National Council of Jewish Women

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Framing antisemitism

As an organization with over 250,000 diverse advocates around the country, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) represents people of many different racial, ethnic, national, and cultural backgrounds. Together, we have been fighting toxic structures of systemic hate for generations. We have responded as allies, in coalitions, and by helping pass legislation and policies that protect and support communities targeted by hate.

NCJW works to uphold the value of kavod habriyot, respect and dignity for all human beings. We know that protecting our own and other communities from hate is integral to our mission of creating a world where every person is free to live with dignity and in safety. Antisemitism has skyrocketed in recent years, showing up in our schools, synagogues, and places of work, harming Jewish communities locally and around the world. It is critical NCJW also speak out and stand up for our own Jewish community and help lead the fight against this form of hate — as we do for other forms. It is important to create safety for our own communities, because we know that fighting one form of hate is linked to the fight for the safety and well-being of all communities.

In order to fight against antisemitism, we need a shared definition of what antisemitism is. This page is meant to provide you with NCJW’s definition, along with information about the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition that we support as an educational and training tool, and resources to guide NCJW advocates and NCJW sections as you continue your work for a world that is safe and equitable for all.

 NCJW’s definition of antisemitism

Antisemitism is a dehumanizing form of oppression that is hostile toward Jewish people because of their Jewish identity. It is systemic oppression that can take many forms, such as stereotypes and myths about Jews, false conspiracy theories, Holocaust denial, religious intolerance, overt discrimination, physical violence, destruction of Jewish communal spaces and monuments, blaming societal problems on the Jewish people, and holding individual Jewish people accountable for governmental affairs, domestic or foreign.

NCJW affirms that:

  • We are a multi-racial, multi-ethnic Jewish community, made up of individuals who have a range of relationships to power, privilege, and oppression. We strive to understand antisemitism in a broader analysis of intersectionality, structural power, and white supremacy. (Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, the law professor at Columbia and UCLA who coined the term intersectionality, describes it as a lens, or a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. Many Jews hold intersecting marginalized identities, which often impact their experience and response to issues facing the Jewish community.)
  • The ways in which antisemitism manifests and functions today originated in medieval Christian Europe; then, as now, antisemitism often functions to uphold existing power dynamics by diverting blame for diseases, economic hardship, and other societal problems away from those in positions of power and instead place it onto the Jewish people.
  • The Talmud teaches us that we are all responsible for one another (Talmud Shavuot 39a). Therefore, we have a responsibility to speak up when we witness antisemitism by Jews or non-Jews and to work on the ways in which we have, individually and communally, internalized antisemitic tropes and beliefs.
  • Antisemitism must be eradicated in all its forms, be it from the left, right, or center. While we must address antisemitism that comes from any political orientations, antisemitism from the far right in the United States causes more bodily harm and serious damage than other forms in the present moment.
  • There is room for challenging conversation and debate around Israel — we hold true that criticism of Israel and anti-Zionism are not inherently antisemitic. We recognize that the specter of antisemitism has, too frequently, been used at a wedge issue to attempt to divide the Jewish community from other marginalized groups.
  • We also recognize that Jewish people are often held to different standards than their non-Jewish counterparts with regards to their relationships to and opinions on Israel, particularly in spaces that do not involve work on Israel. Holding Jews to political standards not otherwise required for non-Jewish people in the same space is deeply misinformed and damaging. We seek to build relationships, coalitions, and communities where Jewish people can fully participate as their authentic selves without fear of backlash due to real or perceived relationships to Israel. We also affirm the importance of building coalitions across lines of difference and know that asking that non-Jewish partners, or even Jewish partners, have the same relationships to Israel as we do can be counterproductive.
  • Judaism believes that the commandment to love one’s neighbor includes holding people accountable as a necessary part of relationships of love, care, and connection. We endeavor to try to remain in a relationship with coalition partners who are still learning and growing in their understanding of antisemitism, and commit to supporting their growth and learning where we are able and when it is appropriate. Like all obstacles that come with being in a relationship with other people, situations like this are often messy and unclear. We look to each other for support in determining the best course of action in any given situation.
  • Fighting antisemitism is both a critical part of Jewish liberation and of the larger work of creating a world in which all people are free from oppression and hate. The Torah’s assertion that all people are created in the divine image (Genesis 1:27) obligates us to work towards a world that reflects this essential truth.

We remain committed to holding all of these truths together, in all of their complexity.

NCJW’s position on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition

NCJW supports the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition in full as a unified definition across countries and organizations, to be used as an educational tool only. We do not recommend this be codified into law or used to prohibit freedom of speech in any way.

Resources

NCJW believes in a world free from antisemitism in all its forms.

We know this work is messy, uncomfortable, and often difficult. It is with this reality that we offer the following resources to help NCJW leaders and advocates understand antisemitism within broader contexts. You’ll also find guidance on how to respond in the aftermath of an antisemitic incident in your community.

Here are things you can do proactively

Advocate

  • Tell members of Congress to pass the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act, to equip the federal government with the necessary tools, funding, and resources to dismantle antisemitism and protect Jewish communities from hate.
  • Urge lawmakers to pass the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act.  At a time when anti-Jewish hate crimes are at record high levels, this legislation will help protect all communities by making FBI hate crime data collection and reporting more comprehensive and accurate.
  • Support federal and state funding for anti-bias education for schools and bullying prevention initiatives.
  • Support federal and state efforts to teach the universal lessons of the Holocaust.
  • Advocate for other policies and funding that protect targeted communities and institutions, prevent hate-driven violence, build awareness, and support communities in addressing and responding to antisemitism and hate in all forms.

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