In late February, Jewish students at De Anza Community College presented a resolution to combat antisemitism on campus which included adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism to the De Anza Student Government (DASG). DASG tabled the resolution, claiming they needed more time to educate themselves. 

On April 21st, two DASG Senators blindsided the Jewish community when they introduced a new resolution with a different definition of antisemitism, the Jerusalem Declaration of Antisemitism (JDA). This new resolution was written without ANY consent from the Jewish community. 

Much of the JDA's content is controversial and considered antithetical to the sole purpose of defining and combating antisemitism. Not only have some of the signatories to the JDA been condemned for their antisemitism, Jewish Voice for Peace, a fringe minority of Jews and sponsor of this resolution, is a supporter of boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, the world’s only Jewish State. The mainstream Jewish majority should decide what antisemitism is.

The Jewish community has repeatedly expressed to DASG that the JDA does not reflect our lived experiences as Jews at De Anza. Despite our pleas, DASG continues to discuss the resolution while forcing Jewish students to relive antisemitic experiences during public DASG meetings.

Only Jewish students have the right to define what antisemitism is, no one else. Please sign our petition to tell DASG to reject this offensive and divisive proposed resolution.