For the first time in its history, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre
has begun a massive nationwide mailing campaign to distribute one
million pamphlets to its members, to synagogues, Jewish community
centres and campuses throughout North America to counteract the
campaign unleashed by many in the Muslim world to delegitimize the
Jewish state.
The pamphlet, which depicts a fading Jewish star, is entitled
Israel is Fighting for her Life. It delineates the nine most
frequent misconceptions and half-truths on the Middle East crisis
and rebuts them. It also provides phone, fax and e-mail addresses
of the Bush administration, U.S. Congress, world leaders, including
Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, and major print and
television outlets around the world. It reminds Jews that there
are 60 Muslim countries, representing more than one billion Muslims,
many of whom are actively involved in a campaign to delegitimize
Israel, a country the size of the state of New Jersey.
"It's up to us," the pamphlet reads. "The fight against
terror is our fight. Please stand up today and do your part."
"These are very critical times," said Rabbi Marvin Hier,
founder and dean of the Wiesenthal Centre. "Jews feel very
vulnerable with their backs to the wall, not only in Israel, but
around the world. The double standards hurled at the Jewish state,
particularly in Europe, each and every day, remind us of the late
1930s. Most Jews instinctively feel that we are all alone again
and Israel's future is in our hands," he added.
The Wiesenthal Centre said that since beginning its campaign, its
phones have been besieged by requests from all over the United States.
The centre is one of the largest international Jewish human rights
organizations, with more than 400,000 member families in the United
States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United
Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. For more information,
contact the centre's public relations department at 310-553-9036
or visit www.wiesenthal.com.
– Courtesy of the Simon Wiensenthal Centre