Bill Text: NJ SCR54 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-2)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [SCR54 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2024-SCR54-Introduced.html

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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 54

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

Senator  NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Zwicker, Diegnan, Gopal, Beach, Greenstein, Singer, Corrado, Johnson and Turner

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  

A Concurrent Resolution condemning all forms of anti-Semitism and rejecting attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred.

 

Whereas, All Americans have a stake in fighting anti-Semitism, as all Americans have a stake in fighting every form of bigotry and hatred against people based on religion, race, or place of birth and origin; and

Whereas, Anti-Semitism is the centuries-old bigotry and form of racism faced by Jewish people simply because they are Jews; and

Whereas, Anti-Semitism includes blaming Jewish people when things go wrong, calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jewish people in the name of a radical ideology or extremist view of religion, or making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotyped allegations about Jewish people; and

Whereas, Jewish people are subjected in the media and political campaigns to dangerous anti-Semitic myths as well, including that Jews control the United States government or seek global, political, and financial domination; and

Whereas, Accusing Jews of being more loyal to Israel or to the Jewish community than to the United States constitutes anti-Semitism because it suggests that Jewish citizens cannot be patriotic Americans and trusted neighbors, when Jews have loyally served our nation every day since its founding, whether in public or community life or military service; and

Whereas, Scapegoating and targeting of Jews in the United States has persisted for many years, including by the Ku Klux Klan, the America First Committee, and modern neo-Nazis; and

Whereas, There is clear evidence of increasing incidents and expressions of anti-Semitism throughout the world; and

Whereas, A May 2014 survey by the Anti-Defamation League, "The ADL Global 100: An Index of Anti-Semitism," which surveyed people in over 100 countries about their attitudes toward Jewish people, found that a majority of people surveyed overall have either not heard of the Holocaust or do not believe it happened as has been documented by factual accounts and recorded by historians; and

Whereas, The January 2015 terrorist massacre of 12 people at the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" magazine in Paris, the subsequent killing of four French Jews at a kosher market just hours before the Jewish Sabbath, the closing of Paris' Grande Synagogue for the first time since World War II, the closing of Jewish schools in Belgium and other European nations, and the fears of ongoing anti-Semitism in Europe's largest Jewish communities demonstrated to Jews and all people everywhere that Jewish life

     in France, Europe and throughout the world is difficult and uncertain in the face of growing anti-Semitic hatred and violence; and

Whereas, On August 11 and 12, 2017, self-identified neo-Confederates, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and Ku Klux Klansmen held white supremacist events in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they marched on a synagogue under the Nazi swastika, engaged in racist and anti-Semitic demonstrations, and committed brutal and deadly violence against peaceful Americans; and

Whereas, In 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a 37 percent increase in hate crimes against Jews or Jewish institutions and found that attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions made up 58.1 percent of all religious-based hate crimes; and

Whereas, A 2018 report from the Anti-Defamation League noted that in 2018 there were 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents against Jews and Jewish institutions; and

Whereas, On October 27, 2018, the perpetrator of the deadliest attack on Jewish people in the history of the United States killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and reportedly stated that he "wanted all Jews to die"; and

Whereas, New Jersey ranked third in the nation in anti-Semitic incidents in 2018, with 200 anti-Semitic incidents reported; and

Whereas, In New Jersey, Bergen, Middlesex, Ocean, and Union counties had the largest number of reported anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 at 36, 23, 21, and 19, respectively; and

Whereas, In 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported an increase in hate crimes against Jews or Jewish institutions and found that attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions made up 60.3 percent of all religious-based hate crimes; and

Whereas, In 2021, anti-Semitic incidents were the highest in the past 10 years, reaching an all-time high of 2,717 incidents in the United States; and

Whereas, In New Jersey, anti-Semitic incidents in 2021 were the second highest in the nation for the third straight year, and comprised 14 percent of the total number of incidents in the United States; and

Whereas, There were 370 anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey in 2021, representing an increase from 345 in 2019 and 295 in 2020; and

Whereas, Of these incidents in New Jersey, 123 took place in public areas, 82 took place in non-Jewish K-12 schools, 44 took place at Jewish institutions, 40 occurred at private residences, 35 took place at business establishments, and 29 took place online; and

Whereas, The 44 incidents that took place at Jewish institutions in New Jersey in 2021 occurred across 13 different counties, represented a significant 76 percent  increase compared to the 25 such incidents recorded in 2020, and included 39 incidents of harassment, four incidents of vandalism, and one incident of assault; and

Whereas, Incidents related to Israel or Zionism in New Jersey increased by 35 percent in 2021, reaching a total of 27 incidents; and

Whereas, The Anti-Defamation League recorded the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents of 2021 during the month of May, which directly coincided with the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza; and

Whereas, There were 56 incidents documented in New Jersey in May 2021, which is 86 percent higher than the State's average monthly total of 30 incidents; and

Whereas, In New Jersey's schools, there were 82 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021, representing a 110 percent increase relative to 2020, of which 40 were incidents of harassment and 42 were incidents of vandalism; and

Whereas, In New Jersey's institutions of higher education, there were 16 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2021, which represents a 45 percent  increase relative to the 11 incidents recorded in 2020; and

Whereas, There is an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities, and synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions; and

Whereas, Anti-Semitism is a challenge to the basic principles of tolerance, pluralism, and democracy and the shared values that bind Americans together; and

Whereas, The First Amendment to the Constitution established the United States as a country committed to the principles of tolerance and religious freedom, and the Fourteenth Amendment established equal protection of the laws as the heart of justice in the United States; and

Whereas, Adherence to these principles is vital to the progress of the American people and the diverse communities and religious groups of the State of New Jersey; and

Whereas, Prejudice against Jewish people as a national, ethnic, religious, or racial group has no place in New Jersey or in the United States of America and violates the United States Constitution and the laws of the United States; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

 

     1.  The New Jersey Legislature unequivocally condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts in this State, the United States, and throughout the world to justify anti-Jewish hatred.

 

     2.  The New Jersey Legislature applauds the leaders in the United States and those foreign leaders who have condemned anti-Semitic acts and calls on those who have yet to take firm action against anti-Semitism in their countries to do so.

 

     3.  The New Jersey Legislature supports expanded Holocaust education programs that increase awareness, counter prejudice, and enhance efforts to teach the universal lessons of the Holocaust, genocide, intolerance, and discrimination.

 

     4.  The New Jersey Legislature calls upon the citizens of New Jersey and the State's government entities to continue to be vigilant with efforts to prevent and report acts of anti-Semitism, hate crimes and other violations of human rights and religious freedom.

 

     5.  Copies of the resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of State, the Governor, and to each member of Congress elected from this State.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

      This resolution condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred.  Throughout the last decade, there has been clear evidence of increasing incidents and expressions of anti-Semitism throughout the world.

     More recently, in a 2018 report, the Anti-Defamation League noted that in 2018 there were 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents against Jews and Jewish institutions, which included the deadliest attack on Jewish persons in American history on October 27, 2018 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where 11 worshippers were killed.  In 2018, a report showed New Jersey ranked third in the nation in anti-Semitic incidents with 200 anti-Semitic incidents reported.  In 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported an increase in hate crimes against Jews or Jewish institutions and found that attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions made up 60.3 percent of all religious-based hate crimes.

     There is an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities, and synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions.  Anti-Semitism is the centuries-old bigotry and form of racism faced by Jewish people simply because they are Jews.  Anti-Semitism is a challenge to the basic principles of tolerance, pluralism, and democracy and the shared values that bind Americans together.  The First Amendment to the Constitution established the United States as a country committed to the principles of tolerance and religious freedom, and the Fourteenth Amendment established equal protection of the laws as the heart of justice in the United States.  Adherence to these principles is vital to the progress of the American people and the diverse communities and religious groups of the State of New Jersey.  The New Jersey Legislature unequivocally condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts in this State, the United States, and throughout the world to justify anti-Jewish hatred.

     In 2021, anti-Semitic incidents were the highest in the past 10 years, reaching an all-time high of 2,717 incidents in the United States. In New Jersey, anti-Semitic incidents in 2021 were the second highest in the nation for the third straight year, and comprised 14 percent of the total number of incidents in the United States. There were 370 anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey in 2021, representing an increase from 345 in 2019 and 295 in 2020. Of these incidents in New Jersey, 123 took place in public areas, 82 took place in non-Jewish K-12 schools, 44 took place at Jewish institutions, 40 occurred at private residences, 35 took place at business establishments, and 29 took place online. The 44 incidents that took place at Jewish institutions in New Jersey in 2021 occurred across 13 different counties, represented a significant 76 percent increase compared to the 25 such incidents recorded in 2020, and included 39 incidents of harassment, four incidents of vandalism, and one incident of assault. Incidents related to Israel or Zionism in New Jersey increased by 35 percent in 2021, reaching a total of 27 incidents. The Anti-Defamation League recorded the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents of 2021 during the month of May, which directly coincided with the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. There were 56 incidents documented in New Jersey in May 2021, which is 86 percent higher than the State's average monthly total of 30 incidents. In New Jersey's schools, there were 82 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021, representing a 110 percent increase relative to 2020, of which 40 were incidents of harassment and 42 were incidents of vandalism. In New Jersey's institutions of higher education, there were 16 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2021, which represents a 45 percent  increase relative to the 11 incidents recorded in 2020.