A bill that aims to codify the definition of antisemitism in the state of New Jersey has been advanced by an Assembly panel in the state’s General Assembly after more than seven hours of deliberation. For the bill to become law, it now must pass in both chambers of the state legislature before being sent to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk for his signature.
Jennifer Dubrow Weiss, the chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, said that the Jewish community of New Jersey and its allies hope that the bill will be signed into law in November. However, even just to get to this point has taken a lot of work. Dubrow Weiss said that the many hours of deliberation at the July 24 hearing are just the latest example of what it has been like to try to get this bill passed.
“It’s been a frustrating experience, from the standpoint that there should be a bill in New Jersey and in every state,” she said. “Thirty-seven other states have passed this bill, where it provides a definition of antisemitism to help principals and schools define it, to help law enforcement define it, to help people say ‘this is antisemitic and this is not.’ I feel like the Jewish community in general would be behind any group that is experiencing hate to have laws to protect themselves. So why is this different from any other bill against hate crimes or hate speech or things of that nature? I’m not sure why this one is so difficult.”
The definition outlined in the bill is based on the one recommended by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
The bill says that the standard definition of antisemitism used by numerous governments across the country and around the world includes “discriminatory anti-Israel acts that cross the line into anti-Semitism,” as well as other antisemitic actions like Holocaust denial.
Examples given by the IHRA include drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis, holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel, denying the Jewish people’s right to self-determination by claiming the existence of Israel is racist and accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel or the alleged priorities of worldwide Judaism than to the interests of their own nations.
Opponents of the bill say that it limits free speech and conflates anti-Israel rhetoric with antisemitism. Dubrow Weiss said that is not accurate.
“It doesn’t say you can’t criticize Israel. It says you can’t go to a synagogue and scream ‘baby killers’ at the people who are coming out of Shabbat services,” she said.
Assemblyman Gary Schaer is a Jewish Democrat who represents the 36th Legislative District in the General Assembly, located in the northern part of the state. He is the bill’s chief sponsor, and he said that the evidence shows that this bill is necessary for the state to protect its Jewish residents.
“Codifying the IHRA definition of antisemitism isn’t merely symbolic, it’s critical. The past few years have exemplified the failure of law enforcement, elected officials and institutions of higher learning to adequately respond to antisemitism. What this bill would provide is a clear and consistent framework to identify, track and respond to antisemitism wherever it appears,” he said.
The Anti-Defamation League reported in April that there were 719 total incidents of antisemitism in New Jersey in 2024. That was a 13% decrease from 2023, but it was still the third-highest total for any state last year.
The deliberation at the end of July came after the bill was surprisingly tabled in June. At the time, Robin Freedman-Kramer, CEO of the Jewish Federation of West-Central New Jersey, said that Jewish leaders had been assured behind closed doors that there “was no doubt” the bill would pass the assembly panel. When that vote was delayed, Jewish leaders who were in attendance walked out of the hearing in protest.
For Schaer, this bill isn’t just a critical step for New Jersey; it’s a timely one.
“At a time where the Jewish community is under threat every single day, this bill has never been more necessary. It’s taken nearly two years to reach this point, and the job is not nearly finished. People are tired of waiting,” he said. “It’s time for the legislature to take these threats seriously and act accordingly by passing this bill out of both state houses, so it reaches the governor’s desk to be signed into law.”