To Governor Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey State Assembly:

Antisemitism in the United States has reached alarming levels, and New Jersey has not been spared. Jewish institutions, students, and families across our state face harassment, intimidation, and bias, leaving many of us feeling unsafe in public spaces, on campuses, and in our communities.

Antisemitism cannot be effectively countered without a clear, widely understood definition. While current civil rights and hate-crime laws address overt criminal conduct, they lack the analytical tools needed to identify and prevent contemporary manifestations of Jew-hatred. This gap prevents law enforcement, educators, and civil rights authorities from monitoring threats, intervening early, and training personnel effectively.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition provides the needed framework. Adopted by dozens of democratic governments, educational institutions, and human rights bodies, it reflects how antisemitism manifests today, including in coded and contemporary forms. It gives public officials a shared standard to recognize bias patterns, distinguish protected expression from discriminatory conduct, and take informed action.

We were deeply dismayed that legislation to adopt the IHRA definition was recently shelved for political reasons, despite broad support in the legislature and clear evidence of rising antisemitism. At a moment when Jewish communities seek protection and clarity, this delay sends a troubling message about whether Jewish safety is prioritized.

Nearly one hundred New Jersey rabbis recently warned, “Prioritizing politics over antisemitism signals that Jewish safety is negotiable and subjects our community to further harassment and violence. We call on our leaders to immediately pass legislation adopting the IHRA definition and apply it to training, education, and hate-crime response systems.”

New Jersey's Jewish community is among the nation's largest. We cannot lag behind in equipping our state to confront rising antisemitism. Defining antisemitism clearly is not symbolic, it is a practical necessity. Therefore, we urge you to act without delay and pass legislation to adopt the IHRA working definition as a state standard.

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