Lankford, Rosen Lead Over Half the Senate to Condemn Recent Global Surge of Antisemitism, Call on Leaders to Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, led a group of 58 Senators—evenly divided by party—to introduce a bipartisan resolution condemning recent antisemitic incidents in the United States and around the world. The Senators’ resolution also calls on leaders to denounce antisemitism and take specific steps to address it and prevent it.

“We must all join together to fully condemn antisemitism and ensure our Jewish communities know we have their back,” said Lankford. “The alarming rise of antisemitism in the US and abroad cannot continue. Our synagogues and temples should remain places of prayer and community, and no one should have to live in fear because of their Jewish faith or heritage. Senator Rosen and I will continue to turn the spotlight on incidents of antisemitism to start to turn the tide against hate. Our resolution helps make clear that we cannot let antisemitism continue to escalate here or around the world.”

“The growing number of antisemitic incidents occurring in the United States and around the world is horrific, and we must do all that we can to put a stop to these hateful actions,” said Rosen. “Recently, we’ve seen attacks on Jewish communities and Jewish-owned places of business, foreign leaders who have invoked antisemitic conspiracies, and elected officials diminishing the horrors that Jews endured during the Holocaust. No issue threatens Jewish communities more than the alarming rise of antisemitism and violent extremism. As co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, Senator Lankford and I stand with Jewish Americans and Jews across the globe who are experiencing harassment, abuse, and violence. We condemn these hateful actions unconditionally and unequivocally. We also call on our fellow elected officials, faith leaders, and leaders in our communities to join us in speaking out against this surge of antisemitic hate and to do their part in taking action to help prevent it.”

Joining Lankford and Rosen to cosponsor the resolution are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Kelly, (D-AZ), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Steve Daines (R-MT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Susan Collins (R-ME), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kevin Cramer (R-SD), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ed Markey (D-MA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mike Braun (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Thune (R-ND), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jack Reed (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Kennedy (R-LA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Bob Casey (D-PA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Todd Young (R-IN), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Patty Murray (D-WA).

The resolution is supported by Agudath Israel of America, American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International, Christians United for Israel, Combat Antisemitism Movement, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Hadassah—The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., HIAS, J Street, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Jewish Federations of North America, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish Women International, National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, National Council of Jewish Women, Rabbinical Assembly, Reconstructing Judaism, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Union for Reform Judaism, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, World Jewish Congress, and Zionist Organization of America.

“In both word and deed, it is imperative that our leaders take a firm and bold stance against antisemitism,” said Sandra Parker, Chairwoman of Christians United for Israel Action Fund. “This resolution makes clear that the American people abhor the bigotry of antisemitism in all its forms and wish to see the government take tangible steps to combat the antisemitism sweeping across our nation. We must dramatically enhance Holocaust education, place well qualified officials into the necessary roles to counter antisemitism and ensure that houses of worship have the security they need for when hate-filled individuals seek to commit acts of evil. This resolution should be supported unanimously by the Senate.”

 “The American Jewish community is facing an unprecedented situation. While anti-Semitism is an ancient hatred, the current surge in the United State is a deeply disturbing turn for the worse. Israel has had conflicts with her enemies since the founding of the Jewish State. But those conflicts did not result in street violence against American Jews across the United States. This moment demands that leaders respond clearly and strongly to repudiate this wave of anti-Semitic assaults and the United States Senate must be at the forefront of that effort,” said Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. 

“The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America is very grateful to US Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK) for crafting and introducing the bipartisan Resolution Condemning the Recent Rise in Antisemitism. The Resolution ‘unequivocally condemns the recent rise in antisemitic violence’ and, importantly, calls on the Biden Administration to take concrete steps—including filling the post of State Department Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism and to allocate significant funds to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program administered by the Dept. of Homeland Security. This Resolution is a very important step in pushing back against those spreading hate against Jews in the United States.”

“Today in America and around the world, we are witnessing a dangerous surge in antisemitism,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. “This hate must be swiftly rejected. America’s leaders—from the Senate to the White House, from our houses of worship to our community leaders—must recommit to fighting all manifestations of antisemitism. This timely resolution introduced by Senators Rosen and Lankford unequivocally condemns the recent rise in antisemitic violence, calls for meaningful policy change, and demonstrates a clear bipartisan show of solidarity with Americans Jews.”

“The Jewish Federations of North America are grateful to Senators Rosen and Lankford for their unequivocal support of the Jewish community during this critical time, and for their leadership in condemning the antisemitic violence and rhetoric directed at our community,” said Eric D. Fingerhut, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America. “Now is the time to focus significant resources on Holocaust education, protecting at-risk communities and houses of worship, and combating hatred in all of its forms.”

“Given the upsurge in antisemitic attacks in the United States in recent weeks, American Jewish Committee (AJC) wholeheartedly supports the bipartisan resolution drafted by Senators Lankford and Rosen, which calls on the Senate to condemn antisemitism in all its forms,” said Holly Huffnagle, The American Jewish Committee’s US Director for Combating Antisemitism. “Raising awareness about antisemitism, including when American Jews are attacked and their synagogues vandalized in response to a foreign conflict, starts with our leaders. Antisemitism is not just a Jewish issue—left unchecked it will erode and undermine the essential principles of democratic society. Fighting it matters to all of us.”

“Hatred and intolerance run counter to our American values, and Hadassah thanks Senators Rosen and Lankford for their leadership in introducing this resolution,” said Karen Paikin Barall, Director of Government Relations for Hadassah. “Antisemitism has reached a crisis point both in the US and around the world, and the US must demonstrate its leadership by making an unequivocal stand for tolerance over prejudice and civility over violence. Hadassah remains committed to working collaboratively with Members of Congress on policies that will help keep our communities safe, cohesive and welcoming to all. Together, we can create a safer and more tolerant world today and for generations to come.”

###