"During the 1930s, too many Americans were silent in the face of rising anti-Semitism, with tragic results," said Wyman Holocaust Studies Institute director Dr. Rafael Medoff who organized the protest letter. "Our generation must not repeat that error. We must speak out against anti-Semitism today, whenever and wherever it erupts."

The rabbis' letter was sent to the Jordanian Embassy in Washington, D.C., on October 24, 2005. Two days later, the Jordanian Embassy announced the cancellation of the series calling the program "controversial".

Signatories to the protest letter included Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff, vice-president of Reform Judaism's Hebrew Union College and other Orthodox, Conservative, and Reconstructionist rabbis.

The Syrian-produced television series, called "Al-Shatat," includes horrific distortions of Judaism, including the presentation of the use of a Christian child's blood in preparation of Matzah for Passover, as religious necessity. The graphic episode features Jews kidnapping a Christian boy and slitting his throat to drain his blood, and the brutal execution of a Jew by a "Talmudic" court, by pouring boiling lead down his throat. All of the anti-Semitic libels in this series are presented as fact.

The series also portrays Jews conspiring to assassinate world leaders, cause stock market crashes, and provoke world wars, as part of a plan to conquer the world. Another episode shows Jewish leaders helping the Nazis slaughter Europe's Jews in order to win world sympathy for Zionism.

The 29-part series has also aired in the past on Hezbollah's Al-Manar Television and on Iranian Television.

In their letter to Jordan's king, the twenty-four rabbis wrote: "We fear that these horrifying libels could incite viewers to hatred and even violence. Jordanian citizens, especially young people, should not be inculcated with such messages and images, which undermine your noble efforts to promote peace ... Your Majesty, the words you spoke at our meeting last month gave us hope. Please do not allow Al-Mamnou to shatter that hope by broadcasting incitement to hatred."

The letter also suggested that Jordanian Television should air the Holocaust movie "Schindler's List," which Jordan and other Arab countries refused to show when it was released in 1994.