In recent years, America has seen a frightening increase in Antisemitic hatred. This increase is not just limited to the general population. According to an ADL analysis, from 2020 to 2021, Antisemitic harassment increased 29%, Antisemitic vandalism increased 51%, and Antisemitic assaults increased 26%. By the FBI’s own 2022 report of hate crime statistics, over half of the 2,042 religion based crimes were directed by Antisemitic bias. Frighteningly, a similar report from the ADL found that Antisemitic incidents on campus increased by 41% from 2021 to 2022. This was in addition to a 36% increase in overall incidents in the U.S.

This year was different though. This year we had Jewish students barricaded in university libraries, university presidents tell us that Antisemitic comments and chants “depend on context”, and the killing of a peaceful Jewish Israel supporter in California. And recently, a list was published accusing Jewish therapists of engaging in white supremacy on the basis of being perceived as supporting Israel.  

In light of events since October 7th, and even prior to, and actions that have occurred toward Jewish Therapists, Professionals, Students, and Communities, we call on the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Counseling Association, National Association of Social Workers, School Social Work Association of America, National Association of School Psychologists, U.S. Board of Education, & all Federal/State Licensing Boards to require education on Antisemitism as part of their curriculum and continuing education requirements. Doing so will help to ensure that ALL individuals charged with leading the nation and caring for our youth do not allow the horrors of the past to be perpetrated in a nation founded on freedom of expression. 

Training is important because what we have seen is the wholesale appropriation of the term “Zionism” from what we culturally and religiously understand as inherently meaning the right of Israel to exist on the Jews’ ancestral homeland to merely a synonym for “Jew.” The people who use Zionism this way are using it to exclude Jews from public, private and professional places in the authoritarian playbook way, unsuccessfully attempting to dress it up in political clothing.

Training is important because this particular treatment of Jews is so hypocritically and cynically violative of the essential DEI work we have done and are dedicated to continue doing. It weaponizes white supremacy against a marginalized group. It defines for Jews by non-Jews what Antisemitism and Zionism are. It centers an American lens on an international matter. And, at bottom, it is persecution by our neighbors who believe they hold the moral high ground, which is the exact formula that has led to every other epoch of Jewish persecution.

As the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks states, "Jews cannot fight Antisemitism alone. The victim cannot cure the crime. The hated cannot cure hate."