AJC Impact 2019 Year-in-Review

To fight antisemitism, we must first define it. For years, AJC has advocated for countries to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. AJC was involved in the original drafting of the definition, which was later adopted by the IHRA. It ensures a universal understanding for what constitutes antisemitism—including anti-Zionism—making it easier to track and prosecute antisemitic crimes. AJC was instrumental in convincing additional countries to adopt the definition in 2019, including Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Moldova.

In October 2019, on the first anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue attack, AJC released the findings of a landmark survey of American Jews’ experiences with antisemitism in the United States. It was the largest and most comprehensive survey of its kind ever conducted, receiving extensive coverage in outlets like CNN, Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. The survey revealed widespread fear that antisemitism is on the rise. AJC has been sharing the frightening results with elected officials, law enforcement authorities, and other leaders. Now, more people in power understand this crisis and are mobilizing to better confront it.

In June 2019, AJC unveiled its Community of Conscience, an important initiative encouraging all people of goodwill to stand united in rejecting hate and celebrating diversity. The initiative was launched at a landmark event featuring nearly a dozen influential faith, ethnic, and civic leaders, all of whom conveyed support for the community’s core principles of pluralism and nonviolence. AJC offices across the nation have since created local Communities of Conscience and are working with these partners in their areas to fight hatred in all its forms.

In January 2019, when Malaysia’s Prime Minister tried to exclude Israeli athletes from competing in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships set to be held there, AJC rapidly mobilized thousands to contest this discriminatory decision. Following AJC’s effort, Malaysia was stripped of its role as host and a powerful message was sent: picking on the world’s sole Jewish state brings consequences.

In 2019, AJC continued to counter false narratives about the Jewish state through Project Interchange (PI). To date, PI has brought 6,000 influential American and world leaders to experience Israel first-hand. Participants meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials; connect with their Israeli counterparts; and learn about the country’s history, politics, and security challenges. A full 90% of these elected officials, diplomats, university presidents, and journalists take pro-Israel action after returning home.

Hate crimes are rising, yet our country’s ability to address them is hindered by a lack of accurate data. That’s why the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC), co-convened by AJC, worked diligently in 2019 to rally congressional support for the NO HATE act, new legislation that will provide state and local governments with grants to improve hate crimes reporting. The collection of better data will allow law enforcement to respond more effectively. MJAC leaders have met with scores of lawmakers to build support for the legislation and have continued to advocate on this issue.

In July 2019, the Brussels-based AJC Transatlantic Institute launched the inter-parliamentary Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI) group in the EU Parliament. This is the first-ever cross-party friendship caucus committed to strengthening the trilateral partnership between the U.S., Israel, and Europe. More than two dozen members of the European Parliament, from 13 countries, representing four of the five major political groups, participated in the launch event. The caucus has already distinguished itself even in its early stages. TFI members have called for expanded sanctions against Iran in response to its increased aggression.

AJC’s push for the international community to designate all of Hezbollah a terrorist organization took center stage at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2019. AJC raised the issue in 80 meetings with world leaders and senior officials and ran a full-page ad in The New York Times and a commercial on several news networks. The message was clear: banning Hezbollah’s military wing but failing to do the same to its supposed “political wing,” as several countries have done, enables this Iranian proxy to continue raising funds and recruiting operatives. AJC’s campaign has motivated more countries to recognize reality and end the charade of bifurcating Hezbollah.