(Jewish Group) White House plan to combat antisemitism needs to take on centuries of hatred...

[Behind the Aegis]

White House plan to combat antisemitism needs to take on centuries of hatred, discrimination and even lynching in America

As reported antisemitic incidents in the U.S. in 2022 soared to an all-time high, the White House began developing plans to combat this hate, proclaiming in an official statement, “antisemitism has no place in America.”

The White House’s recommendations, expected soon, are based on conversations with a thousand stakeholders, including me, a scholar of American Jewish history. Based on a preview of the plan made public on May 17, 2023, it includes more than “100 calls to action” to Congress, state and local governments and the private sector, emphasizing the need for deepening awareness of antisemitism and of Jewish heritage in the U.S.

That heritage has two sides. Its bright side honors the achievements of America’s Jews and their many contributions to this nation. Its darker side contains a long history of antisemitism from Colonial days to today.

During the recent celebration marking Jewish American Heritage Month at the White House, Jewish accomplishments were spotlighted. Michaela Diamond and Ben Platt, stars of the Broadway revival of the musical “Parade,” performed. That these actors, the show’s book writer, Alfred Uhry, and its composer, Jason Robert Brown, are all Jewish attests to Jews’ presence and contributions to American theater, the arts and beyond.


Antisemitic graffiti reading ‘Kill all Jews’ is scrawled on a storefront in the Bronx, New York City, during the U.S. presidential campaign of 1944.
© FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images

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