Following the act of insurrection on the U.S. Capitol last week, the Museum of Jewish Heritage is presenting a discussion on the challenges of extremism.
On Thursday, Jan. 14, the museum will host Extremism: What You Need To Know In 2021. Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President of The New York Board of Rabbis and Jack Kliger will moderate a discussion with panelists Talia Lavin, journalist and author of Culture Warlords: My Journey Into the Dark Web of White Supremacy; Oren Segal, Vice President of the Anti Defamation League’s Center on Extremism; and Eric Ward, Executive Director of the Western States Center and Senior Fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center and Race Forward as they discuss the challenge of extremism today and the opportunities to push back via civil society, government regulation, and reforms by social media companies.
The virtual event will be livestreamed on Zoom at 2 p.m.
“We have a responsibility to stand up and condemn the blatant bigotry displayed at the Capitol on Wednesday,” said Jack Kliger, President and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. “We cannot be silent bystanders. We must speak up and take action wherever and whenever we witness hatred and threats of violence. Our Museum draws on lessons from the Holocaust to educate about hate and injustice in our current times. We remain committed to educating our visitors, whether in-person or online, on the reality and dangers of extremism.”
The livestream event takes place in the wake of a Confederate flag being tied to the front of the museum on Jan. 8, as well as swastikas being spray-painted at the Jewish cemetery that is maintained by the Auschwitz Jewish Center (AJC) in Oświęcim, Poland, a Museum subsidiary, over the weekend. These incidents happened within days of the uprising in Washington D.C. when individuals stormed the Capitol and brandished Antisemitic and racist symbols, including Confederate flags, nooses, and attire promoting the Auschwitz death camp.
For more information, visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage website.
