The European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (EISCA) was established in 2007 as a

think-tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental org ...

to examine the growth and development of

antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

in the world today and to explore new strategies for countering it in all its forms. Its website was last updated in mid 2011.

Founding personnel

Its first chair was announced to be Stephen Pollard. Its board comprised

Jeremy Newmark Jeremy may refer to: * Jeremy (given name), a given name * Jérémy, a French given name * ''Jeremy'' (film), a 1973 film * "Jeremy" (song), a song by Pearl Jam * Jeremy (snail), a left-coiled garden snail that died in 2017 * ''Jeremy'', a 191 ...

, chief executive of the

Jewish Leadership Council The Jewish Leadership Council (previously known as the Jewish Community Leadership Council) is an organisation in the United Kingdom, founded in 2003, whose declared aim is to forward the interests of the organised Jewish community in Britain. ...

, Mark Gardner, director of communications at the

Community Security Trust The Community Security Trust (CST) is a British charity whose purpose is to provide safety, security, and advice to the Jewish community in the UK. It provides advice, training, representation and research. Founding and mission The Community Sec ...

, and Jon Benjamin, chief executive of the

Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...

. Chair of its advisory board was Rabbi Dr Sidney Brichto, acting director of the Israel-Diaspora Trust. Its part-time director was Dr Winston Pickett, communications consultant to the Board of Deputies and former media consultant to the

Institute for Jewish Policy Research The Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR), founded as the Institute of Jewish Affairs, is a London-based research institute and think tank. It specializes in contemporary Jewish affairs. JPR also runs a public education programme, and has hos ...

2009 Report on Anti-Semitism

The European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (EISCA) published a report in 2009 entitled ''Understanding and Addressing the ‘Nazi Card' - Intervening Against Antisemitic Discourse'' which discussed comparisons of Israel with Nazi Germany. The 2009 report incorporated from the 2006 report the five specific kinds of

criticism of Israel Criticism of the Israeli government, often referred to simply as criticism of Israel, is a subject of journalistic and scholarly commentary and research within the scope of international relations theory, expressed in terms of political science. ...

that the authors believed should be considered as anti-Semitism: # Denying the Jewish people their right to

self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a ''jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It stat ...

, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour. # Applying

double standards A double standard is the application of different sets of principles for situations that are, in principle, the same. It is often used to describe treatment whereby one group is given more latitude than another. A double standard arises when two ...

by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation. # Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or

blood libel Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation) is an antisemitic canardTurvey, Brent E. ''Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis'', Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual mur ...

) to characterise Israel or Israelis. # Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. # Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel. The report does not say all

is anti-Semitic: "Abhorrence and protest against the policies, practices, and leaders of the Israeli state can be expressed in numerous forceful and trenchant ways, as they could against any other state - none of which would be antisemitic…" and "Drawing attention to the consequent harms in

laying the Nazi card against Israel Laying is the act of making equipment level. It usually involves moving equipment in small motions so that spirit levels are centralised in all planes. Movement is usually done by small worm gears or other fine setting devices for accurate sm ...

should not be intended, or taken, in any way as an attempt to suppress

and its military practices"

Antony Lerman Antony Lerman (born 11 March 1946) is a British writer who specialises in the study of antisemitism, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, multiculturalism, and the place of religion in society. From 2006 to early 2009, he was Director of the Insti ...

criticized the report, and suggested that it could be used to suppress legitimate

, and suggests that the report's authors do not adequately address that possibility. *Lerman ''Should we ban ..'': :"While much of the eport'sdefinition f anti-Semitism relating to criticism of Israelis unexceptionable, it cites five ways in which antisemitism could be seen to "manifest itself with regard to the state of Israel taking into account the overall context". One of these – "using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism... to characterise Israel or Israelis" – is fully justified. The other four are contentious: "Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination"; "Applying double standards by requiring of sraela behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation"; "Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis"; "Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel". None of these four are self-evidently antisemitic. But all could be used to justify labelling legitimate

as antisemitic. So the authors' approval of them makes their claim that "Drawing attention to the consequent harms in

should not be intended, or taken, in any way as an attempt to suppress

and its military practices" both naïve and flimsy."

References

*Igansky, Paul, and Sweiry, Abe, ''Understanding and Addressing the ‘Nazi Card' - Intervening Against Antisemitic Discourse'', published by European Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism (EISCA), 2000
online
Cited as "EISCA Report". * Lerman, Antony "Should we ban 'Nazi analogies'? Using Nazi analogies to criticise Israel or Zionism may be offensive, but should it be against the law?", in ''Guardian'', 24 July 2009
online

Notes

External links

EISCA web site
{{authority control Centers for the study of antisemitism