VIN News
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn), a child of Holocaust survivors and the Assembly representative of the largest contingent of Holocaust survivors, is leading the charge to have the word Holocaust removed from the name of the Holocaust Resource Center of Manhattan College.
Located in Riverdale, the stated mission of Manhattan College’s Holocaust Resource Center is “to educate people about the Holocaust and its significance for the present.”
Yet, in a recent announcement, Manhattan College indicated that it is “broadening its focus and will actively seek to foster understanding among Christians, Jews and Muslims through interfaith dialogue related to its educational mission.”
Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, a Muslim woman, has been hired as the Holocaust Resource Center’s new director. Manhattan College is expected to implement these changes in the fall.
“The Holocaust is a uniquely Jewish event,” Hikind wrote in a letter to Manhattan College President Dr. Brennan O’Donnell.
“Since Manhattan College is changing the stated intent of the Holocaust Resource Center, it should also change the name to reflect its new character, and exclude the word Holocaust. . . .The term Holocaust should only be associated with the Jews. Only the Jews were targeted by the Nazis for utter and complete annihilation, and only the Jews were subject to the “Final Solution. The addition of Dr. Afridi and the expansion of the Center’s mission diminish the magnitude of the Holocaust as a defining Jewish event.”
In the letter, Hikind also referenced an offensive and erroneous comment made by Dr. Afridi. In published remarks in an August 11, 2008 Khaleej Times article, Dr. Afridi states that, “Jews can help Muslims navigate in a post-9/11 world by sharing with them the difficulties that they too faced in Europe and the United States…”
“It is inconceivable to me how Dr. Afridi can even begin to equate what the Jews of Europe suffered under Nazi rule with what she perceives Muslims in present-day America are enduring,” Hikind said in response to Afridi’s remark.
“To my knowledge, I am not aware of any Muslims being rounded up and sent to gas chambers. Dr. Afridi is the wrong individual to head this or any Holocaust resource center.”
I have no knowledge of Dr. Afridi’s background so I can not comment on her position; However, to remove the work Holocaust from the center is just one more step to avoid the truth about WW II.
Anyone who knows Mehnaz Afridi, as I do, knows that Manhattan College’s appointment is not just for the sake of being bold (and bold it certainly is) but also a testament to their desire to build a strong Holocaust Resource Center that can help to convey the lessons of the Holocaust beyond the Jewish community. Dr. Afridi’s strong experience as a professor of both Islamic and Judaic studies, and her excellent credentials in promoting cross-cultural partnership and dialogue make her an ideal selection for this post. Those who reject her appointment, without even allowing for her to prove her worthiness,… Read more »
This crap becomes more Orwellian by the day. This is nothing less than a slap in the face to any family that suffered a Holocaust loss.
To attempt to draw any parallel between Muslim “suffering,” here in the US, after Muslims murdered 3,000 Americans in the name of Allah, to Jews who were butchered in concentration camps is absurd.
Clearly the woman is delusional and morally corrupted.
The Muslims should turn into the caring ones who want to help the yiddin!! venhafach hu!!
the world is coming to en end.I hope Moshiach is coming now.And justice will prevail.
we need Moshiach now!
help,how crooked can things be.
#12 is one of those jews, you call a self hating jew.
To totally personify the epitome of “liberalism” get the Nazi to run the research. Maybe The Nazi can help Germans face a new Germany after world war two. I mean whats wrong with these liberals?
From the looks of it this prof. has done some amazing work with our (Jewish) community, seems like a daring and interesting appointment…proud of our local college for this cutting edge appointment!
We Jews are always asking for moderate voices coming from the Muslim side..now we have one and we are complaining? So typical, thats why we cant move forward.
Why does it matter if a Muslim woman works in the Holocaust museum? She wouldn’t want to work there in the first place if she didn’t have a deep respect and some sort of an understanding of what the Jews went through. It’s sad and quite pathetic that some people would equate a Muslim woman working here to a German Nazi. Jews have been persecuted many times throughout history and now you’re persecuting this woman just because she is Muslim? What hypocrisy; what chutzpa!
I completely agree with Hikind, it is absolutely WRONG to hire a muslim woman in a Holocaust Mueseum
This press release serves only one purpose – to advance the interest of someone else who wanted the job – Hikind’s director of communications AW has a sister EW who wanted the job and is incensed that she didn’t get it –
The holocaust center is not a religious institution like a church or shul. Therefore, just like any other employer, it cannot discriminate on the basis of religion or national origin when making hiring decisions. Non-discrimination in hiring (and otherwise) seems to fit nicely with a holocaust museum since, after all, the holocaust would not have happened if people universally recognized and understood the inherent evils of discriminating on the basis of religion or ethnicity. The holocause was possible because discrimination taken to its extreme was used to dehumanize people to justify the atrocities. When we discriminate, we are not honoring… Read more »
Are all Jews stingy and greedy? No. So why does the world see us that way? Because its those people that get the attention… its the same thing.
What motive would she even want to have such a position anyway? Very suspicious. Not too bright of the collge making this decision. Guess money talks!
Lets ALL stop being racist-I am completely against that. Although the Muslim religion is more violent then others, there ARE some kind caring and nice muslms so STOP ASSUMING THINGS!!!
I don’t see the problem with that appointment. To #3, racist attitude against goyim and espcecially arabs (or Muslims) is also in the core of most charedi people I know. Why are we asking respect from others if we also disrespect them? Why de we want the world to combat antisemistism, while in the same some people like you are writting such hateful comment? You can’t ask what you are not able to give youyrself! All yidden are not perfect, and all goyim are not Jew haters. Please give the benefit of the doubt. I live with many muslim around… Read more »
Wake up it is in their core, there is no way to dilute it
You sound very ignorant. Most Muslims are not that way, its the radical, crazy dangerous ones that you hear about that give the rest of the muslims that facade.
Who could care more for the up-keep than someone who truly enjoys and rejoices in what is shown at the center?
No one enjoys human suffering displayed in the center, more than a Muslim or German Nazi.
Those who rejoice in the death of others can certainly get some good ideas on how to do it by visiting the center and a guided tour who the likes of the people who hate Jews more than anyone else.