8 | JUNE 22 • 2023 

PURELY COMMENTARY

opinion

We Must Support the White House’s 
National Strategy on Antisemitism 
O

n May 25 — when 
many people had 
their eyes on the 
Memorial Day weekend — 
the White House made his-
tory. It released 
the first-ev-
er National 
Strategy to 
Counter 
Antisemitism. 
 There are 
those who 
downplayed the 
action, and some who even 
dismissed it entirely. But 
take it from me, someone 
who deals with antisem-
itism and the hurt from 
anti-Jewish actions every 
day: You must pay attention 
to this. I believe one of the 
most important facets of the 
strategy is that it recognizes 
antisemitism is about princi-
ples, not politics.

FOUR PILLARS 
OF ACTION
The plan outlines 200 con-
crete provisions across four 
pillars of action:
• Increase awareness of the 
threat
• Celebrate Jewish American 
heritage
• Improve safety and securi-
ty for the Jewish commu-
nity
• Reverse the normalization 
of antisemitism and build 
cross-community solidari-
ty and collaborative action

I am deeply proud the 
strategy reflects the years’ 
long effort of ADL to actively 

pursue specific suggestions. 
In fact, the document incor-
porated nearly every recom-
mendation ADL made. 
We worked directly with 
Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. 
Special Envoy to Monitor 
and Combat Antisemitism, 
and with many people inside 
and outside of the admin-
istration. We educated and 
enlisted allies, we pushed 
and persuaded our partners. 
We provided research and 
analysis. 
I urge you to read the 
strategy and to take time to 
understand the recommen-
dations ADL made to the 
formulation of the plan.
It is crucial that people 
understand what antisem-
itism is, and that’s another 
reason I’m grateful for the 
strategy. It incorporates the 
International Holocaust 
Remembrance Alliance 
(IHRA) definition of 
antisemitism. The IHRA 
definition was adopted by 
the State Department seven 
years ago, and the White 
House strategy embraces it. 
In addition, the plan: 
• Addresses antisemitism 
across the political spec-
trum
• Encompasses antisemitism 
and DEI training for feder-
al government personnel
• Institutes measures aimed 
at improving hate crimes 
reporting
Antisemitism is often 
called the oldest form of 
hatred because some of the 
most widely used tropes 

and anti-Jewish myths have 
operated for hundreds of 
years — in some cases — 
millennia. But in the past 
few years, we’ve seen levels 
of antisemitic incidents and 
anti-Jewish rhetoric rise to a 
fever pitch. 
I am often called upon to 
give statistics, and for the last 
six years, the numbers have 
been sobering: For example, 
in 2022 — Michigan is ninth 
in the country for antisemitic 
incidents, and fourth in 
the country for white 
supremacist propaganda 
driving people to anti-Jewish 
sites all over the internet. 
We have seen vile and 
surreptitious emails leaked 
from people pretending to 
be our friends, and we’ve 
witnessed brash public 
outbursts bold and often 
without shame. 
The White House strategy 
will not halt antisemitism. 
But this is a strong and 
encouraging step, and 
certainly like nothing we’ve 
ever seen before. 

WORK MUST CONTINUE 
Let us remember: This is 
only the beginning. We 
cannot declare victory in this 
fight. Far from it — because 
even as this strategy tries to 
put a stop to antisemitism, 
the scourge of Jewish 
hatred has its own path, 
and continues to expand 
and intensify. Antisemitic 
conspiracies and anti-Zionist 
efforts are not taking a 
breather. In this fight we 

must remain vigilant. 
Just like antisemitism 
and hatred have been 
normalized in our country 
(and globally), so must 
we “institutionalize” this 
strategy into our government 
and our lives. We must keep 
up pressure on the White 
House, and we must push 
Congress and other elected 
officials and influencers to 
commit to actions. 
Here is where you come 
in: Reach out to your elected 
officials and tell them you 
want to expand partnerships 
to solidify this plan. Remind 
them we must weave this 
strategy into the fabric of our 
country. 
 I often tell people what 
concerns me the most about 
the political divide in our 
nation is the figurative 
wedge fragmenting the 
Jewish community. With 
this new National Strategy, 
for the first time in our 
nation’s history, the federal 
government has developed a 
comprehensive plan to end 
the hatred of Jews in our 
times. Let’s work together to 
ensure we: 1) Are collectively 
supportive; 2) Actively work 
to ensure it becomes part 
of our national fabric; and 
3) Show the people who are 
watching that — as a people 
— we stand in solidarity 
against anyone who tries 
to splinter our Jewish 
community. 

Carolyn Normandin is the Regional 

Director of ADL Michigan. 

Carolyn 
Normandin

