Bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act (S. 558) Considered by Congress

On February 13, 2025, the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act (S. 558) was re-introduced in Congress  by sponsor Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) to require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws. On April 30, 2025, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Committee held a mark up session. The legislation is co-sponsored by 41 Representatives, and endorsed by: ADL (Anti-Defamation League), American Jewish Committee (AJC), Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations (COP), Christians United for Israel (CUFI), Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), National Jewish Advocacy Center, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Hadassah, The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, and B’nai B’rith. 

On May 2, 2025, the Interfaith Alliance announced its opposition to the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA). The Alliance stated that the AAA "would needlessly stifle political free speech and empower the administration’s repressive agenda." The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), American Muslims for Palestine, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Center for Constitutional Rights, Defending Rights and Dissent, Jewish Voice for Peace, National Lawyers Guild, Palestine Legal, and US Campaign for Palestinian Rights also oppose the Act.

On February 5, 2025, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) applauded the re-introduction of the Act. The bipartisan bill, reintroduced in Congress by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) will ensure the Department of Education has a  clear framework for identifying and addressing antisemitic discrimination, particularly on college and university campuses. “As ADL data shows, antisemitism is at crisis levels in the U.S., creating the urgent need for decisive action,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. “The Antisemitism Awareness Act makes clear that antisemitism, including anti-Zionist harassment, has no place in our schools or society and, importantly, reinforces the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism as a critical tool for the U.S. Department of Education. We urge Congress to act swiftly and send a powerful message that combating antisemitism remains a national priority and deeply appreciate the efforts by Reps. Mike Lawler, Josh Gottheimer, Max Miller, and Jared Moskowitz and Sens. Tim Scott and Jacky Rosen to quickly reintroduce this bipartisan bill.”

The AAA would broaden the definition of antisemitism, essentially by defining anti-Zionism as antisemitic for the purposes of civil rights law. The IHRA definition underscores that antisemitism includes denying Jewish self-determination to their ancestral homeland of Israel, holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel, and applying double standards to Israel. The IHRA definition is the most widely recognized definition of antisemitism in the world, having been adopted by more than 40 countries and 35 states across the United States. The bipartisan legislation also provides clear protections for the First Amendment.

Last Congress, the Antisemitism Awareness Act overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 320-91. The Senate subsequently did not consider the legislation. On November 14, 2024, the ACLU urged senators to reject the Act because it would "censor political speech critical of Israel on college campuses under the guise of addressing antisemitism."

“Since the heinous October 7th attacks on Israel, we have seen an explosion of antisemitic violence and intimidation on college campuses and in communities across New Jersey and the nation. Far too many in our community no longer feel safe in their own homes or classrooms,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “That’s why I’m reintroducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which will give state officials and law enforcement a clear framework for identifying and addressing antisemitism to hold harassers accountable. Our bipartisan bill adopts the most widely recognized definition of antisemitism in the world, already used by more than 40 countries and 35 states. Hate and discrimination have no place in New Jersey or the country, and we must act now to protect our Jewish students and families from threats, intimidation, and violence.”

“With Jewish college students still facing unprecedented levels of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and violence, the need for the Antisemitism Awareness Act remains as urgent as when it was first introduced. CAM has proudly supported the bill from the start, and we commend Representative Lawler for his dogged commitment to seeing the legislative process to the finish and Speaker Johnson for his strong leadership in the fight against rising antisemitism. We urge the new Congress to prioritize rapid passage of the act, and look forward to seeing its positive impact on campuses across the United States,” said the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).

“Hadassah is proud to support the Antisemitism Awareness Act and believes that the Department of Education should leverage the widely used and respected International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws. Antisemitism has reached alarming heights and is impacting the lives of Jews young and old. In Hadassah’s recent report, From Fear to Resilience: Women Facing Antisemitism, Jewish women shared stories of how antisemitism is making them feel unsafe and prompting them to drop out of school. We applaud Representatives Lawler, Gottheimer, Miller and Moskowitz for their bipartisan leadership in fighting hatred. We urge Congress to pass this critical legislation,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, National President of Hadassah.

‘We commend Congressman Gottheimer for introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which will help states like New Jersey align with more than 35 other states in adopting a clear, uniform definition of antisemitism. Without this standard, institutions and individuals can evade accountability for fostering hostile environments that target Jews based on their beliefs, values, practices, or heritage. This legislation is a crucial step in ensuring a consistent and effective approach to identifying, addressing, and preventing antisemitism,” said Jason M. Shames, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

Read the Congress.gov summary of the Act.

Read the May 2, 2025 Interfaith Alliance article.

Read the November 14, 2024 ACLU letter opposing the Act.

FBI 2023 Crime in the Nation Statistics Find Hate Crime Incidents Reached a Record High of 11,862 - 15% were Anti-Jewish

 

The FBI just released detailed data on over 14 million criminal offenses for 2023 reported to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program by participating law enforcement agencies. Over 16,000 state, county, city, university and college, and tribal agencies, covering a combined population of 94.3% inhabitants, submitted data to the UCR Program through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the Summary Reporting System.

The data reveals that reported hate crime incidents were a new high of 11,862 in 2023. Although Jews only make up around 2% of the U.S. population, reported single-bias anti-Jewish hate crimes were 15% of all hate crimes reported and 68% of all reported religion-based hate crimes. Hate crimes were defined as offenses being motivated by bias toward race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.  

The FBI’s crime statistics estimates, based on reported data for 2023, show that national violent crime decreased an estimated 3.0% in 2023 compared to 2022:  

• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter recorded a 2023 estimated nationwide decrease of 11.6% compared to 2022.  
• In 2023, the estimated number of offenses in the revised rape category saw an estimated 9.4% decrease.  
• Aggravated assault decreased an estimated 2.8% in 2023. 
• Robbery decreased 0.3% nationally.  

To publish a national trend, the FBI’s UCR Program used a dataset of reported hate crime incidents and zero reports submitted by agencies reporting six or more common months or two or more common quarters (six months) of hate crime data to the FBI UCR Program for 2022 and 2023. According to this dataset, reported hate crime incidents decreased 0.6% from 10,687 in 2022 to 10,627 in 2023.  

The complete analysis is located on the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.

Read the September 23, 2024 FBI article.

Police investigate antisemitic graffiti found at Bethesda school

Montgomery County police are investigating antisemitic graffiti discovered at Bethesda Elementary School on August 11th. The school’s marquee sign was defaced with a statement: “Israel rapes men, women and children,” in red spray paint. The nearby crosswalk and sidewalk also were painted with similar statements and “Free Gaza,” as was a nearby building in the 4900 block of Del Ray Avenue. Authorities were investigating the incident as a bias-related crime.

Several families with young children saw the graffiti while going to the market located there on Sundays, said Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Siegel said the farmers market is owned by a Jewish person and located in a neighborhood with several synagogues nearby. A few families with young children, and the Bethesda Urban Partnership helped to clean up the vandalism.

Thomas Taylor, superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, called the incident horrifying, adding that he was grateful for the volunteers who cleaned up the vandalism. He said that the school district is partnering with organizations to train staff on how to address hate and bias in the classroom, which he said “will ultimately have a ripple effect in the community and spread to our community.”

Read the August 12, 2024 Washington Post article.

Baltimore Mayor and Police Commissioner Release Statements Condemning Recent Antisemitic Incidents

Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley released the following statements condemning recent antisemitic incidents that occurred in Baltimore City. Mayor Brandon M. Scott said:

“These recent incidents are a horrifying display of hate and simply will not be tolerated in the City of Baltimore. Our Baltimore Jewish community has endured violence, vandalism, and other acts of hate that only seek to intimidate and threaten. To those individuals who are responsible, we only have one message: these antisemitic acts are despicable, and you will be held accountable. We stand with those victims who have endured these acts and with the broader Jewish community who are deeply impacted by the concerning rise in these types of incidents. I have confidence that through BPD’s investigations, the perpetrators will be found and held responsible for their hateful actions.”

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said:

“Our Department has witnessed an alarming increase of hate crimes towards our Jewish community, to include antisemitism speech, vandalism, intimidation and even violence. We will not tolerate any form of hate, towards any community or any person in our city. I remain resolute that the BPD will investigate all acts of hate, intimidation or violence towards anyone or any community. Any individual found to be responsible will and must be held accountable, and we will work with our local, state and federal partners to pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law for these incidents.

"We know that hate crimes have a larger impact than just a singular offense, and its impact is felt by not only the victim(s), but also by their loved-ones and community. BPD will continue to support the victims and stand with communities against hate and harassment in all forms, towards anyone.”

Last week, WBFF, a Fox affiliate in Baltimore, reported that “Baltimore’s Jewish community is struggling with a soaring number of antisemitic acts.” As reported on June 29th, hate-filled symbols and offensive graffiti  - yellow and black swastikas alongside profanity - were discovered spray-painted on the pavement of Fordham Court in northwest Baltimore, a street known for its Jewish residents, with the abhorrent messages targeting the heart of the community. The street the spray paint was found on has 10 homes and houses many Jewish residents. The act has been universally condemned by community leaders and advocates, such as Baltimore City Councilmember Issac "Yitzy" Schleifer, who has spoken out on social media against the defacement of his district. Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, expressed his dismay at the hate crime, lamenting the emotional toll on the families directly affected.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number of antisemitic incidents tripled in 2023 compared to the previous year. Most of the incidents involved harassment, vandalism, and assault. The number of incidents climbed following Hamas' October attack on Israel.

Read the June 27, 2024 City of Baltimore release.

Read the June 29, 2024 Hoodline Baltimore article.

Read the June 27, 2024 WBAL-TV article.