Our Current Moment
What does it mean to fight antisemitism in our current moment?
What do the abductions of students, the attacks on progressive politicians, withholding funding for universities, and the silencing of free speech on campuses have in common? All have been justified in the name of fighting antisemitism.
Make no mistake, addressing antisemitism is essential. It must be done with care, reflecting the diversity of all Jewish people and within a framework that embraces equity and inclusion for all. False accusations of antisemitism are used as a weapon to silence and erase Palestinians and to divide Jewish people from other marginalized communities for political ends.
What we are witnessing across the country is a surge in proposed policies and laws that claim to address antisemitism while actually opening the door to repression and criminalization of Palestinians, free speech and the right to assembly. This emphasis on fighting antisemitism has narrowed in focus on definitions of antisemitism that conflate criticism of Israel, Israeli policies, or of US support for Israeli policies–or even merely advocating for Palestinian life– with hatred of Jews.
The result is a national campaign that claims that support for Palestine is grounded in a hatred of Jewish people and must be curtailed.
An alarming example is Project Esther: A National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, a policy proposal produced by Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind the infamous Project 2025. While purporting to combat antisemitism, the goal of this “national strategy” is the dismantling of the Palestine solidarity movement through a total conflation of support for Palestine with false accusations of terrorism and antisemitism. According to the New York Times, since Trump’s inauguration in January, “the White House and other Republicans have called for actions that appear to mirror more than half of Project Esther’s proposals.” Project Esther not only is a threat to Palestinian and Jewish safety, it chastises American Jews for not aligning with their views.
The main goal: enforcing unconditional support for Israel in US foreign policy by controlling education and criminalizing advocacy for just and peaceful US policies.
The message: Jewish safety lies in the protection offered by white Christian nationalists, who, for their own reasons, are a major force behind US support for Israel (cloaked as concern for Jews).
We must take a different approach to fighting antisemitism here in the Commonwealth, one that ties the fight against antisemitism to a vision of safety and equal rights for all.
Currently, the body tasked with responding to antisemitism in the state of Massachusetts, is the Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism (“the Commission”).
While some members of this Commission have asserted their commitment to civil rights and freedom of speech, other commissioners have discussed the possibility of limiting first amendment rights when it comes to combating antisemitism, have consistently conflated antizionism and antisemitism, and have repeatedly defended the use of the controversial IHRA working definition of antisemitism, one which scores of experts have stated poses a risk to academic freedom and freedom of speech.
The IHRA definition and other partisan positions taken up by some members of the Commission reflect only a portion of the Jewish community, while marginalizing and silencing others who are equally alarmed by antisemitism. While the Commission was formed before Trump took office, it is concerning that these positions echo the cynical weaponization of antisemitism by the federal government.
Together for An Inclusive Massachusetts (TIM) believes that the best way to create safety for Jews is to include the work of combating antisemitism as part of broader racial equity and social justice efforts rather than addressing antisemitism in a silo, apart from other forms of oppression. We view a solidarity framework that recognizes the commonality between Jewish, Palestinian, Arab, Black, Brown and other targeted communities as our best weapon in fighting all forms of racism and bigotry. We believe that antisemitism cannot be addressed without confronting white supremacy and Christian nationalism embedded in the highest levels of government and the economy. We believe that peaceful protest against actions or policies of any state, including the U.S. or Israel, is a fundamental constitutionally-protected right and no educational or other policy should penalize it. We see free speech as under threat from multiple forces at this time and we believe in the right of citizens of the Commonwealth to exercise that right, including criticism of political ideologies and nation states.