.
When UNC held another Hamas rally on November 17th, NCCI was there to film, which was picked up by local news. We published an article to reach beyond the Jewish community in the Carolina Journal about the antisemitism and moral failures at our public university.
After Sally Kornbluth, formerly of Duke but now president at MIT, could not condemn the genocide of Jews before Congress, NCCI exposed her history of tolerating and denying antisemitism.
When we learned that Hamas supporters were trying to force the Raleigh City Council to adopt their resolution in support of the terrorist agenda, we mobilized people to speak. This issue is unfortunately ongoing as well.
In addition to all the above, we have been devoting a lot of effort to making connections with the Christian community. We are pleased to have the opportunity to present at the First Annual Honor Israel Gala this month.
These are perilous times for Israel and the Jewish people. In the face of major threats, the Jewish people have historically set aside any differences and risen together to meet the challenges. We need your help. Please contact us with your ideas and support at info@nccisrael.org and consider donating to help fund our efforts. Thank you!
Caption photo: The NCCI booth at the community Yom Ha’Atzmaut festival on April 23, 2023 attracted lots of interested families.
