Strategies for Allies and Interreligious and Intergroup Partners: Understanding, Responding to, and Preventing Antisemitism

AJC's Combating Antisemitism Playbook
Photo of Bibles and Quran, interfaith symbols of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the three monotheistic religions

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American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found that 90% of U.S. adults believe antisemitism affects society as a whole and that everyone shares responsibility for addressing it—not just Jewish communities. Antisemitism erodes trust, weakens institutions, and undermines democracy. With more than half of American Jews changing their behavior out of fear of antisemitism, this is not only a Jewish issue, but a societal one.

Countering antisemitism requires more than reacting to incidents; it requires strengthening relationships across communities. Curiosity about others, meaningful dialogue, and sustained engagement help build the trust that allows diverse societies to thrive and resist hatred. When people know one another’s stories and experiences, they are far more likely to stand up for one another when it matters most.

For more than a century, AJC has advanced this approach—combating antisemitism while promoting human rights for all and deepening understanding among communities. Leaders and allies across all sectors can carry this work forward today: every act of solidarity, every effort to learn about one another, and every partnership built across communities helps create a safer and more inclusive society.

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AJC’s Priority Recommendations for Building Cross-Community Partnerships:

  1. Build mutual understanding and reciprocal relationships grounded in shared values and mutual responsibility.
  2. Learn about Jewish life, priorities, and sensitivities while sharing your own perspectives and standing together during moments of need and solidarity.
  3. Build partnerships grounded not only in goodwill, but also in alignment of interests and recognition that protecting one community strengthens the safety and stability of all.
  4. Move beyond dialogue when possible: Joint advocacy, shared initiatives, and coordinated public responses strengthen trust, demonstrate solidarity in action, and increase collective impact against antisemitism and other forms of hate.

 

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Understanding Antisemitism

Effective allyship begins with understanding Jewish identity, history, and lived experience including the importance of Israel for the vast majority of Jews, as well as the ways antisemitism manifests in contemporary society.

  • Learn about Jewish peoplehood: Jewish identity can be religious, cultural, ethnic, or secular; understanding this diversity fosters meaningful connections.
  • Recognize the Israel connection: According to AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report, almost eight in 10 American Jews (77%) say caring about Israel is important to what being Jewish means to them. Allies should be mindful of this and remember that it is unfair to hold Jews accountable for the policies of the Israeli government or to assume that Jews have a say in what is happening in Israel. This also requires understanding that the Jewish community, like many other faith and partner communities, has a diversity of opinions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  • Understand contemporary Jewish experiences: Many Jewish communities are still processing trauma following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks and the ongoing rise in antisemitic incidents globally. Allies can be mindful of this context and approach conversations with empathy, recognizing that discussions about Israel, antisemitism, and safety may carry deep emotional weight for Jewish individuals and communities.
  • Engage culturally and educationally: Attend Jewish cultural events, invite Jewish leaders to share insights, and participate in constructive dialogue. Educate your networks about antisemitism’s history, contemporary forms, and sources—including conspiracy theories, extremist ideologies, and antisemitism spread through political, religious, or online movements—and its impact on Jewish communities. Know that dialogue will look different across communities and contexts; discussions about Israel and the Middle East may unfold differently in local interreligious settings than in the region itself, and should be approached with humility, curiosity, and respect.

 

Best Practice: Educating Allies about Antisemitic Tropes 

In 2019, a member of Congress tweeted “All About the Benjamins” implying that pro-Israel political support was driven by money and subsequent remarks suggesting Jews have “dual loyalty.” Many allies were surprised when the Jewish community criticized the member of Congress. To help explain this and other sensitivities, AJC created Translate Hate, a visual glossary of frequently-used words and symbols which are antisemitic or may become antisemitic depending on the context.

 

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Responding to Antisemitism

When antisemitism occurs, allies and intergroup and interreligious partners play a critical role in responding quickly, demonstrating solidarity, and reinforcing norms of respect within their communities.

  • Lend your voice: Even brief statements of solidarity matter. Example: “We stand with the Jewish community against antisemitism. Hatred has no place in our community or society.” When members of a group speak out against antisemitism, it strengthens norms, accountability, and positive change. It also helps a victim community with healing. Conversely, silence is often noted, leading to feelings of isolation, mistrust, and the perception that antisemitism is being minimized or tolerated. 
  • Listen and support: Reach out to Jewish organizations or leaders after an incident.

 

Best Practice: Record and Report Antisemitic Incidents

In several antisemitic assaults in New York during protests in the early 2020s, bystanders filmed attacks and reported them to police, providing crucial evidence that helped prosecutors pursue hate-crime charges. Reporting helps ensure incidents are documented, victims receive support, and patterns of antisemitism are addressed. Learn more about reporting options: AJC.org/ReportingAntisemitism

 

  • Collaborate for impact: Work with partners to issue joint statements, letters, or resolutions promoting inclusion.
  • Use media and digital platforms responsibly: Challenge misinformation, amplify credible information, and support communities during moments of heightened tension. Counter false narratives, amplify positive contributions, and highlight shared values.
  • Address antisemitism within your own communities: Allies are often most effective when they challenge antisemitism where it appears in their own institutions, movements, or faith communities. This includes speaking out when antisemitic stereotypes, conspiracy theories, or harmful rhetoric emerge and ensuring that educational programming, sermons, and community dialogue promote accurate understanding and reject antisemitism in all forms.

 

Best Practice: Partner to Amplify Outreach

Nostra Aetate (1965), issued by the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church, calls for respect, dialogue, and reconciliation between Catholics and Jews, explicitly rejecting antisemitism and the charge of collective Jewish guilt.

AJC engaged Vatican leaders during the Council to advocate for these changes and continues to advance Catholic-Jewish relations—including through its Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition, a resource produced jointly with the U.S. Conference on Catholic Bishops that explains antisemitic tropes and offers guidance tailored for Catholic audiences to strengthen understanding and solidarity.

 

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Preventing Antisemitism

Strong partnerships built before moments of tension help sustain trust and dialogue when disagreements arise. Reflecting this shared commitment, 92% of U.S. adults say it is important for Jewish communities and other religious and ethnic communities to increase cooperation with each other.

  • Celebrate Jewish culture and holidays: Simple gestures, like holiday greetings, are meaningful.
  • Normalize visible acts of solidarity: Public expressions of support—such as attending Jewish community events, issuing joint statements, or participating in symbolic acts of solidarity—help reinforce norms of mutual protection across communities. When people visibly stand with Jewish neighbors, it sends a clear message that attacks on one community will not be tolerated by the broader society.
  • Support community safety awareness: Interreligious and intergroup partners can help strengthen local resilience by participating in community security briefings, supporting partnerships between civil society and law enforcement, and knowing how antisemitic threats—including those inspired or supported by foreign actors—can affect local communities. Community partners should also be familiar with security awareness trainings and clear reporting channels when concerning activity arises.
  • Partner on advocacy: Host briefings, support coalition caucuses (e.g., Black-Jewish, Latino-Jewish), and organize joint educational events to address shared challenges. Partnering on shared civic, educational, or service initiatives also build trust beyond moments of crisis.
  • Stay vigilant against early indicators of violence: Awareness of warning signs—such as isolation, exposure to trauma, escalating grievance narratives, or fixation on past violent extremists or attacks— can help communities intervene constructively before harm occurs.
  • Maintain dialogue and demonstrate solidarity during conflict: Relationships built only during easy times are fragile. Support for Jewish communities should be sustained and principled, not conditioned on political or ideological agreement. Even during periods of tension, grief, or disagreement, maintaining respectful communication, human connection, and shared commitments to pluralism helps preserve trust and strengthen long-term partnerships.

 

Best Practice: Moving from Alliance to Joint Advocacy

AJC and the Muslim Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) together helped secure passage of the Jabara‑Heyer NO HATE Act. Leveraging their combined networks, expertise, and community influence, AJC and MJAC advocated for stronger hate‑crime reporting, data collection, and prevention measures by engaging lawmakers, mobilizing grassroots support, and building broad coalitions. Their collaboration underscored shared concerns about antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bias, helping to elevate the legislation’s urgency and bipartisan appeal in Congress.

 

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Key Resources

Educational Resources

Practical Resources

 

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