Map & List Targeting Boston Jewish Community is Anti-Semitism & Dangerous

NAJL condemns the BDS-promoted list and map targeting the Greater Boston Jewish community. This is dangerous, explicit Anti-Semitism and should be removed immediately. We are grateful for the strong response from the local community and stand with the Boston JCRC, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston (CJP Boston), ADL New England and all Massachusetts Jewish communities and elected officials. Please see their statement below:

Community Response to BDS Supported Mapping Project
from the Boston JCRC, ADL New England and CJP
Under the guise of an interactive map, the innocuously named “Mapping Project” is promoting a list of Jewish communal organizations in Massachusetts that it contends are “responsible for colonization of Palestine or other harms such as policing, US Imperialism and displacement”. Virtually every Jewish organization in the Commonwealth, along with its leadership, is listed in this map along with the relationships of each to civic, governmental, university and other community organizations. Whether those relationships were cultivated by the Jewish institution or the community organization, the underlying messages are clear: Jews are responsible for the ills of our community and if you maintain your relationship with Jewish organizations, you will share that responsibility.

It is a list with names and organizations to be shunned, isolated and disenfranchised. And it draws on age-old antisemitic tropes that are all too clear to our community: Jewish wealth, control and conspiracies.

But we will not be intimidated and we will not be silent.

As a Jewish community, and one that has made allyship and outreach the cornerstones of our work, we condemn this demonization of the Boston Jewish community and attack on its relationship with others. This is no thinly veiled attempt to target the Jewish community – it is an explicit one that is keeping lists and naming names.

At a time when antisemitism, including antisemitic attacks on the legitimacy of the Jewish State of Israel intensify, we in Boston will stand together and continue our work building bridges, supporting our allies and each other, and confronting antisemitism where we see it and when we experience it – as we do today. And we ask you to join us in helping our friends and community leaders and organizations recognize the antisemitism embedded in this hate-filled effort and ask them to join us in calling this out.

We have just marked the 20 year anniversary of the dedication of the Zakim Bridge – a visual reminder of the bridge-building led by Lenny Zakim. At this moment, let us take inspiration from his words as we join together:

“We have the power to change things. It doesn’t take much to start a revolution of thought and spirit. It takes one person and then another. When it works, it’s a work of art.”

NAJL Stands with the People of Ukraine

We stand with Ukraine and in no uncertain terms condemn Russia’s unilateral, unprovoked attempt to overthrow a sovereign nation.

Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine and their worried families here across the United States. We call on all world leaders to stand up, condemn this attack, and ensure those responsible are held to account for this violation of international law and human dignity.

It is also worth noting our pride in Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Jewish leader who is the grandson of Holocaust survivors.

Don't Schedule on Religious Holidays, NAJL urges

With the Jewish High Holidays upon us (September 6-8 for Rosh Hashanah and September 15-16 for Yom Kippur), it is a good time to request and remind government agencies, nonprofits, schools and others to not plan meetings, events, tests and other critical happenings on religious holidays of any faith. Our policy below is targeted toward legislative bodies in particular.

Regarding Religious Observances

On behalf of the National Association of Jewish Legislators (NAJL), we ask that state legislative sessions, committees and votes not take place during major religious observance days during the year. Holidays observed by Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus, representing the world’s major religions, should be honored by our state legislatures.

For the Jewish community, these dates include the two days of Rosh Hashanah (the new year), Yom Kippur (day of atonement ) and the first two days of Passover (celebration of freedom from slavery).  

While Roman calendar days go from midnight to midnight, Jewish calendar days go from sunset to sunset. To meet Jewish law requirements, holy day evening meals are eaten prior to attendance at evening synagogue services, which begin before sunset. Accordingly, we request that legislative activity not take place beginning mid-afternoon the day a holy day starts. This will give Jewish legislators, staff and the public the ability to begin their observances in accordance with Jewish law.

NAJL, your local Jewish Federation or the community relations council can provide the legislature with the Jewish holidays and calendar for each year or they can be found here.

We want to ensure that everyone can practice their religious beliefs without having to be in conflict with legislative service.

Jewish Legislators Condemn Rise in AntiSemitism & Incident with WA State Legislator

“The National Association of Jewish Legislators (NAJL) is deeply concerned about rising hate and anti-Semitism across our country. When it comes from a state legislator it is all the more shocking and hurtful.

It recently came to light in the Seattle Times, that Washington State Rep. Jim Walsh wore a yellow Star of David, the symbol Jews were forced to wear during the Holocaust and compared lifesaving vaccinations to the Holocaust.

We unequivocally condemn the rise in anti-Semitism—whether it is Holocaust denial or minimization, violence, or harassment—targeting Jewish Americans and stand united in our call to action in response to these disturbing trends. 

“We call on elected, faith and civic leaders to combat all manifestations of anti-Semitism and to discourage any language that minimizes the Holocaust or resonates with historic anti-Semitic tropes,” said Washington State Representative Tana Senn, co-President of NAJL. “Rep Walsh’s comments were offensive and trivialized the genocide of 6 million Jews, including many of my family members, during the Holocaust.”

While Jewish Americans comprise an estimated 2.4% of our nation’s population, we were targeted in 13% of all hate crimes reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2019, the most recent year for which FBI data is currently available. Anti-Semitic incidents -- including personal assaults and vandalism that have targeted synagogues, Holocaust museums and Jewish-owned businesses -- more than doubled in the U.S. in May of this year, compared to the same period in 2020, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

“Times like these are both painful and fear-inducing for American Jews. Just as we extend a hand to people of all faiths and identities who may also be targeted at this time, we ask for and find great comfort in allyship, solidarity and support as well,” said New York Assemblyman David Weprin, the co-President of NAJL. 

Furthermore, we are obligated and empowered to demand national, state and local governments to take action and ensure adequate protection for synagogues and other Jewish communal institutions and we welcome important education initiatives about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. 

Together, let’s stand against anti-Semitism and hate across these United States of America.

NAJL leaders hopeful about new Israeli government

Today, the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, officially voted to confirm its new democratically elected government.

"This change is reason to be hopeful. We wish this coalition of diverse legislators success in bringing peace, equity, and progress to Israel,” said New York Assemblyman David Weprin, co-President of NAJL, the National Association of Jewish Legislators.

"Just as the Knesset members are diverse, so too are Jewish elected officials across the United States in terms of our opinions and religious observance. We are united by a commitment to public service, tikkun olam (repairing the world), and a foundational belief in the Jewish state of Israel that embraces diversity in its citizenry,” explained Washington State Representative Tana Senn, co-President of NAJL.

###

NAJL is a nonpartisan association of more than 240 Jewish state legislators across the country. We come together to promote Jewish values, share ideas and challenges, network and advocate.

Day of Action Against Antisemitism

Today, Jewish Federations of North American, Hadassah, AJC, ADL and others hosted a virtual rally and Day of Action in solidarity with the Jewish community to speak out against antisemitism. We heard from prominent government officials, civil rights leaders, Jewish community members and more. 

While the Rally was a highlight of today's Day of Action Against Antisemitism, there is a lot more at the Day of Action Against Antisemitism website. 

Holocaust Remembrance Day Recognized Across the Country

This year, Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, was commemorated on April 8. States across the country marked this somber day with resolutions, proclamations and prayers. See some below.

Do you have a resolution, proclamation or speech to share? Please email a link.

• “As Jewish legislators, we recognize that sharing the lessons of the Holocaust year after year serves as a vivid reminder of the impact of letting bigotry go unchecked,” said Senator Scott Wiener (D - San Francisco), Vice Chair of the California Jewish Caucus. More celebration from the California Jewish Caucus here.

• “We must ensure the horrors of the Holocaust can never be erased from our collective memory in order to prevent a tragedy like the Holocaust from happening again…Each new generation should never forget the urgency to speak out whenever they witness anti-Semitism or any form of ethnic and religious hatred, racism, homophobia, or xenophobia; what is possible when governments back policies fueled by hatred and we dehumanize groups of people; and when ordinary people decide that it is easier to look away or go along than to speak out, for silence in the face of such bigotry is complicity,” reads the proclamation by the Washington State House of Representatives, sponsored by Representative Tana Senn (D - Mercer Island). Read the full proclamation here.

• “We must make ‘Never Again’ mean never,” emphasizes Senator Sandy Pappas (D - St. Paul) during her floor remarks on the Holocaust and Minnesota’s Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. Listen here.