TL;DR: Human rights are deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, yet many global institutions once shaped by Jewish values now ignore or even promote antisemitism. In the wake of October 7 and rising global Jew-hatred, it is urgent to re-center Jewish voices in the human rights conversation. As a worldwide, cross-communal movement, Global Jewry can strengthen this effort by uniting communities and supporting education. By reclaiming the Jewish foundations of dignity, justice, and freedom, and working in partnership with Jewish and other institutions, we can help restore the integrity of universal human rights.

Human rights have always been core Jewish values. These begin with the Hebrew Bible and Creation, in which every individual is created in the image of God, and entitled to dignity, justice and fairness. And the Exodus from Egypt and the march from slavery to freedom is an essential human rights model. Later, as the Israelites form an independent polity and people, the Torah commands Jews to protect the rights of widows and orphans, and Jewish employers to provide for the basic rights of workers, among many other examples. These are developed further by the Prophets, in the Talmud, and by later commentators, including in the modern era.

However, in recent decades, the global institutions that ostensibly embody these principles, many of which were founded by Jews and Zionists, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have been captured and turned into vehicles that promote propaganda and hate against the Jewish people. Similarly, the United Nations Human Rights Council, created to implement the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted in the shadow of the Holocaust, is dominated by dictatorships whose behavior is the antithesis of these values.

To reclaim the Jewish core of human rights principles and institutions, a high-profile program is needed across a wide spectrum of organizations. The content based on a positive approach should emphasize the relevant Jewish texts, from the Torah through the Talmud and modern commentaries that speak passionately about human rights, dignity, freedom and solidarity. As a collaborative, cross-communal movement dedicated to strengthening Jewish life and values around the world, Global Jewry is uniquely positioned to unite Jewish leaders and voices around the world. Through its support for new initiatives, community empowerment, and global partnerships, Global Jewry can serve as a supporter for this effort, helping to ensure that Jewish values of justice and dignity not only shape our own communities but contribute to a better, more ethical world.

In this context, and particularly following the October 7 atrocities, it is vitally important to put antisemitism back on the agenda in discussions of discrimination and human rights violations. Despite the antisemitism raging around the world, none of the major institutions, such as Amnesty, HRW, the UNHRC and many more, has devoted any resources or attention to documenting and combating antisemitism.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is an essential element in opposing Jew-hatred and should be central to these efforts. This was written in response to the infamous 2001 UN-sponsored Durban conference on the elimination of racism, which was hijacked and twisted into an antisemitic hate-fest. The two-page IHRA text should be familiar to Jewish leaders, activists, and the broader public, and will enable them to identify and call out the promoters of Jew hatred.

To succeed, this action program will need to encompass synagogues, schools and Jewish community centers across all denominations, as well as the legacy Jewish institutions, and academic programs under the heading of Jewish studies. The activities should include training sessions, and conferences featuring scholars and open to the wider public, including providing the necessary resources should be devoted to these activities.

By reclaiming the Jewish foundations of human dignity and justice, and working through organizations like Global Jewry, we will restore the foundations of universal human rights.

Shavua tov and may this be the week the hostages return home,

Prof. Gerald M. Steinberg, President, NGO Monitor

Olga Deutsch, Vice President, NGO Monitor