Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), joined by other members of the Bi-Partisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, today held a press conference to bring attention to the worrying number of bomb threats, attacks and other anti-Semitic activity taking place across the United States. Along with Smith, attendees included Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Marc Veasey (D-TX) and Eliot Engel (D-NY).
“Jewish women and men comprise less than 2% of the U.S. population,” said Smith, co-Chair of the Taskforce, speaking to a group of international press. “However, more than 50% of hate crimes annually targeted at a religious group in this country are aimed at the Jewish community. We must move quickly to prosecute those who are perpetrating this hate—bomb threats can very quickly become terrorist attacks.”
Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 Jewish Community Centers, also known as JCC’s, have been targets of bomb threats, including a called-in threat to the Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center in Cherry Hill, N.J. on Monday. In addition, two Jewish cemeteries, located in St. Louis and Philadelphia, have sustained hate-filled violent attacks, with dozens of headstones being knocked down and more being vandalized with anti-Semitic images.
Earlier this week, Smith, who authored the provisions of law that created the State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and the Special Envoy to lead it in 2004, called on the Administration to ensure there is a similar designee for domestic anti-Semitism.
“It is vital that one senior law enforcement official has the mandate to lead efforts across the government to anticipate, prevent and respond to threats and attacks—especially violent ones—against the American Jewish community,” said Smith.
Smith has long been a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. In the early 2000s he led the effort to place fighting anti-Semitism on the agenda of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which led to the adoption of new norms for the 57 countries that belong to the OSCE. He has also chaired 10 hearings on anti-Semitism, including Congress’s first-ever hearings on anti-Semitism. In addition, he is a member of the steering committee of the Interparliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism.
###
