The World Jewish Congress applauded the Biden administration”s Thursday announcement of the release of the US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.
“President Biden and his administration have developed the first comprehensive plan across US agencies to foster Jewish life and address rising antisemitism,” WJC President Ronald Lauder said.
“The president”s leadership in directing the vast federal government to coordinate and act to protect Jewish Americans is unprecedented and essential in the fight against anti-Jewish hate. The World Jewish Congress is appreciative that the White House has incorporated specific points for which we advocated, and we commend the administration for elevating the voices of Jewish students, a WJC priority.”
The national action plan involves increasing understanding and awareness of antisemitism and Jewish American heritage, improving the safety and security of Jewish communities, and reversing the normalization of antisemitism in the US.
Notably, the plan embraces the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, a move which drew praise from American Jewish leaders. The definition includes holding Israel to double standards or calling the existence of a Jewish state racist as examples of when criticism of Israel becomes antisemitic.
“The United States now joins a growing number of European governments in releasing strategies to support Jewish communities,” Lauder said. “The next step will be to thoroughly execute those plans, and the World Jewish Congress will work to support the US strategy in its next phase. We must have concrete action, not just words.”

Lauder decried the inclusion of a secondary definition in addition to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, describing it as an “unnecessary distraction from the real work that needs to be done.”
He called the IHRA definition the “gold standard” that “allows policymakers worldwide to identify and respond to all forms of Jew-hatred, including those that may be more subtle, but no less insidious.”
“The Jewish world has agreed on the centrality of the IHRA definition and understands that it is the best weapon in the battle against antisemitism,” he said.
“I know that the Jewish community is personally important to President Biden – and that it has been throughout his life of public service. I want to thank him for bringing “the Delaware Way” to Washington and for renewing his commitment to the Jewish people at home and abroad. Now, the real work begins.”
(Israel National News’ North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shavuot in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)