Press Release

Sarah Stern

(202) 601-7422

[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

February 6, 2025

EMET Wholeheartedly Endorses the Bipartisan Introduction of the Antisemitism Awareness Act

The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) would like to express its profound gratitude to Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-R), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-D), Max Miller (OH-R), Jared Moskowitz (FL-D), Don Bacon (R-NE), Brad Schneider (IL-D), David Kustoff (TN-R), Brad Sherman (CA-D) and freshman Laura Gillen (NY-D) for introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA). EMET has been honored to have supported the AAA since its inception. Our Founder and President Sarah Stern is proud to have spoken at the introduction of the bill. We are grateful in advance and looking forward to Senators Tim Scott (FL-R) and Jacky Rosen (NV-D) introducing the bill in the Senate.

The AAA puts for consideration the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) of antisemitism for use when assessing acts of antisemitism in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act on college campuses. The IHRA definition is the premier definition of antisemitism and is supported by a vast majority of the Jewish community. What separates the IHRA definition from other definitions is that it also includes antisemitism thinly masquerading as anti-Zionism. EMET’s position of this issue is clear – anti-Zionism IS antisemitism.

Said Sarah Stern at the introduction of the bill, “Across the United States, particularly since October 7, 2023, Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli students have been under increasing assault. Across our nation, these students, in practically every university, have been verbally, and sometimes physically, threatened, bullied, and intimidated. Many of our students have been excluded from certain clubs, events, or social groups, simply because of their Jewish identities, or their connections to the land of Israel. Last year, according to the ADL, over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the US were reported in 2024, the highest amount ever recorded in a single year since 1979. Many students have felt forced to hide their Jewish identities. No one should be forced to conceal who they are, at their very core. When one is feeling that he or she is in a hostile environment and is feeling intimidated, bullied, or threatened, simply for walking across the campus or the quad, how can these students be
amenable to classroom instruction? We need to offer our Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli students the very same protections as any other minority group in the United States. That is why we wholeheartedly endorse the Antisemitism Awareness Act.”

EMET has been working for years to ensure that our Jewish and Zionist students receive the same protections under the Constitution as any other minority group. We would not allow any other group to be singled out for abuse in this manner. We all believe in the First Amendment, however, when it comes to this sort of intimidation and threats of personal safety for our students, we must draw the line. Our nation’s universities are supposed to be safe places for learning for all our students.

The definition of antisemitism, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an indispensable tool that will help university administrators appreciate the distinction between free speech and an assault on one’s very identity.

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