May 25, 2023
Today, the Biden administration unveiled its historic U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. This is a monumental moment for AJC, our community, and for America. Here are ten reasons why:
As I noted in the video:
1) The National Strategy includes more than 200 total action steps that will be taken by not only the federal government, but also businesses, universities, state and local governments, and other key sectors.
2) At the White House’s direction, the National Strategy involved 40 different government agencies from the Department of Defense to the Justice Department, from the Small Business Administration to the Department of Agriculture.
3) The National Strategy mirrors AJC’s Call to Action Against Antisemitism’s whole-of-society approach. The Call to Action lays out specific prescriptions for different sectors of American society: government, law enforcement, civil society, the private sector, educational institutions, and more. READ MORE HERE
4) The National Strategy reaffirms the administration’s embrace of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. The IHRA Working Definition is used by more than 40 governments around the world and more than 30 U.S. states. READ MORE HERE
5) The National Strategy focuses on key areas to improve the safety and security of Jewish communities, from improving data collection on hate crime reporting and prevention to urging more funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
6) It also increases awareness and understanding of antisemitism and broadens appreciation of Jewish contributions to the U.S., as we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month.
7) Addressing antisemitism on college campuses and in K-12 schools, the National Strategy promotes a host of initiatives, many of them from AJC’s Call to Action, including an awareness and education campaign for university, elementary, and secondary education through the Department of Education.
8) The National Strategy enumerates steps to combat antisemitism online such as holding social media platforms accountable for antisemitism on their platforms, and urges Congress to require online platforms to be more transparent. Click here to add your name to AJC’s petition to social media companies.
9) It also stresses the importance of a key AJC value: allyship. The National Strategy advances efforts to build cross-community solidarity and collective action.
10) Going forward, AJC will expand our Call to Action Against Antisemitism to mobilize all sectors of American society to understand, respond to, and prevent antisemitism. And we will continue to lend our unique expertise to the White House to ensure that the more than 200 action steps are implemented.
GO DEEPER: 5 Takeaways from the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. READ MORE HERE