There is no need to review here the horrors of what American Jews have been experiencing and witnessing in recent years and particularly these past few days. Wanton violence and hateful epithets have deeply wounded us, and some are fearful even to walk outside with their children. Why? Simply because they are Jewish.
We are thankful to President Biden and Vice President Harris, and many elected officials on both sides of the aisle, for speaking out and condemning these antisemitic attacks. Agudath Israel and other Jewish groups have reached out and met with White House officials and congressional leadership to discuss steps that can be taken to help address the problem.
These include, among others:
- Continuing to call upon our national leaders to loudly, clearly and unequivocally condemn vile antisemitic violence and rhetoric;
- Urging increased protection for nonprofits – including shuls, yeshivas, and community institutions – by boosting the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $360 million.
- Providing the Departments of Justice and other agencies the full resources they need in regard to reporting, preventing and responding to antisemitic and other hate crimes.
- Strengthening the language and enforcement of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, to combat certain zoning laws, which have too-often been used as an antisemitic tool to keep Orthodox Jews and their institutions our of towns and neighborhoods.
- Supporting the appointment of the congressionally-created State Department position of Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism to address antisemitic attacks on a global level.
We need to communicate these priorities in the fight against antisemitism to our Senators and Representatives as soon as possible. Please go to Agudah.org/
