Thursday Apr 23, 2009
Posted by Zach Novetsky
We must all thank Ahmedinjad for legitimating our long-said message to the world.
For too long, Israel has been singled out by the United Nations: the special committees established to investigate the actions of Israel and only Israel; the endless resolutions passed against Israel; the special status granted to Palestinian refugees, which allows them to remain refugees despite being citizens of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and yes, Switzerland too.
I spoke with a Palestinian refugee just the other day who had citizenship in Canada before moving to Switzerland, where he now resides as a full citizen.
Tuesday Apr 21, 2009
Posted by Zach Novetsky
Forget about Ahmadinejad. His address to the UN on Yom HaShoah [Holocaust Remembrance Day] was the most despicable affront to Holocaust remembrance (nay, human dignity) that has ever happened in the post-WWII era. Instead, let me attempt to salvage some of the world's lost dignity by remembering the Holocaust in a way that it should be remembered, in a way that it must be remembered.
At 6PM, we gathered in front of the United Nations, again at the Plaza des Nations. However, this time, we were joined by two-thousand people to commemorate the systematic extermination of six million Jews, and many millions of non-Jews. And for several hours, we stood together as a single body, simultaneously forgetting the travesty of the day's events while remembering the greatest tragedy in modern history.
Sunday Apr 19, 2009
Posted by Zach Novetsky
It was a rainy day in New York when I received a frantic phone call from a friend at New York University involved with The European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS): "Don't ask too many questions," he said, "We want you to be one of three American student representatives of EUJS at the UN Durban II Conference in Geneva."
Ignoring my friend's words, I resorted to my habit of sardonic questioning: "You mean the follow-up conference to Durban I that was committed to eradicating racial discrimination and xenophobia, but which ironically devolved into the most vitriolic, state-sanctioned anti-Semitism since Nazi Germany?" I am sure he was rolling his eyes on the other side of the line, but he replied, "Yes, that is the one."
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About this blog
At Durban II
Zach is a member of the European Union of Jewish Student's delegation sent to the United Nations' 2009 World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Other Intolerance - dubbed Durban II after the 2001 World Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa - which is taking place April 20-25 in Geneva, Switzerland. Zach will be blogging for JPost about the conference as the event unfolds.
Zach is currently a junior at New York University, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Religious Studies, with intentions of attending law school. On campus, he is involved in Muslim-Jewish interfaith activities with Hillel, and is the 2009 Winner of the PANIM: Aaron Goldman Young Jewish Activist Award. Before college, Zach attended Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi in Katamon, Jerusalem.
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Recent Comments
Joey B.: Zach: why should it come as a surprise to you that the U.N. so despises Israel? It, like Europe in general, has for years and will continue to do so. Know this for sure, however, that there are many Christian students who, while not Jewish, are still strongly pro-Israel. In fact, it is the Christians in the U.S., especially in the southern U.S., that continue to defend Israel and her right to exist. Let it be known that while Jewish complacency may exist on American college campuses, we Christians who believe in Israel will never relent our support. The God of Abraham lives! Shalom.
Fro, New Zealand: Lone voices joining each other make up a power to be reckoned with in the face of blatant UN sanctioned 'injustice' and 'racism'. Well done. You and your family are blessed in history. Thank you.
Daniel Orvomaa - Univ. of Helsinki: Great job Zach! Don't know if you remember but we did meet briefly last Monday. I just finished my own report for a paper back home and you wouldn't believe how similar it was to yours! unfortunately so few will ever hear about all this, and by all this I don't mean only the events at Durban, I mean Darfur, Iran and everything that's seriously wrong with the world today. I'm grateful for the whole experience, although it left me feeling more sad than victorious. Keep up the good work, next year in Jerusalem!
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