NYJA Statement Applauding Today’s Release of the National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism

NEW YORK — The New York Jewish Agenda (NYJA) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration on today’s historic announcement today of the first-ever National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration on the Strategy’s successful implementation.

The Strategy embraces a whole-of-government approach that recognizes the importance of education, interfaith and public/private partnerships, and broad stakeholder engagement throughout the American-Jewish community.

As NYJA Board Chair Nancy Kaufman stated, “the Biden-Harris Administration did an extraordinary job of listening to and learning from a diverse group of leaders. The overwhelming support for the end product is a testament to the inclusive approach that the Administration took, and we stand ready to help the Administration to implement the Strategy.”

Numerous NYJA Board Members and Leaders participated in the stakeholder engagement that took place as the Strategy was being developed, and NYJA President Matt Nosanchuk served on the Nexus Task Force that developed the Nexus Document, which identifies the contemporary political and historical landscape regarding interactions between antisemitism, Israel and Zionism. Nexus was identified in the Strategy as a valuable tool “to raise awareness of and increase understanding of antisemitism.”

NYJA is committed to supporting the Administration as it works to make each of 100 new measures identified in the Strategy a reality. A number of these steps will require the active engagement of stakeholder organizations like NYJA and other partners.

“Antisemitism has been called the world’s oldest hate, and it is inextricably connected to other forms of bigotry and hate, none of which have any place in our democracy,” said NYJA President and Co-Founder Matt Nosanchuk.

The Strategy recognizes that the responsibility to combat antisemitism extends beyond government to include stakeholder organizations from within the Jewish community and from a broad range of allied communities, businesses and other organizations.

As White House Domestic Policy Adviser, Susan Rice, noted at the event announcing the Strategy, “we can counter hate by joining forces. Together we are greater than the sum of our parts.”

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