30 No. 72 JUSTICE antisemitism and is one of the most extensive antisemitism strategies globally to date. What makes the U.S. plan different from similar plans abroad is its whole-of-society approach: countering antisemitism is everyone’s responsibility. The strategy explains that antisemitism “undermines our democracy and erodes trust in government, social institutions, and the basic values of our society. Antisemitism is not only a threat to Jewish Americans; it is a threat to all of us.”22 While the strategy is the first U.S. government plan focused on a specific form of hate and bias, it is also meant to serve “as a blueprint for tackling other forms of bigotry, hate, and bias that fuel toxic divisions in America.”23 The document is organized into four pillars, each of which has a set of strategic goals. Within the strategic goals, there are lists of actions for various federal agencies, as well as calls to action for Congress and all of society: state and local authorities, civil society, community and faith leaders, the private sector, and individual citizens, where appropriate. All the actions for the federal agencies have due dates between May 2023 and May 2024 or are ongoing. There are no specific due dates after May 2024, although this is subject to change as the plan is updated. The four pillars are: 1. Increase awareness and understanding of antisemitism, including its threat to America, and broaden appreciation of Jewish – Jewish-American heritage. 2. Improve safety and security for Jewish communities. 3. Reverse the normalization of antisemitism and counter antisemitic discrimination. 4. Build cross-community solidarity and collective action to counter hate. Within these four pillars, there are over 100 Executive Branch actions for approximately 30 federal agencies, meaning the strategy was not limited to agencies with a legal responsibility to protect American Jews, such as the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Many of the participating agencies’ actions were quite innovative. For example: n The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pledged to convene rural institutions of higher education and land-grant colleges to share best practices to address antisemitism and other forms of hate and bias. n The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it will provide resources on how to talk with children and youth about hate crimes and identity-based violence, including antisemitism, as well 22. Supra note 1, at 9. 23. Id., at 3. (The White House, as of this writing, plans to publish a stand-alone strategy on Islamophobia.) 24. Id., at 18. 25. Some Jewish organizations criticized the National Strategy for including the Nexus Definition along with the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, as well as for too few mentions of Israel and/or anti-Israel antisemitism. Some, further to the right, were critical because it was published by the Biden administration. On the other hand, some Jewish organizations on the left wanted definitions of antisemitism removed from the strategy altogether. See Gabby Deutch and Marc Rod, “In sweeping antisemitism strategy, White House calls mainstream IHRA definition ‘most prominent’ but ‘welcomes’ progressive alternative,” JEWISH INSIDER (May 25, 2023), available at https://jewishinsider. com/2023/05/white-house-national-antisemitism-strategy/ as strategies for coping with associated trauma and fear. n The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) promised to increase learning opportunities in rural libraries and museums on both Jewish- American history, such as Jewish contributions to agriculture, and histories of antisemitism, including the Holocaust. n The Department of the Interior (DOI) said it will highlight new resources on Jewish American contributions to American history and disseminate the content through the National Park Service (NPS) website and mobile app and will integrate Jewish-American history and histories of American antisemitism into planning for the United States semi-quincentennial commemoration in 2026. n The Small Business Administration (SBA) committed to connect small business owners with community-based organizations so owners and employees can receive training and resources on preventing and responding to incidents of antisemitism. n The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pledged to develop educational programs on the diversity of the veteran population, including the contributions of Jewish veterans and Jewish VA employees. The VA can share these programs with local veteran groups across the U.S. to “encourage all veterans to speak out against antisemitic and other hate-based incidents and attacks.”24 Most American Jewish organizations welcomed and lauded the National Strategy, citing its historic importance.25 While the publication of the plan was
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