Resolution 2020-31453 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-31453
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOGNIZING THE
GROWING PROBLEM OF ANTISEMITISM IN THE UNITED
STATES AND ADOPTING THE INTERNATIONAL
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE'S WORKING
DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM AS AN IMPORTANT
EDUCATIONAL TOOL TO ADDRESS IT.
WHEREAS, antisemitism, including harassment on the basis of actual or
perceived Jewish origin, ancestry, ethnicity, identify, affiliation, or faith, remains a
persistent, pervasive, and disturbing problem in American society; and
WHEREAS, Jews continue to be a targeted minority in the United States and are
consistently the most likely of all religious groups to be victimized by incidents of hate,
and such incidents are increasing at an alarming rate; and
WHEREAS, the deadliest attack against the American Jewish community took
place on October 27, 2018 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
killing eleven worshippers and injuring several more; and
WHEREAS, state officials and institutions have a responsibility to protect citizens
from acts of hate and bigotry, including antisemitism, and must be given the tools to do
so; and
WHEREAS, valid monitoring, informed analysis and investigation, and effective
policy-making all benefit from accurate and uniform definitions; and
WHEREAS, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ("IHRA"), by
consensus vote of its member states, adopted a Working Definition of Antisemitism in
May 2016, which has become the internationally recognized, authoritative definition for
use by governments and international organizations; and
WHEREAS, the Working Definition of Antisemitism describes antisemitism as "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"; and
WHEREAS, according to the IHRA, manifestations might include the targeting of
the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity but criticism of Israel similar to that
leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic; and
WHEREAS, to guide IHRA in its work, the following examples may serve as
illustrations:
• 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
tie 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
gienocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and
its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust);
• Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating
the Holocaust;
• Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities
of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations;
• Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that
the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor;
• Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or
demanded of any other democratic nation;
• Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims
of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel)to characterize Israel or Israelis;
• Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis;
• Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel; and
WHEREAS, the IHRA Working Definition has proven to be an essential tool used
to determine contemporary manifestations of antisemitism; and
WHEREAS, in the United States, the IHRA Working Definition is utilized by various
government and law enforcement agencies in monitoring, training, and education,
including the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby recognize the growing problem of antisemitism in the United States
and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's Working Definition of
Antisemitism as an important educational tool to address it.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 14th day of October, 2020.
ATTEST:
41/7 Dan Gelber, Mayor
..•.......
..'S'Ci ' a; APPROVED AS TO
Rafa E. Granado, City Clerk / r t :gr `., FORM & LANGUAGE
(sponsored by Mayor Dan Gelber) '•�NCORP ORATED.`
& FOR EXECUTION
26' 4910.
City Attorney Date
Resolutions -C7 U
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Raul J.Aguila, City Attorney
DATE: October 14, 2020
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI
BEACH, FLORIDA, RECOGNIZING THE GROWING PROBLEM OF
ANTISEMITISM IN THE UNITED STATES AND ADOPTING THE
INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE'S WORKING
DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM AS AN IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL
TOOL TO ADDRESS IT.
ANALYSIS
Pursuant to the request of Mayor Dan Gelber, the attached Resolution is submitted for
consideration by the City Commission.
Applicable Area
Not Applicable
Is this a"Residents Right Does this item utilize G.O.
to Know" item. pursuant to Bond Funds?
City Code Section 2-14?
No No
Legislative Tracking
Office of the City Attorney
Sponsor
Mayor Dan Gelber& Co-sponsored by Commissioner Micky Steinberg
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
o Resolution
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