Why the White House Plan Makes Jews Stronger

In America, the Jewish community has grappled both with the blessings and benefits afforded us in a liberal democracy and the slights and insults of a latent antisemitism that’s never really disappeared from society.

So perhaps it should not be surprising to see a wide range of reactions, even some second-guessing of the efficacy of the new National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, the historic plan to address anti-Jewish hate across American society announced last week by the Biden Administration.

Let’s be clear about the fact that the White House National Strategy isn’t perfect. What plan ever is? There’s no one ideal solution that will eradicate antisemitism, no silver bullet that will stop the oldest hatred.

But should we throw up our hands and distrust any assistance just because we continue to face bigotry? Should the Jewish community – which in recent years has faced shootings at our synagogues, beatings in the streets, harassment on campus, relentless abuse online – try to go this alone, without the aid of law enforcement and federal protections? Should we reject the offers of help from our allies in other communities? From partners in public agencies?

Let me say definitively – absolutely not. There’s strength in numbers. And there’s strength when the federal government stands behind you. That’s why there’s civil rights protections and hate crime laws in this country.

Here’s some reasons why the White House plan not only makes us safer, but actually works to make us stronger.

The National Strategy is a first-of-its-kind plan for the United States. It’s the type of framework that is nothing short of a quantum leap forward for our agenda of fighting hate, for the communities that we serve, and the country that we love.

If you read the strategy — and I hope that everyone will do so — it’s hard not to be blown away on numerous levels. It is astonishing to absorb its ambition, its breadth, its scope, and its specificity. It is a remarkable document.

We all know that antisemitism isn’t new. Far from it. And we all know that, while its markers like attitudes and incidents were in retreat for decades, arguably generations, it has resurfaced with a vengeance in our times.

No organization has done more than the one that I lead, the ADL, to track its surge and to work to stop it – not just with sharp statements or tweets, but with substantive partnerships and programs. But we also are realistic that without government support, certain priorities, like increased funding for synagogue security, are not possible.

As a former White House official, I’ve seen what you can do when you are able to harness the full force of the U.S. government. The results can be seismic. You literally can move mountains.

That’s why ADL actively assisted in the development of the White House strategy, contributing more than 30 distinct policy recommendations. ADL also organized grassroots advocates to urge Congress and the Biden Administration to develop a unified national strategy to monitor and combat antisemitism. The foundations for these policies were set forth in part by ADL’s COMBAT Plan, a proposed set of government initiatives to fight antisemitism, which ADL originally released in June 2022.

The White House strategy takes mission-critical steps to push back against the rising tide of hate across society. It elevates antisemitism as a federal priority, like expanding the economy or combating climate change. It embraces the IHRA definition of antisemitism, placing it at the center of federal policy. And the plan outlines 200 concrete provisions across four pillars to alleviate the issue – these include increasing awareness of the threat and celebrating Jewish American heritage; improving safety and security for the Jewish community; reversing the normalization of antisemitism; and building cross-community solidarity and collaborative action.

These four categories include detailed actions ranging from supporting antisemitism and terror prevention measures, conducting an antisemitic violence threat assessment, funding research into antisemitism and strengthening the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.

This could not come at a more important moment. In January, ADL released survey findings showing the highest percentage of respondents harboring extensive antisemitic prejudice in decades, with nearly 20 percent of the American public subscribing to classic antisemitic tropes. And antisemitic incidents surged to historic levels in 2022, with a total of 3,697 incidents reported across the U.S., an increase of 36 percent. This included 91 bomb threats against Jewish institutions last year, as well as a disturbing increase in organized white supremacist propaganda, which was up 100 percent to 852 incidents.

Given these disturbing trends and violent attacks in recent years such as those targeting Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, worshippers in Colleyville, Texas and Jewish pedestrians in Times Square, ADL repeatedly urged the White House to take action. Thankfully, the call was answered. The finished product has its flaws (even a reference to CAIR in the accompanying talking points, an organization that regularly promotes hateful antizionism, is mystifying) and implementation will be the ultimate measure of success, but the plan sets a high bar that should strengthen our resolve and energize our community.

We all stand to benefit from a government strategy that has laid the groundwork for a unified, smart, strategic, and coordinated “whole of society” plan to fight antisemitism in all forms, both in American and around the world.

Jonathan A. Greenblatt is CEO and National Director of ADL (the Anti-Defamation League).