Sun Sentinel: ADL's regional director talks anti-Semitism with temple members

ADL's regional director talks anti-Semitism with temple members
March 09, 2011|Nadia Sorocka nsorocka@tribune.com

Lonny Wilk, associate regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, spoke last week with members of Temple Beth Zion in Royal Palm Beach about the issues of anti-Semitism, bigotry and racism that not only the world is facing but also the western communities, and what the Anti-Defamation League is doing to combat them.

"We are working to bring news that affects our community to you," Rabbi Bertram Kieffer said to members while introducing Wilk. "He is truly in the middle of Jewish life and Jewish affairs."

,,,, The Anti-Defamation League has also seen an increase of cases of anti-Semitic and hate websites on the Internet.

"If you go home and Google the word 'Jew', the first couple of websites listed are not favorable to our community," Wilk said. "We worked to create the anti-mask laws [that don't allow protesters to wear masks or hide their identity]. The Internet has put the mask back on."

Wilk also said the Anti-Defamation League is working with law enforcement through training to help them indentify Neo-Nazi groups in the community. It's also holding workshops for middle and high school students on the topic of cyber bullying.

"With speakers like Wilk, we here in the community can have our awareness awakened," Kieffer said.

For more information about the Anti-Defamation League in Florida visit http://regions.adl.org/florida/.