While antisemitism and anti-Jewish discrimination have long been present in our country, American Jews thrived here, living and shaping the American Dream. In recent years, that has clearly changed
Everything You Need to Know About Antisemitism
Antisemitism is a tangible threat to Jews and the very fabric of democratic societies. American Jewish Committee (AJC), with a global presence, works every day to combat Jew-hatred through global diplomacy, political advocacy, coalition building, and strategic communications.
The resources below include key insights on antisemitism including the connection between antisemitism and anti-Zionism, antisemitism from the far-right, the far-left, and in the name of Islam. It also includes explanations of philosemitism, the Working Definition of Antisemitism, white supremacists, Holocaust distortion, conspiracy theories, and more.
To find answers to your questions about antisemitism use the search bar below and check boxes on the left to view articles, videos, podcasts, columns, eBooks, and more. Don’t see an answer to your question about antisemitism? Click here to let us know.
When it comes to fighting antisemitism, the future is now
Antisemitism on local campuses reflects AJC study’s findings
Over the past six years, American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America Report has provided an important glimpse into perceptions of and experiences with antisemitism, based on twin polls of the American Jewish community and the general population.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch Op-ed | New Poll Reveals How Deep Online Hate Is. Here's How to Fight It
The United States has long been regarded as a safe harbor for Jews because of our country's commitment to democracy and our values of individual rights, liberty, and equality. In this environment, Jewish communities have been able to grow and thrive. But today, extremism and division are tearing at the fabric of our society.
Why I Just Became A Citizen of Austria — a Country that Persecuted My Family
This month, a year after submitting detailed paperwork, I was granted Austrian citizenship.
I have no intention of leaving the United States. But I pursued dual citizenship because my dad, Dr. Ernst Drenick, the son of a Jewish father and Catholic mother, was born and raised in Vienna — but was forced to flee the country in 1938. His story, like that of so many European Jews, is filled with loss and tragedy — too involved to fully narrate here. In life, he was frustratingly reluctant to talk about his experiences before the war, his flight from Austria to New York or the years that followed.
I have no intention of leaving the United States. But I pursued dual citizenship because my dad, Dr. Ernst Drenick, the son of a Jewish father and Catholic mother, was born and raised in Vienna — but was forced to flee the country in 1938. His story, like that of so many European Jews, is filled with loss and tragedy — too involved to fully narrate here. In life, he was frustratingly reluctant to talk about his experiences before the war, his flight from Austria to New York or the years that followed.
Following the Pogrom in Amsterdam, Europe Must Act Now to Protect Jews
This incident in Amsterdam, following a year of rising antisemitic incidents across Europe, should have been a loud and clear wake-up call for European leaders. Yet the response has been woefully inadequate. As was the case in the immediate days following October 7, 2023, when antisemitic crimes escalated dramatically, much of the reaction has been confined to mere condemnations.
Unexcused Absence: How SFUSD's Training for Teachers on Antisemitism Only Revealed More Hate
The lessons we impart to our children are critical and lasting. Equity and fairness are not limited resources, and there is no need to substitute one form of bias for another. School must be a place where young minds and ideas, even those that are challenging or uncomfortable, are nurtured.
No Place for Hate in Our Classrooms
Ensuring that Jewish students feel secure must be a priority for our K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities. Yet many Jewish students felt anything but secure as protests engulfed many New York campuses after Oct. 7.
The War in Gaza Hits Home in Cincinnati
Despite the daily challenges, the Cincinnati Jewish community has been resolute. Community members have volunteered on Israeli farms. Cincinnati Hillel has supported more Jewish students than ever before. We are also heartened by the support we’ve received from allies and those who recognize the existential plague of hatred and antisemitism. We maintain hope in fighting anti-Jewish bias and in building bridges across political and ideological lines - and using the spirit of Cincinnati as a constructive mechanism for peace and understanding.
SDUSD Ethnic Studies Worsens Pain of Jewish Community After Hostage Murders
There are too many in the ethnic studies field who want to indoctrinate rather than educate. They want to bifurcate the world into either “oppressors” or “oppressed” and want to teach children what to think instead of how to think.
October 7 and the Legacy of Tisha B'Av
Tisha B’Av has been called the saddest day in Judaism. It is a day of remembrance and mourning, just as Oct. 7 will always be. But it is also a time when we can look forward and reaffirm the resilience of Israel and the Jewish people. We are faced with many challenges, but we have never been better equipped to confront them.
Antisemitism is Constantly Evolving — Social Media Companies Need to as Well
Meta, who owns Facebook and Instagram, is the only social media company that is preventing ‘Zionist’ from being used as hate speech
Antisemitism in Europe is Worsening, Here’s What Needs to Change
A Europe without Jews is no longer unthinkable, but it must not become inevitable.
U.S. Party Platforms Must Take a Stand Against Antisemitism
Failing to include fighting Jew hatred in the Dem and GOP platforms is a failure to meet the moment and the needs of American Jews
Answer Us, Columbia and DA Bragg: Why Drop Charges for Anti-Israel ‘Occupiers’?
When Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last week dropped charges against most of the protesters who seized Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30, the announcement left New York’s Jewish community bewildered and angry. The Columbia protests, rife with anti-Israel sentiments, exacerbated feelings of insecurity and vulnerability among Jewish students and faculty at Columbia and beyond, leaving deep scars.
When Anti-Israel Sentiment Crosses the Line Into Antisemitism
Jewish student leaders at the University of North Texas recently planned a walk on campus to amplify the plight of the 133 Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu hostages — including six Americans — still being held captive by Hamas terrorists. While there, I didn’t see any signs for Israel Week programming (of which the walk was the kickoff event). I was told they had been snatched almost as soon as they had been placed.
Jews in the U.S. Can't Fight Antisemitism Alone
As we near the two-year anniversary of the Tops supermarket shooting in Buffalo, that horrific event also served as a reminder that antisemitism does not begin or end with the Jewish community.
The Story of Passover Hits Home Harder This Year
This Passover is marked by pain and fear. During the Seder, we use saltwater to symbolize our tears and bitter herbs to represent the bitterness of slavery and oppression faced by the Jews in Egypt. We don’t need saltwater this year as our tears have not stopped.
American Jews Are Under Attack, Congress Needs to Act
For the last six months, since Oct. 7, I have heard one question over and over — from elected officials, the Jewish community, university students and their parents, allies: How do we combat this terrifying surge in antisemitism? What can we do to protect American Jews on college campuses, in high schools, on city streets and in our houses of worship? Thanks to Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Reps. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) and Chris Smith (R-N.J.), the co-chairs of the Senate and House Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism, we have an answer for our government: Pass the Countering Antisemitism Act.
Jews Need to Be Seen and Heard Online
Full disclosure: I am not on TikTok. Never have been. Never will be. That means I likely have something in common with many of you. Somehow our lives go on. However, even if you have never been on TikTok, it has been hard to escape news about it. The U.S. House of Representatives recently overwhelmingly passed a bill that could ban the app unless it is sold by TikTok’s Chinese parent to, in part, assuage concerns about national security and disinformation in an election year.
We Must Understand What Antisemitism Is...And Isn't
The American Jewish Committee recently released its annual State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report, which revealed that 63 percent of American Jews say the status of Jews in the U.S. is “less secure than a year ago” — a 22-percentage-point increase in just one year, and a 32-point increase over two years. While these numbers are daunting and cause for concern, several of the key takeaways from the report, on Holocaust and antisemitism education, are positive.
