NEW YORK — T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights today voiced strenuous opposition to the proposed Antisemitism Awareness Act, warning the bill poses a grave threat to religious freedom and free speech.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, issued the following statement:
“We are alarmed by the rise in antisemitic incidents across the country and are in touch regularly with rabbis and community members contending with bomb threats, violence, harassment, and graffiti. Bold and decisive action is desperately needed to confront this vile hatred. The Biden administration took a strong step toward combating antisemitism with the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. However, the profoundly misguided Antisemitism Awareness Act does nothing to keep Jews safe, while also threatening the civil liberties fundamental to this country.
“This ill-conceived bill recklessly attempts to enshrine the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) ‘working definition’ of antisemitism into federal law. The IHRA definition was explicitly intended as non-legally binding guidance for educational purposes only and was never meant to be codified into law. There should not be a codified definition of antisemitism, just as there is no codified definition of racism, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia or any other bigotry. Federal and state agencies, universities, and other institutions evaluating potential instances of bigotry can and should consider the specific situation, rather than relying on overly broad definitions.
“The examples included within the IHRA definition threaten to weaken First Amendment protections by restricting the right to protest Israeli actions or to call for a boycott of the country. While we do not support or participate in boycotts of Israel, we affirm that boycotts are protected free speech, and that Americans have the right to boycott any country or company with whose policies they disagree.
“Instead of pursuing this divisive and misguided avenue, we urge Congress to prioritize fully implementing the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. This comprehensive plan, developed through extensive consultation with diverse stakeholders, provides a holistic framework to fight antisemitism through education, community partnerships, security initiatives, and other proactive measures — while upholding America’s bedrock of religious freedom.
“In addition to voicing our opposition to this legislation, we call on the Senate to ensure the Antisemitism Awareness Act goes through normal order and receives full scrutiny in committee. A bill with such potential to undermine core constitutional protections must not be rushed through without thorough vetting and debate.
“Protecting freedom of speech and assembly is a constitutional cornerstone. T’ruah remains firmly committed to combating the scourge of antisemitism in cooperation with all communities. However, we should not do so in a way that risks violating fundamental rights. For these reasons, T’ruah strongly opposes the Antisemitism Awareness Act.”
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About T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
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-Leviticus 19:18
T'ruah is committed to standing against antisemitism in all its manifestations. As antisemitic incidents increase at an alarming rate, rabbis and cantors are often on the front lines, facing antisemitic flyering, graffiti, and vandalism; harassment and threats; and in some cases, violence. Those who wear identifiably Jewish clothing have become targets for antisemitic attacks, and the result is that Jews are increasingly concerned for their safety on the street and in the synagogue.
Education
Our approach to combatting antisemitism begins with education. It is increasingly clear that there are widespread misperceptions about antisemitism, and even about Jews and Judaism. Even among Jews, not everyone agrees on what constitutes antisemitism. Our educational resources and trainings aim to fill that gap, so that both Jews and non-Jews feel confident they can identify, name, and effectively respond to antisemitic incidents.
Fighting antisemitism in public and private
There is no one-size-fits-all response to antisemitism. While public officials must be called out for antisemitic speech, T'ruah also works privately within our coalitions and partnerships to address antisemitism — and other forms of bigotry — through conversation and education.
Valid criticism of Israel or antisemitism?
Our expertise includes defining the sometimes muddy boundary between criticism of Israel and antisemitism, which we explore in depth in our A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism. While it is certainly true that not all criticism of Israel is antisemitic — we criticize Israel's policies every day — it is also true that criticism of Israel can sometimes devolve into antisemitism.
That said, we refuse to allow fear of antisemitism to lead us to become xenophobic or closed-off. Our approach to addressing antisemitism is deeper and broader relationships with other groups that have been marginalized, striving together towards collective liberation.
Our work includes:
- Creating educational resources for rabbis and cantors and for the public, such as our A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism, so that Jews and non-Jews have the tools they need to better understand and recognize antisemitism when it happens.
- Delivering staff-led trainings in antisemitism for Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, as well as to elected officials.
- Developing a training in "Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitism" with Right To Be, so that ordinary people know how to intervene if they witness antisemitic harassment or violence. More than 700 people have completed this training.
- Advocating for sound policies that combat antisemitism and against policies that equate fighting antisemitism with suppressing criticism of Israel — policies that only make it harder to identify and stop actual antisemitism. For more on this topic, read about our campaign for Free Speech and the Right to Boycott.
- Supporting our rabbis and cantors as they encounter antisemitism in the course of their work, including through Communities of Practice, one-on-one coaching, and by creating opportunities to gain support from others in our network who have experienced similar incidents.
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-Leviticus 19:18
T'ruah is committed to standing against antisemitism in all its manifestations. As antisemitic incidents increase at an alarming rate, rabbis and cantors are often on the front lines, facing antisemitic flyering, graffiti, and vandalism; harassment and threats; and in some cases, violence. Those who wear identifiably Jewish clothing have become targets for antisemitic attacks, and the result is that Jews are increasingly concerned for their safety on the street and in the synagogue.
Education
Our approach to combatting antisemitism begins with education. It is increasingly clear that there are widespread misperceptions about antisemitism, and even about Jews and Judaism. Even among Jews, not everyone agrees on what constitutes antisemitism. Our educational resources and trainings aim to fill that gap, so that both Jews and non-Jews feel confident they can identify, name, and effectively respond to antisemitic incidents.
Fighting antisemitism in public and private
There is no one-size-fits-all response to antisemitism. While public officials must be called out for antisemitic speech, T'ruah also works privately within our coalitions and partnerships to address antisemitism — and other forms of bigotry — through conversation and education.
Valid criticism of Israel or antisemitism?
Our expertise includes defining the sometimes muddy boundary between criticism of Israel and antisemitism, which we explore in depth in our A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism. While it is certainly true that not all criticism of Israel is antisemitic — we criticize Israel's policies every day — it is also true that criticism of Israel can sometimes devolve into antisemitism.
That said, we refuse to allow fear of antisemitism to lead us to become xenophobic or closed-off. Our approach to addressing antisemitism is deeper and broader relationships with other groups that have been marginalized, striving together towards collective liberation.
Our work includes:
- Creating educational resources for rabbis and cantors and for the public, such as our A Very Brief Guide to Antisemitism, so that Jews and non-Jews have the tools they need to better understand and recognize antisemitism when it happens.
- Delivering staff-led trainings in antisemitism for Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, as well as to elected officials.
- Developing a training in "Bystander Intervention to Stop Antisemitism" with Right To Be, so that ordinary people know how to intervene if they witness antisemitic harassment or violence. More than 700 people have completed this training.
- Advocating for sound policies that combat antisemitism and against policies that equate fighting antisemitism with suppressing criticism of Israel — policies that only make it harder to identify and stop actual antisemitism. For more on this topic, read about our campaign for Free Speech and the Right to Boycott.
- Supporting our rabbis and cantors as they encounter antisemitism in the course of their work, including through Communities of Practice, one-on-one coaching, and by creating opportunities to gain support from others in our network who have experienced similar incidents.
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