A Timeline of Key Dates: AJC's Role in the Creation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
In a historic moment this past May, the White House released the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism—and American Jewish Committee (AJC) was central to the outcome.
The best practices AJC uses to combat antisemitism in Europe are now helping America with its fight.
In a historic moment in May 2023, the White House released the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism—and American Jewish Committee (AJC) was central to the outcome.
AJC had long called for a national antisemitism strategy in America, stressing that a whole-of-government approach was key to the fight. The action plan laid out by the White House—which includes dozens of specific AJC recommendations—demonstrates that our leaders are committed to curbing the rise of antisemitism in this country.
As the timeline below illustrates, AJC has been there every step of the way, providing guidance to the White House as the National Strategy took shape.
It was AJC that first pioneered the concept of a national antisemitism strategy in Europe, where anti-Jewish hate began resurfacing more than two decades ago. It was AJC’s teams across the Atlantic that worked closely with European governments to launch their national strategies, and we continue to help refine their plans today.
As antisemitism surged in America, it was AJC that first recommended the U.S. develop its own national strategy. And it was AJC’s decades of experience addressing the problem in Europe and around the world that made us an invaluable partner for the U.S. government as they created this new plan.
A Timeline of Key Dates
November 2021
AJC provided the White House with recommendations for countering domestic antisemitism, including the creation of a national antisemitism strategy. We urged this step as part of our ongoing engagement with U.S. officials. AJC advocated this recommendation based on our experience in Europe. There, AJC advised the European Commission as it launched its first antisemitism strategy for the entire European Union, as well as advising individual EU member states.
September 2022
AJC issued its Call to Action Against Antisemitism in America, our society-wide nonpartisan guide for combating anti-Jewish hate in the U.S. It detailed recommendations for various sectors of society, including the executive branch. A key recommendation was for the White House to form an interagency task force to develop a national antisemitism action plan.
December 2022
While at the White House for a roundtable discussion on domestic antisemitism hosted by Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, AJC was again asked to formally offer recommendations. AJC CEO Ted Deutch reinforced that a national antisemitism strategy that involves interagency coordination is essential to countering this scourge. One week later, the White House announced it would move forward with such a plan.
February 2023
AJC convened a meeting at the White House with the U.S. interagency task force and antisemitism envoys from Europe and Latin America. The envoys shared best practices from building their own national strategies. It was AJC that led the EU to establish the position of coordinator on combating antisemitism in 2015, and many countries have since appointed coordinators and special envoys in this role. Convening this meeting was just one of the ways AJC assisted the U.S. government in developing its strategy. It also demonstrated AJC’s unique ability to leverage lessons learned from our global engagement for U.S.-based efforts at the national, state, and local level.
May 2023
The White House officially released the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism—an important win for the Jewish community. It includes 100+ actions for the executive branch, and over 100 more for Congress, state and local government, and civil society to pursue. The plan mirrors AJC’s Call to Action Against Antisemitism, and dozens of the action items detailed in the plan were specific AJC recommendations.
June 2023
Following the release of the National Strategy, AJC CEO Ted Deutch announced the launch of a new AJC Task Force to help implement the White House plan. AJC has activated our advocacy network to help ensure the actions detailed in the National Strategy are carried out within the stated timelines for the benefit of the Jewish community.
July 2023
AJC formally teamed up with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)—a federal agency—to help small business owners recognize, respond to, and prevent antisemitism and other forms of hate. As part of the National Strategy, SBA will provide small business owners and their employees with antisemitism training and toolkits. AJC is collaborating with SBA to create these resources. This is just one example of how, through AJC’s new Task Force, we are working with governmental and non-governmental partners to enact the National Strategy.
AJC is proud of the essential role we played in making the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism a reality. But the fight is hardly over.
A U.S. National Strategy now exists. It’s up to us to help ensure it gets implemented. AJC is leading the charge, but we can’t do it without you.
