Conference of Presidents calls for zero tolerance in the face of increased anti-Semitism

NEW YORK — Arthur Stark, chairman; William Daroff, CEO; and Malcolm Hoenlein, vice chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement:

“We are outraged by recent instances of blatant anti-Semitism in America, many of which manifest in actions by anti-Israel individuals and organizations seeking to co-opt the national reckoning with racial inequity. By taking advantage of the increased media spotlight on social justice they seek to spread their bigoted messages of hatred toward the Jewish people. To make matters worse, this comes at a time when Jews are already experiencing sharply increased anti-Semitism in the U.S. and abroad, including being scapegoated by extremists looking to place blame for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The horrific acts of hate-filled vandalism, destruction of property, and flagrant expressions of Jew-hatred, including baseless charges reminiscent of age-old canards such as the blood libel, directly threaten the safety and security of the American Jewish community. While it is clear that those perpetrating these acts are a tiny minority whose views are rejected by the vast majority of Americans, we are nonetheless profoundly disturbed by this surge in pronouncements of Jew-hatred.

Also troubling is the anti-Semitism and hate that continues to pervade social media. Recent vitriol from high profile personalities, some spreading the racist bigotry of Louis Farrakhan, is abhorrent and unacceptable. Those who have influence should not be trafficking in or tolerating the promotion of Jew-hatred, but rather should be vociferously condemning it.

No group should have to suffer indignities, threats, and acts of violence. Every American must forcefully reject this dangerous incitement and denounce these calls for bigotry.

We cannot and must not stand for this. The deplorable increase in anti-Semitism is unacceptable on all levels; as a society we must commit ourselves to having zero tolerance for its acceptance. When anti-Semitism rears its ugly head, there must be action from all levels of government and all sectors of society to counter it. The security of our communities and our institutions must be paramount. There must be a meaningful response from non-Jewish leaders who can galvanize action. We should not be alone in the fight against the world’s oldest hatred, in America or elsewhere. We must join together to combat pernicious efforts to divide, to denigrate, and to discriminate; working together we must eliminate this threat to our society, our country, and our communities.”