TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Alexandria Latragna, Policy and Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Condemning Antisemitism and Adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism (City Manager Moe).
(Estimated Time: 10 Min.)
A) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 22-0144
B) DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 22-0144 condemning antisemitism and adopting the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism.
2. Discuss and provide direction regarding supporting the community in the wake of antisemitism.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Recently, members of the public have reported several incidents of antisemitism. In response, at the September 21, 2022, meeting City Council directed staff to return with a resolution adopting the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism and a discussion on how the City can best support the community in a more impactful way.
The IHRA unites governments and experts to strengthen, advance, and promote Holocaust education, research, and remembrance. The IHRA’s definition of antisemitism, adopted in 2016 at the Bucharest Plenary under the Romanian Presidency, has helped guide numerous governments, organizations, and individuals in their efforts to identify antisemitism.
DISCUSSION:
The IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism is:
“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.”
This definition empowers the community to identify, address, and counter antisemitism. The attached resolution adopts this definition and reaffirms the City’s commitment to counter antisemitism, discrimination, and hate.
In order to support policy and decision-makers, the IHRA has published the attached document (IHRA Report) titled, “Recognizing and Countering Holocaust Distortion.” According to the report and other experts, Holocaust distortion erodes our understanding of history and nourish conspiracy theories, dangerous forms of nationalism, Holocaust denial, and antisemitism. The report identifies four main strategies that policymakers can adopt to address Holocaust distortion:
1. Identifying and monitoring Holocaust distortion
2. Training programs about Holocaust distortion
3. Strengthening memorials and museums
4. Social media strategies.
Should the City Council direct, staff may utilize existing available resources that support some of these goals.
One such resource is the LA vs Hate Program. The County of Los Angeles created LA vs Hate as a community-centered program designed to track and report hate, and support all residents of Los Angeles County who are targeted by hate. The Human Relations Commission leads it and collaborates with community members with the goal of ending hate. They have a dedicated hotline and online form for tracking, reporting, and addressing hate incidents. Additionally, they provide resources for organizations and local governments to use for social media campaigns. This program supports the first and fourth strategies identified above by the IHRA Report.
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 22-0144 condemning antisemitism and adopting the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism.
2. Discuss and provide direction regarding supporting the community in the wake of antisemitism.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
After analysis, staff determined that public outreach was not required for this issue.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 22-0144
2. Recognizing and Countering Holocaust Distortion