The U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism: Key Actions by Pillar

The Biden-Harris Administration released the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism on May 25, 2023. The strategy outlines a whole-of-society approach to tackle the scourge of antisemitism in America. It features over 100 meaningful actions that over two dozen government agencies will take to counter antisemitism, as well as over 100 calls to action for Congress, State and local governments, companies, technology platforms, students, teachers and academics, civil society and faith leaders, and others to counter antisemitism. The four pillars of the strategy address key themes and threats raised by over 1,000 diverse stakeholders across the Jewish community and beyond: (1) increasing awareness and understanding of antisemitism, including its threat to America, and broaden appreciation of Jewish American heritage; (2) improving safety and security for Jewish communities; (3) reversing the normalization of antisemitism and countering antisemitic discrimination; and (4) building cross-community solidarity and collective action against hate.

Pillar 1: Increase awareness and understanding of antisemitism, including its threat to America, and broaden appreciation of Jewish American heritage

In order to fight antisemitism, Americans must recognize and understand it. The strategy seeks to increase awareness and education in schools, communities, and the workplace about both antisemitism, including the Holocaust, and Jewish American heritage.

• The United States Holocaust and Memorial Museum will launch the first-ever U.S.-based Holocaust education research center to promote effective Holocaust education.
• The National Endowment for the Humanities will issue a special call for research applications to study the origins, history, and effects of antisemitism in the United States, including the spread of antisemitism online.
• Federal agencies will incorporate information about antisemitism into federal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) training programs.
• The Department of Labor will disseminate model resources for unions on how to recognize antisemitism and how countering antisemitism relates to workers’ rights.
• The Small Business Administration will facilitate the provision of training and resources for small business owners and employees on understanding, preventing, and responding to antisemitism.
• The Institute of Museum and Library Services will partner with the Council of American Jewish Museums to host a summit for museums, libraries, and archives on countering antisemitism.

Pillar 2: Improve safety and security for Jewish communities   

To prevent violence against Jewish communities through accountability, deterrence, and effective responses to attacks, the strategy aims to improve data collection on antisemitism, ensure vigorous enforcement of hate crime laws, and increase federal funding for the physical security of Jewish institutions.

• This summer, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security will undertake targeted engagements with the Jewish community to understand and help address their security needs.
• The White House will launch an interagency effort to understand the barriers to reporting hate incidents, eliminate those barriers, and improve criminal justice data reporting.
• The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice published and disseminated a resource guide for houses of worship and other faith-based institutions to increase security while sustaining an open and welcoming environment.
• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will offer risk assessments, planning assistance, and active shooter and bomb prevention-related training to Jewish houses of worship, community centers, and day schools.
• The Department of Commerce will publish a report on telecommunications’ role in the commission of hate crimes, including the use of social media in antisemitic harassment.
• The Biden-Harris Administration calls on Congress to fully fund its FY24 budget request of $360 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—$55 million above the FY23 enacted amount.

Pillar 3: Reverse the normalization of antisemitism and counter antisemitic discrimination

To address the rise of antisemitic speech and intimidation in the public square and especially online, the strategy urges all Americans to speak out against antisemitism and calls on Congress and tech platforms to take action to address hate online. The strategy also commits agencies to raise awareness of and fully enforce federal nondiscrimination laws. It additionally aims to boost digital literacy and civics education and combat growing antisemitism in schools and especially on college campuses.

• The Department of Education will launch an Antisemitism Awareness Campaign aimed at raising awareness among educators, students, parents, and school communities about the alarming rise of antisemitism and giving them the tools to address it.
• Federal agencies will raise awareness about and fully enforce federal nondiscrimination laws to counter antisemitic and related forms of discrimination as well as promote religious communities’ equitable access to government programs and religious accommodations. For example, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a letter to the over 200 federally-funded Fair Housing Initiatives Programs and Fair Housing Assistance Programs on how to identify and counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination in housing. 
• The Department of Agriculture will work to ensure equal access to all USDA feeding programs for USDA customers with religious dietary needs, including kosher and halal dietary needs. The Department of Health and Human Services will similarly expand efforts to ensure kosher and halal foods are provided in hospitals.
• The Department of Defense will evaluate all existing training to identify any gaps in coverage of antisemitic conduct as a form of prohibited discrimination.
• The Biden-Harris Administration calls on Congress to hold social media platforms accountable for spreading hate-fueled violence, including antisemitism, by requiring fundamental reforms to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and by removing special immunity for online platforms; to impose much stronger transparency requirements on online platforms, including their algorithmic recommendation systems, content moderation decisions, and enforcement of community standards; and to pass legislation requiring platforms to enable timely and robust public interest research, including on the spread of antisemitism and other forms of hate, using platforms’ data and analyzing their algorithmic recommendation systems, while maintaining users’ privacy.
• The Biden-Harris Administration encourages all online platforms to independently commit to actions such as ensuring that terms of service and community standards explicitly cover antisemitism; adopt zero-tolerance standards for hate speech, including antisemitism; permanently ban repeat offenders, both personal accounts and extremist websites; invest in the human and technical resources necessary to enable vigorous and timely enforcement of their terms of service and community standards; improve capabilities to stop recommending and de-rank antisemitic and other hateful content; and increase the transparency of their algorithmic recommendation systems and data.

Pillar 4: Build cross-community solidarity and collective action to counter hate

Partnerships across diverse communities and faiths provide a foundation to counter antisemitism and other forms of hate. They are one of America’s greatest strengths. To strengthen the bonds of solidarity and mutual support among Jewish and other communities, the strategy expands the most effective efforts at coalition-building against hate and supports efforts to mobilize multi-faith partnerships nationwide.

• The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition will launch a digital campaign to spotlight the importance of cross-community solidarity.
• The President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities will work with national and local leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to bolster social cohesion in America, and combat hate and targeted violence.
• The White House Office of Public Engagement will launch the Ally Challenge, inviting Americans to describe their acts of allyship with Jewish, Muslim, or other communities that are not their own. The White House will recognize leaders of outstanding projects.
• The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will, in cooperation with federal agency Centers for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and diverse faith leaders, produce a toolkit for faith communities on standing in solidarity with other religious communities to combat antisemitism and other forms of hate.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs will expand its chaplain partnership with Jewish, Muslim, and other chaplain associations and facilitate local multi-faith partnerships among chaplains of diverse faiths.