Brandeis Center Founder and Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus was a featured speaker during the Combat Antisemitism Movement’s May 2, 2023 online symposium: “A Winning Tool: How the IHRA Definition Has Transformed the Fight Against Antisemitism.”

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The event highlighted the vital importance of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism — and promoted its continued growth and implementation. Along with Chairman Marcus, the forum featured representatives of entities that have adopted the definition — from the U.S. (Representative Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey; Tennessee Governor Bill Lee) to Australia (Glen Eira City Councilmember Margaret Esakoff) to Europe (Vice President of the European Parliament Nicola Beer; Mayor of Tirana, Albania Erion Veliaj). These officials shared why they chose to adopt the IHRA Definition and how this positively impacted their work and society as a whole.

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Chairman Marcus spoke about how all U.S. colleges and universities are, in fact, bound by the IHRA Definition, whether or not they have chosen to formally adopt it. That is because higher education institutions that accept federal funding (which includes almost all U.S. colleges and universities) sign assurances that they will comply with applicable federal legislation, regulations, and executive orders. These include not only Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but also Executive Order 13899, which since 2019 has included the IHRA Definition (including its examples) and directs campus administrators to consider the definition when evaluating claims of anti-Semitic bias.

View Chairman Marcus’s address below.

In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, which is celebrated during the month of May, Brandeis Center Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus and President Alyza D. Lewin addressed a Congressional breakfast on Thursday, April 27th, sponsored by Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM). The bipartisan event sought to highlight the accomplishments of the American Jewish community while also bringing attention to a rise in anti-Semitism across the country. National leaders came together to discuss security threats against the Jewish community, interfaith relations, campus anti-Semitism, and implementation of the IHRA Working Definition.

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In a panel titled “Understanding Threats to Jewish-American Life: Challenges of Antisemitism Today,” Lewin spoke about the challenges the younger generation of Jewish Americans currently face. She explained how contemporary anti-Semitism has become pervasive on American university campuses, targeting Jewish students who have received little support from administrators. While university administrators can usually identify classic, traditional acts of anti-Semitism – such as swastikas being carved into Hillel buildings and mezuzahs being ripped down in dorm halls – they are unable to identify a more modern, insidious form of anti-Semitism which frequently manifests itself as anti-Zionism. University leaders mistakenly view anti-Zionism as a political issue that warrants no intervention. Unfortunately, Jewish students face civil rights abuses, as they are forced to hide their identity and stay silent or else face social and academic ramifications on campus. Lewin cited recent examples of students being penalized for their Jewish heritage: exclusion from a sexual assault support group at SUNY New Paltz, efforts to impeach a Zionist student body vice-president at USC, and passage of discriminatory bylaws by Berkeley Law School.

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Lewin explained how anti-Semitism has morphed over the years, necessitating immediate education for campus leaders. Without an understanding of how Israel is an integral part of a Jewish American’s ethnic, ancestral, cultural, and religious identity, those who are supposed to protect and promote students’ civil rights are left in the dark. Lewin stated, “What we really want is to make sure that Jews in America and around the world are able to celebrate our ancestral and ethnic heritage – freely and with pride. We should be able to fully engage in society without having to hide who we are.”

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In a panel titled “Implementing the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism: The Mainstream Tool to Combat Contemporary Antisemitism,” Marcus highlighted the benefits of having an internationally recognized, gold-standard definition of anti-Semitism. The IHRA Working Definition is the only internationally accepted definition of anti-Semitism, adopted by over 40 counties and by both Republican and Democrat administrations in the United States. Marcus cited the significant historical expertise that went into creating the Definition and the importance of being able to compare data across multiple jurisdictions. Having constancy, he explained, is crucial in the fight against Jew-hatred on both sides of the political spectrum.

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While the debate around IHRA adoption continues, Marcus pointed out that many institutions are already legally responsible for addressing certain anti-Semitic incidents as defined by IHRA under E.O. 13899. E.O. 13899 ensures the robust enforcement of Title VI by mandating all executive departments and agencies to consider the IHRA Working Definition and its “Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semitism.” For example, the IHRA Definition must be used as a means of evaluating alleged anti-Semitic conduct on university campuses. By using clear, plain language that any leader, political or academic, can follow, anti-Semitic attacks against Jewish Americans can be identified and remedied. Marcus said, “Where there’s a question of identifying what is and what is not anti-Semitism, there is no substitute for IHRA.”

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Marcus pointed out that in an era where American Jews should be celebrating their accomplishments in the United States Capitol, countless community leaders, organizations, and Congress members are forced instead to speak on the pressing issue of rising anti-Semitism. With May being Jewish American Heritage Month, the Brandeis Center commends the Counter Anti-Semitism Movement’s bipartisan efforts to defeat anti-Semitism.

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Congressional speakers included Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA), Rep. Tom Keane (R-NJ), Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KS), Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY). Other speakers included Former US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Elan Carr, CEO of B’nai B’rith International Dan Mariaschin, and Very Rev. Dr. Mark M. Morozowich.

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To watch Lewin’s full remarks, click here.

To watch Marcus’ full remarks, click here.

Last month, Arkansas became the 27th U.S. state to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The IHRA definition is often referred to as the “gold standard” for defining anti-Semitism, because it contains examples of contemporary anti-Semitism involving, including some that involve demonizing, delegitimizing or double standards against Israel.

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Virginia’s legislature also voted to adopt the IHRA definition month, including its contemporary examples. VA Governor Youngkin, who signed an executive order adopting the IHRA definition last year, praised the move and announced his intention to sign the bill into law: “Hate has no place in the Commonwealth and I’m proud to take continued steps to fight anti-Semitism. I am truly inspired by the devotion shown to transform what started as an idea into a law that will change how we combat anti-Semitism in the Commonwealth. I want to thank everyone who poured their heart and soul into seeing this bill pass.”

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At the moment, there are efforts to have the IHRA definition adopted by state legislatures in New Jersey, Georgia and Indiana. According to the Combat Antisemitism Movement’s (CAM) 2022 IHRA working definition of antisemitism Adoptions and Endorsements Report, 18 U.S. states adopted IHRA via legislation or executive actions in 2022.

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Earlier this year, two counties on opposite ends of the U.S. – Westchester, NY, and Snohomish, WA – adopted IHRA. And Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo Andre Tinoco expressed his government’s intention to “soon adopt the definition of international anti-Semitism.” The IHRA adoption movement passed a major milestone earlier this year when the 1,100th institution adopted the definition. These developments are indicative of the international momentum to define anti-Semitism – a precursor to combating it – as it increases worldwide.

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“Successive United States administrations of both political stripes have embraced the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s legally nonbinding working definition of antisemitism, including its examples,” declared Deputy Special Envoy to Combat and Monitor Antisemitism, Aaron Keyak at a recent international event. “We encourage all participating States that have not yet embraced the working definition to do so and to put it into practice.”

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The IHRA definition has been adopted or endorsed by more than 1,100 governments, institutions, and organizations – including the U.S. Departments of State, Education, and Justice – as well as the governments of more than 40 countries, the European Union, and the United Nations. The IHRA Definition has been supported by both Republican and Democrat presidential administrations.

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“Defining anti-Semitism…is an important [task], not only because definitional clarity is required for the term to be understood, but also because conceptional sophistication is needed for the…problem to be resolved,” writes Brandeis Center Founder and Chairman Kenneth L. Marcus in his book, ‘The Definition of Anti-Semitism.’”

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“The Louis D. Brandeis Center FAQs About Defining Anti-Semitism” fact sheet offers insight on the importance of defining anti-Semitism, discusses the IHRA Definition, and provides guidance on what further steps are needed to utilize this definition. For example, while the IHRA Definition is not legally binding in and of itself, in the U.S., Executive Order 13899, “makes the IHRA Definition a legally binding part of federal anti-discrimination law, in that federal agencies are required to consider the IHRA Definition in determining whether recipients of federal funds (such as institutions of higher education) are in violation of federal law.”

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The IHRA definition provides a clear and widely accepted definition of anti-Semitism, which can help institutions and organizations more effectively identify and combat anti-Semitic behavior. This is especially important for recognizing the many forms anti-Semitism can take. Adopting the IHRA definition sends a message that institutions and organizations take the issue of anti-Semitism seriously and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.

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This tidal wave of support serves as a landmark and reminder that support for the definition transcends the political and ideological spectrums. It is a unified stance against Jewish hate.

At last week’s virtual Central America Forum for Israel conference, U.S. Senators James Lankford and Jacky Rosen – co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism – called for a wider adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism in combatting surging global Jew-hatred.

The Central America Forum for Israel — hosted by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and Center for Jewish Impact, in partnership with the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala, the Guatemala-Israel Friendship League, and the Jewish Community of Guatemala — brought together top leaders from across Central America to reject Jew-hatred and unite in a powerful show of allyship with Israel. Participants included senior parliamentarians, religious leaders, and communal figures from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Nicaragua, the United States, and Israel. The forum marked the third anniversary of the proclamation of Guatemala’s Israel Friendship Law.

In his remarks, Senator Lankford noted the progress the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism has made domestically in recent years and further recognized that “we still have a very long way to go, including in our own government, where our State Department has recognized the definition, but we don’t have recognition from other agencies.”

In her own speech, Senator Rosen similarly celebrated the Task Force’s May resolution, which calls on leaders to publicly denounce antisemitism and take specific steps to address and prevent it, including, “fully funding Holocaust education, protecting Jewish institutions from violence, and nominating a qualified ambassador to monitor and combat anti-Semitism.” She highlighted the resolution’s unanimous Senate approval and emphasized the importance of continuing this show of solidarity for the Jewish community – both domestically and internationally – through the widespread adoption of the IHRA working definition. Furthermore, Senator Rosen applauded Guatemala’s recent recognition of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

Watch the full event here.