Statement on Reintroduction of the Antisemitism Awareness Act

February 6, 2025- New Jewish Narrative (NJN) is dismayed to see the Antisemitism Awareness Act reintroduced in Congress and urges Members to oppose this dangerous and unhelpful measure. This misguided bill would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, which conflates legitimate criticism of the policies and actions of the Israeli government with antisemitism. The lead drafter of IHRA, Kenneth Stern, has warned against its codification and use as a cudgel against the millions of Americans, including many Jewish Americans, who object to the Netanyahu government’s decisions and actions. 

Last month, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order claiming to address antisemitism on college campuses. However, this order was accompanied by a fact sheet that revealed a deeply concerning desire to weaponize accusations of antisemitism as a tool to suppress free speech that the administration opposes. This is not the first time that President Trump and his administration have hinted at reprisals for political opponents. At a time when the Trump Administration has repeatedly indicated their wish to penalize individuals for dissenting political opinions, the passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act would give further fuel to these efforts. 

NJN President and CEO Hadar Susskind said: “Antisemitism in the United States is a very real and very serious problem. And the need for a robust response to combat it is unquestionable. But the IHRA definition and the Antisemitism Awareness Act aren’t it. Instead, they undermine the fight against antisemitism and threaten free speech and open discourse. The people pushing this will tell you why. They want to use it as a tool to silence opposition to the Netanyahu government and its actions. Believe them when they tell you what it is they are doing.”