Pennsylvania Investigates Use of Raphael Lemkin's Name by Controversial Genocide Prevention Institute
Law enforcement authorities in Pennsylvania have launched an investigation into the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention following a complaint filed by the family of Raphael Lemkin, the Jewish legal scholar who coined the term "genocide" and helped draft the UN Genocide Convention, along with the European Jewish Association (EJA). The complaint alleges that the institute has used Lemkin's name without authorization and solicited donations exploiting his legacy against the family's wishes. The probe focuses on the institute's use of the Lemkin name and compliance with Pennsylvania's nonprofit and fundraising laws, not its political positions or criticisms of Israel.
The Lemkin Institute has been at the center of controversy for accusing Israel of committing genocide, particularly after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and during the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza. Since mid-October, the institute has issued numerous statements repeating these accusations and has become a prominent source cited by anti-Israel organizations and campaigns worldwide.
Joseph Lemkin, the closest living relative of Raphael Lemkin, together with the EJA, demanded that the institute cease using the family name, but the institute refused. The Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Shikli, urged Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to expedite the investigation professionally and without unnecessary delays. Shikli criticized the institute for politically exploiting the concept of genocide in ways that contradict Raphael Lemkin's legacy.
The EJA also condemned the institute for publicly supporting Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian territories, who has mocked victims of the October 7 attacks and labeled Israel "an enemy of humanity." Additionally, the institute previously propagated a false claim that flour bags distributed in Gaza contained drugs, a claim traced to Hamas-affiliated media and debunked by American sources.
Family members and academics emphasize that Raphael Lemkin was a Zionist who supported Jewish self-determination in Israel, making the institute's use of his name to accuse Israel of genocide contrary to his values. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, EJA chairman, called the institute's actions a "scandalous abuse" of Lemkin's name and moral authority for an antisemitic agenda. The Lemkin Institute rejects the allegations and maintains its work is part of a global fight against genocide and for human rights.
