Friend,

Right now, legislators are trying to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA), a deceptively-named bill that claims to fight antisemitism while actually endangering Jewish people, our allies, and our democracy.¹ 

Trump and MAGA want to deflect from their own use of antisemitism, while using the false promise of Jewish safety to attack their political opponents and our freedoms. For example, just this week, Senate Republicans amended the AAA to protect the rights of Conservative Christians to spread the antisemitic idea that "Jews killed Jesus" — to a bill that’s supposed to fight antisemitism!^2,3 

This bill is intentionally confusing. That’s why we’re hosting a call next week to get you up to speed on the AAA and how we can fight it together.

Deceptive & Dangerous: What is the Antisemitism Awareness Act?
Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30pm ET on Zoom
— featuring —
➡️ Michael Lieberman,
Senior Policy Counsel for Hate and Extremism,
Southern Poverty Law Center
➡️ Two professors of Holocaust and Jewish Studies

We need to organize quickly to stop this bill, including in states that are trying to pass statewide versions of the AAA.⁴ 

On the call, we'll gather as Jews and allies to learn what the Antisemitism Awareness Act is, why it’s dangerous for our movements, how to take action to fight it, and a solidarity-based vision for how to truly fight antisemitism.

As Jews — the people AAA claims to protect — we must see this bill for what it really is: another tool that would allow the Trump administration to use antisemitism as a smokescreen for their authoritarian agenda. 

The first step is joining our call to learn more and take action. Register here for Deceptive & Dangerous: What is the Antisemitism Awareness Act? next week on Wednesday, May 7.

Let’s show that we won’t settle for cynical attempts to fight antisemitism that threaten Jewish people, our multiracial movement for justice, and our democracy. 

In solidarity,

Jillian Lipman 
Antisemitism Campaign Manager, Bend the Arc

PS: You can take action before the call! Use our easy tool to email your members of Congress, urging them to oppose the AAA.

Sources:
1. Statement: Why Bend the Arc: Jewish Action opposes the Antisemitism Awareness Act (S. 558), Bend the Arc
2. Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements, Forward
3. A last-minute GOP amendment to an antisemitism bill is a blatant giveaway, MSNBC
4. First Amendment attorneys say Ohio bill aimed at curbing antisemitism may infringe on rights, WBNS

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