A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers introduced a new bill on Wednesday that, if passed, would designate May as American Jewish Heritage Month.
The ‘Countering Antisemitism Act’ not only federally recognizes American Jewish Heritage Month, but it calls on the Department of Education to appoint an advisor on antisemitism in higher education as well as direct a nationwide study evaluating the effectiveness of Holocaust education in public schools. Also under the legislation, a federal coordinator will be appointed by the President, who will be charged with forming an inter-agency task force to counter domestic antisemitism.
The bill was cosponsored by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who is herself Jewish.
“Antisemitism has been dramatically rising in the United States in the last several years and skyrocketed in the months since the horrific October 7 terror attack on Israel,” Rosen said in a statement.
“There have been countless disturbing stories of Jewish families accosted and assaulted on the streets, Jewish businesses and places of worship vandalized and desecrated, and Jewish students threatened at colleges and universities.”
Fellow cosponsor James Lankford (R-Okla.) echoed the same sentiments by saying Jewish Americans deserve basic religious freedom.
“In America, we have the right to have a faith and to live that faith. No American should live in fear that they will be attacked simply because of their religious views,” he said. “As the number of acts of antisemitism continues to rise, Jewish communities across the US deserve action to protect this basic freedom.”
American Jewish Heritage Month honors the contributions of Jewish Americans in fields ranging from arts and entertainment to science, education, sports, and government. Various events, such as museum exhibits, public discussions, and school activities, take place across the country to commemorate this month, each aiming to educate the public about the Jewish American experience and its pivotal role in the nation’s history.
