LETTER

Antisemitism in Hungary

As Jewish organizations deeply concerned about the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in Hungary, we commend you for recently releasing a human rights report spotlighting this urgent problem.

With more than 100,000 members, the Hungarian Jewish community is the largest in Central Europe today. The State Department’s 2012 Human Rights Report identified a number of troubling developments impacting this minority, including:

-  The rise of the xenophobic and anti-Semitic Jobbik party, which has called for the creation of a list of Jewish public officials, repeated the historic “blood libel” against Jews, and labeled Jews a “national security risk.”

-  The increase in violence against Jewish individuals and institutions. Vandals have desecrated Jewish cemeteries and Holocaust memorials.

-  The proliferation of anti-Semitic materials in the media, on the Internet, and in the streets.

-  The attempted rehabilitation and glorification of World War II-era figures, who were openly anti-Semitic and pro-fascist.

Unfortunately, this is consistent with the rise of anti-Semitic public opinion in Hungary, according to an Anti-Defamation League poll, which found that 63 percent of Hungarians subscribe to traditional stereotypes or other negative attitudes toward Jews.

We view U.S. leadership as indispensable to the advancement of human rights, which is why we were heartened by the firm stance you took in your remarks announcing the report’s release.  “Anywhere that human rights are under threat, the United States will proudly stand up, unabashedly, and continue to promote greater freedom, greater openness, and greater opportunity for all people,” you declared. “And that means speaking up when those rights are imperiled… It means engaging governments at the highest levels and pushing them to live up to their obligations to do right by their people.”

Mr. Secretary, we welcome your commitment to addressing the urgent human rights concerns of our time. Given the growth of hatred against Jews and other minorities (particularly the Roma) in Hungary, we urge you to keep the issue of intolerance and discrimination squarely on the U.S.- Hungarian bilateral agenda. We also encourage you to raise the matter personally in your direct dealings with Hungarian officials.

Thank you for your attention and your engagement. If you have any questions about our concerns or would like to set up a meeting to discuss, please contact Stephan Kline at The Jewish Federations of North America at Stephan.Kline@JewishFederations.org. 

Respectfully,

Rabbi David Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Agudath Israel of America

David Harris
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee

Abraham H. Foxman
National Director
Anti-Defamation League

Daniel S. Mariaschin
Executive Vice President
B’nai B’rith International

Marcie Natan
National President
Hadassah

Mark Hetfield
President and CEO
The Hebrew Immigrant Aid
Society (HIAS)

Rabbi Steve Gutow
President and CEO
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Gerrald B. Silverman
President and CEO
The Jewish Federations of North America

Mark B. Levin
Executive Director
NCSJ: Advocates on behalf of Jews in
Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld
Executive Vice President
Rabbincal Assembly

Rabbi David Saperstein
Director and Counsel
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Rabbi Marvin Hier
Founder and Dean
Simon Wiesenthal Center

Robert Singer
Executive Vice President & CEO
World Jewish Congress

Steven Schwager
Co-Chairman Executive Committee
World Jewish Restitution Organization

cc:          Ambassador Michael Kozak,
Acting Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism