Strategies for Jewish Communities and Jewish Organizations: Understanding, Responding to, and Preventing Antisemitism

Building strong, resilient communities starts with ensuring members of the Jewish community don’t just understand how antisemitism manifests and affects Jewish life, but are adept at communicating concerns with leaders across society to ensure effective and appropriate response.

Tools

• AJC’s Translate Hate – A visual glossary of words and symbols that are antisemitic or can become antisemitic in context.
• AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America Report – Reliable annual data for community discussions and advocacy.
• A Short Guide to Jewish Religion, Culture, and Holiday Observances – A guide for all, especially useful for educational institutions, companies, and organizations. 
• 6 “Pro-Palestinian” Protest Chants You’ve Heard — And How They’re Being Used to Target Jews – Examines common chants at pro-Palestine protests and how such rhetoric can threaten Jewish safety and wellbeing.
• Breaking Down and Fighting Holocaust Trivialization – Defines and contextualizes subtle forms of antisemitism.

Actions

• Increase community understanding about Jews and Judaism: Awareness has a direct impact on antisemitism: AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found eight in ten U.S. adults who know someone who is Jewish (81%) say antisemitism is a problem in the U.S. today, compared with 58% of those that do not know anyone who is Jewish. Share accessible educational materials, host public programs, and encourage members to share personal experiences that humanize Jewish identity and experience.
• Encourage personal storytelling and everyday engagement: Community members can normalize Jewish identity by speaking openly about their traditions, holidays, and experiences in everyday settings such as workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. Humor, storytelling, and openness can help answer curious or even awkward questions while breaking down stereotypes.
• Educate on antisemitism: Antisemitism has multiple sources and takes many forms. Use available resources in sermons, classes, and bulletins to help members recognize and explain it clearly.
• Clarify the Jewish connection to Israel: Jews have lived continuously in the Land of Israel for millennia. After the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israelis—the deadliest assault on the Jews since the Holocaust—many community members are seeking language to explain that connection. Educational resources can help distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israeli policies and antisemitism. 
• Use the term “antisemitism” judiciously: Clear and consistent definitions help communicate effectively with policymakers, media, and the public. Overly broad or inconsistent use of the term antisemitism can create confusion and weaken efforts to address genuine threats. Strive for clarity, credibility, and shared understanding when identifying antisemitic behavior and explaining its impact.
• Promote exposure through cultural exchange: Inviting neighbors, colleagues, and community partners to Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, or cultural events allows people to experience Jewish traditions firsthand, fosters understanding, and helps humanize the Jewish experience through personal interaction.
• Understand the evolving threat environment: Antisemitism today is shaped by broader societal and security trends, including violent extremism, foreign influence and transnational repression, the erosion of trust in institutions, the politicization of civic spaces, and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and online misinformation. The Jewish community should stay informed about these dynamics to better anticipate risks, communicate effectively, and strengthen community resilience.
• Understand how law enforcement and public safety agencies respond to antisemitism: Jewish communities benefit from understanding what law enforcement can and cannot do before incidents occur, including reporting procedures, response timelines, and investigative processes. Clear expectations and regular engagement with local agencies strengthen trust, improve coordination during crises, and help communities prepare effectively.
• Use research and shared learning to guide community strategy: Jewish organizations should collaborate to study how antisemitism is perceived, how messaging is received, and which responses are most effective. Coordinating research and sharing best practices across organizations strengthens collective impact and ensures that community efforts are informed by evidence rather than assumption.

Effective response requires preparation, coordination, and disciplined communication. Jewish communities and organizations should respond proactively, prioritize safety, and work in partnership with institutions to reduce risk and strengthen resilience.

Tools

• AJC’s Reporting Guidance – Practical steps and talking points for flagging issues for Federal Agencies, Law Enforcement, and Social Media and AI Companies
• Secure Community Network (SCN) – Security coordination and training for Jewish institutions.

Actions

• Prepare communications protocols in advance: Organizations should designate trained spokespersons and develop clear communication plans for responding to antisemitic incidents. Prepared messaging helps ensure accurate information, reduce confusion, and maintain community trust during crises.
• Encourage and normalize reporting: Many incidents of antisemitism go unreported, limiting prevention and accountability. Encourage community members to report incidents to law enforcement, schools, workplaces, or social media platforms. Documenting incidents helps authorities respond effectively and provides data for advocacy. Reinforce that sharing concerns publicly is not enough—working through formal reporting channels is essential to preventing future harm. 
• Strengthen community awareness and risk monitoring: Be aware of emerging antisemitic trends, including online narratives, local incidents, and campus dynamics in their locality. Designating community trained volunteers to monitor and share information with the local community can help identify risks early and coordinate responses.
• Coordinate with law enforcement: Ask local officials to designate a liaison to the Jewish community. Security partnerships strengthen preparedness and ensure faster responses during emergencies. Knowing what to expect from law enforcement before incidents occur helps reduce confusion and strengthen trust during emergencies.
• Invest in security and preparedness: Security training, situational awareness programs, and coordination with first responders help protect Jewish institutions. Training programs offered by the Secure Community Network empower community members to recognize threats, respond to emergencies, and coordinate effectively with authorities.

• Communicate responsibly and focus on shared values: How communities talk about antisemitism can shape outcomes. Messaging grounded in shared values—such as dignity, responsibility, and safety—reduces defensiveness and strengthens cooperation, while reactive or accusatory messaging can escalate conflict or backlash. Community leaders should pause before responding publicly, verify information, and consider the impact of communications before acting.
• Promote meaningful condemnation: When incidents occur, encourage government, interfaith, civic, and business leaders to issue statements that explicitly name and condemn antisemitism. Such statements reinforce that antisemitism is not only a Jewish issue but also a threat to democratic values and pluralistic societies.
• Build digital resilience: As antisemitism increasingly spreads online, communities should equip members—especially students and young leaders—with skills to recognize misinformation and respond constructively. Promoting respectful engagement and accurate information can help counter harmful narratives in digital spaces.

Preventing antisemitism requires sustained preparedness, strong relationships, and responsible leadership—before crises occur, not only in response to them.

Tools 

• In addition to this one, AJC has created guides for nearly every sector of society (from Congress and local and state officials to the private sector; from law enforcement to interfaith and intergroup partners) to help everyone understand, respond to, and prevent antisemitism. Use these resources in conversations and meetings.  
• AJC’s K-12 and Campus Resources—toolkits and guidelines, webinars and podcasts, statements and one-pagers for students, parents, administrators, or faculty members.
• AJC’s action alerts provide quick, easy, and empowering mechanisms for everyone to write to their elected officials about ways to counter antisemitism (as well as other issues).

Actions

• Invest in long-term, comprehensive security preparedness and leadership: Treat security as an ongoing, coordinated responsibility. Many Jewish institutions have strengthened security measures following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, but continued training, infrastructure improvements, and participation in security grant programs, help ensure preparedness: 
  • Designate clear security leadership: Assign a security lead or committee responsible for coordinating planning, communication, and partnerships with law enforcement and community security professionals such as those within your local Jewish Federation. 
  • Follow a risk-management approach: Conduct regular risk assessments—evaluate facilities, entry points, events, and online risks to identify vulnerabilities and update safety protocols.
  • Practice scenario-based preparedness: Develop and rehearse response plans for emergencies such as threats, protests, cyber harassment campaigns, or coordinated incidents to ensure rapid, coordinated action. Jewish institutions should also train staff and volunteers on phishing, doxxing, account security, and cyber harassment risks.
  • Strengthen coordination with law enforcement and security partners: Maintain regular communication with local authorities and community security professionals before incidents occur.
  • Build volunteer and leadership capacity: Train staff and volunteers to support incident response, situational awareness, and community coordination during periods of heightened risk.
  • Educate youth and families on safety and reporting: Provide age-appropriate guidance on recognizing threats, reporting concerns, and staying safe in schools, online spaces, and community settings.
  • Remain alert to evolving threats, including state-sponsored or transnational risks: Ensure security planning reflects emerging risks and includes clear reporting channels for suspicious activity.
• Strengthen information-sharing across institutions: Establish regular communication channels to share security updates, incident information, and best practices internally and across synagogues, schools, community groups, and other Jewish institutions.
• Promote responsible community conduct and trust-building: Community members and organizations should act responsibly during incidents, prioritizing accuracy, safety, and collaboration. Actions that escalate conflict, spread misinformation, or undermine trust can unintentionally increase risk. Prevention depends on disciplined behavior, coordination, and good-faith engagement across communities.
• Model Jewish pride and visibility: Living openly and proudly as Jews—without seeking external approval—is an act of resilience. Personal storytelling, cultural expression, and visible participation in Jewish life help counter stereotypes and build confidence within the community. 
• Model respectful internal disagreement, American Jewish unity, and protect communal cohesion: Jewish communities should create structured opportunities for civil discussion across differing views on Israel, identity, and communal priorities. Respectful disagreement strengthens unity, builds trust, and prevents internal divisions from being exploited by external actors seeking to weaken community resilience.
• Create opportunities for dialogue: Jewish organizations can host conversations, interfaith discussions, and dialogue initiatives that encourage respectful engagement across differences. Providing spaces where individuals can discuss Jewish identity, antisemitism, and related issues fosters understanding and reduces polarization. Be open to the diversity of opinions regarding discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Strengthen cross-community relationships: Building relationships with other religious, ethnic, and civic groups before crises occur helps create strong networks of allies prepared to respond to antisemitism publicly and constructively. 
• Frame antisemitism as a societal challenge: Jewish organizations should consistently communicate that antisemitism threatens democratic values, social cohesion, and public safety for all communities—not only the Jewish community. This framing strengthens partnerships and broadens support for prevention efforts.
• Empower allies: Data shows that most Americans believe antisemitism is a problem that society as a whole should address. Engaging civic leaders, educators, and community organizations helps ensure that more voices stand against antisemitism. Provide clear guidance for allies on how to respond when they witness antisemitism, including reporting options, public support strategies, and ways to engage constructively.
• Engage policymakers: Work with advocacy organizations to brief members of Congress and local officials on antisemitism trends and policy responses. Building long-term relationships with policymakers ensures that the Jewish community has support when incidents arise.
• Support internal dialogue and community resilience: Jewish communities encompass a range of political and cultural perspectives. Encouraging respectful internal conversations about identity, Israel, and communal priorities, including intergenerationally, helps maintain unity while strengthening collective resilience.
• Support mental health and trauma recovery: Communities should provide resources and support for individuals affected by antisemitism, recognizing the emotional and psychological impact of repeated incidents and threats around them.