The first two sign language definitions for the word Jew seem standard, the second involving side-locks are borderline and the last two ‘’are simply racist and demeaning to Jews, using a gesticulation of a large and hooked nose to define Jew,’’ says Rabbi Menachem Margolin, head of the European Jewish Association (EJA) who was alerted by the Jewish family.

BRUSSELS—A Jewish family in Belgium who were looking up sign language words discovered on the webpage of the University of Ghent’s Flemish sign language department a video dictionary describing the word Jew by gesticulating a hooked nose.

The project was carried out in conjunction with the University of Ghent and is nearly a decade and a half old. It seeks to provide an online dictionary of Flemish sign language.

The first two sign language definitions for the word Jew seem standard, the second involving side-locks are borderline and the last two ‘’are simply racist and demeaning to Jews, using a gesticulation of a large and hooked nose to define Jew,’’ says Rabbi Menachem Margolin, head of the European Jewish Association (EJA) who was alerted by the Jewish family.

See the wepage at  http://gebaren.ugent.be/alfabet.php?id=21941

In a letter to the Rector of Ghent University,  Rik Van de Walle, Rabbi Margolin asked for a an explanation and the immediate removal of the offensive videos. “If the aim of this project was to embellish or add to the standard definition, it has certainly managed to so, in the most stereotypical and racist way imaginable, by focusing on side-locks and worse still gesticulating a hooked nose to describe a Jew,’’ he wrote.

“We certainly hope that such stereotypes do not reflect the policy of the University, nor your students,’’ he added.

He asked the rector ‘’to use all available efforts to remove the offending and offensive videos immediately.”

A Jewish student at the Ghent University, who wished to remain anonymous,has expressed disgust at the videos. ‘’ Is this how my University sees fit to teach deaf people to recognise a Jew? a hooked nose? Is this how I’m perceived as a Jew? The videos should be taken down immediately,” he said.