Rabbis Nationwide Support Effort to Depoliticize Raphael Lemkin’s Legacy

A growing coalition of rabbis from cities including Los Angeles and Harrisburg are publicly backing the Lemkin family’s campaign to prevent the name of Raphael Lemkin, the creator of the term “genocide,” from being used for political purposes.

The movement gained momentum yesterday as religious leaders voiced concerns over recent attempts to associate Lemkin’s work with specific contemporary political conflicts. The Lemkin family has been actively working to preserve the integrity of their ancestor’s legacy, emphasizing his dedication to preventing and punishing genocide universally, without partisan bias. This effort comes as global awareness of genocide prevention remains critically important in a world facing numerous conflicts.

“Raphael Lemkin’s life work was about protecting *all* people from the crime of genocide, not about taking sides in today’s disputes,” stated a joint release from participating rabbis. The group is urging public officials and organizations to refrain from invoking Lemkin’s name in ways that could diminish its significance or imply a selective application of the term. For more information on the history of genocide, resources are available through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The rabbis’ support builds on previous statements from legal scholars and human rights advocates who have also expressed concern over the politicization of Lemkin’s legacy. Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer, tirelessly campaigned for international recognition of genocide as a crime under international law, ultimately leading to the 1948 Genocide Convention. Officials stated they will continue to monitor the situation and advocate for the preservation of Lemkin’s principles.