The Kalkaska-based sleepaway camp will

NCJW Webinar Discusses Weaponizing White Supremacy during COVID-19

NCJW’s May 5 webinar provided an update on white supremacy and national efforts to combat racism and anti-Semitism. Cathy Cantor, NCJW state policy advocate, spoke about Women Cathy Cantor Confronting Racism, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping white women examine their biases and privilege.

The organization brought 5,000 women to Detroit in 2017 for a conference and holds ongoing lectures. “We want to educate ourselves and others,” Cantor says.

Amy Spitalnick, executive director of Integrity First for America, discussed the orga

that anti-Semitic conspiracy theories related to the virus were already spreading in the pandemic’s earliest weeks.

Sikorski says that a “rise in the rhetoric can lead to action and we are keeping our eye on conspiracy theories.” However, Sikorski points out that most synagogues and other Jewishaffiliated facilities are closed due to COVID-19.

“We’re always thinking of security — it’s an ongoing process. We advocate awareness and prevention with an all-hazards approach to crisis and emergency planning — not focusing on any one thing,” explains Sikorski.

Spitalnick supports the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, which she says is stalled in Congress. Passage of the

ADL

nization’s lawsuit against the leaders of Unite the Right, the white supremacist group that planned and carried out the racist and anti-Semitic protests and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2018.

“The case takes on the leadership of these organizations, which could have an impact on their financial and legal operations. Many plaintiffs (Charlottesville community members) suffered serious injuries. Charlottesville has become a rallying cry and marker for many white Supremacists,” she explained.

The ADL has invested $100,000 in the lawsuit, which is expected to come to trial in Charlottesville in October 2020.

Act would counteract gaps in reporting of discriminatory acts and improve cooperation between levels of government, she says.

While the FBI is supporting the fight against white supremacists, the federal government as a whole is not, Spitalnick claims, as evidenced by a sharp decline in federal civil rights investigations. She also criticizes social media companies for providing platforms for “hotbeds of extremism” without any liability.

“Conspiracy theories get a lot of oxygen when people are afraid. It’s a difficult problem and I don’t see it going away. People have to call it out and challenge it. They need to assess where information comes from,” Normandin says.

COURTESY OF CAMP TANUGA

Camp Tanuga Presses On CampTanugaPresses On

The Kalkaska-based sleepaway camp will go forward, pending new state guidelines. s.

MAYA GOLDMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER C amp Tanuga, an overright now as we speak probnight secularcamp in ably,” Tanuga director Sid Kalkaska, Michigan, Friedman told the Jewish News. that draws many Jewish camp“There is, through all this, an ers from Metro Detroit, intends element of trust… that they’re to move forward with camp going to do the right thing and this summer, provided state adhere to these requirements guidelines for doing so are before they come to camp.” released, according to an email One COVID test will be sent to camper families. required of each camper two to

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer three days before camp begins, signed an executive order perand more tests will be permitting day camps to open. formed on campers within the Residential summer camps first two weeks at camp. should still remain closed Friedman emphasized under her current order. that Tanuga leadership has

The plan Camp Tanuga lays made it clear to parents and out includes some key changes staff that camp will look difin the camp’s operations. This ferent this summer if it’s able year, the camp will run only to run. one five-week session from July Most camper families still 11-Aug. 14. Campers have the want to send their children to option to only attend the first camp this summer if possible, three weeks of the session. Friedman said, but some fam

There will be no trips of any ilies have decided not to have kind out of camp, and no outtheir kids attend this year. side deliveries of personal items When asked what will hapor packages will be permitted. pen if Michigan’s residential Mail will also be restricted. summer camps are still pro

Campers will have to be hibited from opening in July, symptom-free for 14 days prior Friedman said he wasn’t sure. to arrival, and Tanuga asks “There is a time element. that campers stay socially disCamp isn’t ‘turn on a switch tant from those outside their and we’re open,’” he said. “We household for the two weeks need a few weeks to get the leading up to camp. Families place ready, we have to train will be asked to keep a log of our staff with all the new protheir camper’s health during tocol. And getting staff to buy this time. in is a huge variable.

“That’s not going to be so “Are we nervous about it? easy because we know that Certainly. We’re nervous but kids are out not distancing we’re optimistic,” he said.