Weekly Column: We Must Combat Antisemitism In All Its Forms

The October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel represented the greatest single-day loss of life for the Jewish community since the Holocaust.  Although most of the world rightly condemned these horrific acts against innocent civilians, antisemitic violence and harassment have, unfortunately, unfolded in communities across our country.  The heinous murder of two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, D.C., and the antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, are two of the most recent heartbreaking reminders we must be ever-vigilant in combating antisemitism.  Antisemitism has no place in our society.  We must stand united against hate in all its forms and work tirelessly to protect all communities.

As part of this effort, Congress must use every tool at its disposal to ensure Jewish Americans can live free from the threat of harassment and violence.  In May, the Senate unanimously passed S. Res. 246 recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism.  Fellow U.S. Senator for Idaho Jim Risch and I are original co-sponsors of this resolution underscoring the Senate’s shared commitment with presidents past and present to recognizing Jewish Heritage and the contributions of the Jewish people to the culture and history of the United States.  The resolution contains a number of forthright acknowledgements, including:

• The United States has long served as a haven for Jewish people escaping oppression in search of liberty, justice and tolerance;

• Jewish Americans have established deep roots in communities across the United States and served their neighbors and the United States as loyal and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that the United States has provided them;

• The Jewish-American community has grown to over 6 million people, representing approximately two percent of the population of the United States in 2024;

• Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, won Nobel prizes, led universities and corporations, advanced medicine and philanthropy, created and performed in enduring works of performing and visual art, written great novels, become emblems of justice and members of the Supreme Court, and so much more; and

• Since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitism in the United States has reached record highs with incidents targeting Jews and those who are perceived as Jewish.

Importantly, through its unanimous passage of the resolution, the Senate has unequivocally reaffirmed the Senate “takes all possible steps to ensure the safety, security, and dignity of American Jews in all aspects of their lives, including at the workplace, college and university campuses, synagogues, and home.” 

In addition to this recent resolution, I have joined my Republican colleagues in sending letters to federal agencies to address documented instances of harassment, vandalism and other discriminatory acts against Jewish students on college campuses, in K-12 schools and elsewhere.  I have also co-led and co-sponsored many other pieces of legislation to protect Jewish Americans.  This includes co-introduction of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism.  In doing so, this legislation would ensure the Department has a clear definition of antisemitism when determining whether an antisemitic incident on campus crosses the line from free speech into harassing, unlawful or discriminatory conduct.

My heart goes out to the families of those victimized by antisemitic violence, as I stand with the Jewish community, my colleagues in the Senate and others united against hate in all its forms.  I remain committed to ensuring communities have the backing needed to counter violent extremism and hate crimes.

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