Washington, D.C. — The surge in antisemitism seen in America today threatens the Jewish community and poses a wider threat to the nation’s democracy, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress that calls for increased efforts to combat it.
The report embraces a whole-of-society approach to combating antisemitism and builds on the important work of the 2023 U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. As that strategy made clear, antisemitism must be confronted head on, with increased education about the dangers of antisemitism and a clear recognition that it is a form of hate.
But efforts to fight antisemitism must not be used as a subterfuge for trampling on the freedoms and rights of others, the report warns. The Trump administration has targeted universities over unrelated ideological goals that go far beyond complaints around antisemitism and the safety of Jewish students. This effort cannot be used as a pretext to attack civil rights programs, eliminate transgender rights, or attack the political ideology of faculty and students.
The report offers seven recommendations that expand or build upon the comprehensive recommendations included in the National Strategy:
- Expand education around the Holocaust, Jewish history, and antisemitism.
- Prohibit the banning of books, including nonfiction or fiction books about the Holocaust, for political reasons.
- Expand antisemitism training for federal law enforcement, the military, and veterans.
- Codify the applicability of Title VI to antisemitism and prescribe a clear process and penalties for educational institutions that fail to take adequate action to protect their students.
- Ensure the full funding of hate crimes programs, including those designed to better collect data.
- Promote accountability on digital platforms and digital tools and strengthen digital literacy programs in K–12 schools.
- Partner across ideological divides to consistently and quickly condemn antisemitic acts.
Read the report: “7 Policy Recommendations for Combating Antisemitism in the United States” by Ben Olinsky
For more information, or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].