New York, NY, December 13, 2022 – Yesterday, President Biden announced the establishment of a new White House initiative; an Inter-agency Group to Counter Antisemitism. In response to this welcomed and necessary move, the American Jewish Congress applauds and thanks the President for his leadership. We look forward to assisting this new edge of the U.S. Government in their efforts to counter antisemitism and prevent antisemitic attacks.
In the last few years, targeted attacks against the Jewish people, both at home and abroad, have seen a record rise. With the stated goal of developing a national strategy to counter antisemitism, the inter-agency group would provide our decision-makers with a concerted and comprehensive plan on how to best share information, coordinate and act to combat this systemic threat to millions of Americans and stop hate in its tracks.
Our communities can no longer afford a method of “wait and see.” Instead, action is required to safeguard Jewish Americans – and the establishment of this new White House entity is a fundamental step in that direction. At this particular moment, it is also essential to recognize how antisemitism is perpetrated today, as it has often taken shape in the arena of social media, differing from how it has before. Furthermore, this group can serve as a direct supporting entity to assist local and state-wide law enforcement efforts, in their fight to ensure that the fires of antisemitism are extinguished with haste.
President Biden’s commitment to defending the Jewish People is and has always been profound, and the creation of this group is a further testament to that fact. The American Jewish Congress looks forward to working with the inter-agency group on this important fight.