Joseph Lemkin Presses Pennsylvania to Probe Institute Using Family Name in Gaza Genocide Claims
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 17
Joseph Lemkin Presses Pennsylvania to Probe Institute Using Family Name in Gaza Genocide Claims
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 17
Summary
Joseph Lemkin said he has asked Pennsylvania officials to remove Raphael Lemkin’s name from the Lemkin Institute and believes his complaint has triggered an investigation.
A 32-page legal submission and 58-page evidentiary appendix were sent in April 2025 after the institute repeatedly accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, including statements issued days after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people.
The Pennsylvania Department of State said it cannot confirm or deny any complaint or investigation, and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office did not respond.
The institute rejected Joseph Lemkin’s claim to speak for the family, said some relatives support its work, and argued it lawfully adopted Raphael Lemkin’s name in 2021 because he died without heirs or an estate.
The dispute centers on whether using the Holocaust-era jurist’s name implies endorsement while the institute continues fundraising around its allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.