H eadlines
NEWSBRIEFS Holocaust Historian Deborah Lipstadt
Nominated as Antisemitism Envoy
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN will nominate Emory
University Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt to
be the State Department’s antisemitism envoy, JTA
reported. Lipstadt, 74, defeated Holocaust denier David
Irving after he sued her in Great Britain for defama-
tion for calling him a Holocaust denier. Her 2005
book, “History on Trial: My Day in Court with a
Holocaust Denier,” was made into a 2016 movie.

Lipstadt has been a go-to expert for the media and
for legislators on Holocaust issues for many years.

Lipstadt is the first nominee to the position
needing Senate confirmation; Congress elevated the
role to ambassador-level in 2020, giving the position
more funding and easier access to the secretary of
state and the president.

Three Jerusalem Yeshiva Students Die in
Ukraine Plane Crash
Three Jerusalem yeshiva students and their pilot died
on July 29 when their small plane crashed in western
Ukraine, JTA reported, citing reports in Ukrainian
and Haredi media.

The students from the Orthodox Mir Yeshiva were
identified as Amrom Fromowitz of Monsey, New
York, Hershy Weiss of London, and Lazer Brill of
Brooklyn, New York.

The Yeshiva World reported that the students were
touring Ukranian holy places and were on a sight-
seeing flight when the plane struck a house near the
village of Sheparivtsi in the Prykarpattia region.

Fifty CUNY Professors Quit Union Over
Resolution Condemning Israel
At least 50 professors at the City University of New York
quit their union, the Professional Staff Congress, after
it passed a resolution condemning Israel, JTA reported.

The resolution, which was passed June 10, was
introduced following the Israel-Gaza conflict in May
and referenced Israel’s “establishment as a settler-co-
lonial state in 1948” — language often used to reject
Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. The measure goes
on to describe the events leading to the fighting only
in terms of Israeli attacks without referencing Hamas
attacks on Israel.

The resolution also calls on the union to consider
joining the boycott, divestment and sanctions
movement. Yedidyah Langsam, the chairman of Brooklyn
College’s Computer and Information Science
Department, launched the resignation appeal.

“By endorsing this resolution you have made many
Jewish faculty and students uncomfortable with being
associated with Brooklyn College and CUNY to the
point of fearing for our safety,” he said in a letter to
James Davis, the congress’ president.

NYC Councilman Gets Prison for Tax Evasion
Former New York City councilman Chaim Deutsch
was sentenced to three months in prison on July 29
after pleading guilty to federal charges of tax evasion
in April, JTA reported.

Deutsch refused to resign from the City Council
and was expelled in April. He represented parts of
South Brooklyn that include large Orthodox Jewish
communities. Deutsch didn’t pay more than $82,000 in property
taxes between 2013 and 2015. He ran a real estate
business in addition to being a councilman.

The Brooklyn native will pay $107,000 in resti-
tution to the U.S. government and a $5,500 fine.

After his prison term, he will be subject to a year of
supervised release. The one-time chair of the New
York City Jewish Caucus has worked as a property
manager in Brooklyn since his expulsion. l
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
Solidarity Continued from Page 7
“It was inspiring to see that
there is an effort to make sure
that everyone has a place at the
table,” Kestenbaum noted.

In Lod, an Arab woman
named Lazinaty told them
that she was working to bring
Arabs and Jews together for
conversations. Lazinaty said
she was dismayed when people
in her tiny apartment complex
were lighting each other’s cars
on fire during the conflict.

“We don’t have a true appre-
ciation for how devastating
a conflict like this is for the
entire country,” said Norry,
who is co-chair of the Jewish
Federation’s board of directors.

“Everybody is affected.”
Savett, who is Jewish
Federation’s campaign chair,
said that American Jews often
forget, or don’t even realize in
the first place, that more than
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 20% of the Israeli population
is Arab. They live in the same
cities and towns as Israelis.

They are all citizens of Israel,
and they have a remarkable
ability to resume their lives
after days and weeks of rocket
fire. “People have the goal that
they should live peacefully
together,” Savett said. “Everyone
from Knesset members to
people in kibbutzim.”
Norry has been to Israel
more than 50 times. But this
trip left her with a better feeling
about the future than any of
her previous visits.

“Knowing that there’s a coali-
tion that’s more diverse than
ever is exciting,” Norry said.

“Including an Arab party.” l
jsaffren@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740
Leaders from across the U.S. attended the solidarity mission to Israel through the Jewish Federations of North
America. Here they are standing on the roof of the Anu Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv.

Photo Courtesy of Sherrie Savett
JEWISH EXPONENT
AUGUST 5, 2021
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