2 minute read
StopAntisemitism Isn’t Giving Up. Neither Should You.
By Masada Siegel
Liora Rez, Executive Director of StopAntisemitism would love to be put out of work but the reality is StopAntisemitism is busier than ever.
Rez created the organization in 2018 as a response to the ever-increasing number of antisemitic incidents. StopAntisemitism publicly exposes antisemitic behavior and creates real consequences for perpetrators. A refugee from the former Soviet Union, Rez personally experienced antisemitism and understands that one can’t just stand by and watch it unfold. Therefore, her watchdog organization exposes antisemites wherever they are, from college campuses to corporations.
StopAntisemitism encourages people to report any occurrence of antisemitism. Then the organization investigates, verifies, and spreads the information to media and law enforcement. In 2022, 1900 incidents were reported, 260 incidents were investigated and handled by StopAntisemitism.
The numbers reported for antisemitism are staggering and only getting worse. In 2022 the ADL reported 3,697 antisemitic incidents throughout the United States, a 36% increase from the 2,717 incidents tabulated in 2021. It was also the largest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.
Rez explains, “In less than five years, we’ve grown to reach more than ten million people a month via our digital platforms, website, and weekly mailers. Amid record-breaking antisemitism, there is clearly a demand for our brand of activism. Jews are tired of anodyne statements that don’t have a real-world impact; our focus on accountability is the cornerstone of StopAntisemitism’s model.”
She also raises the fact that Jews are far more disproportionately targeted for hate incidents than other populations. Yet, the national antisemitism crisis discussions have been “twisted by whataboutism, minimization, and sometimes open sympathy for antisemites”. That is why Rez stresses that now, more than ever, the Jewish community needs to know that someone is fighting for them and won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
StopAntisemitism’s research has found that while young people may be less prejudiced overall, they are increasingly ignorant about the Holocaust and the nature of antisemitism. This information has led the organization to meet people where they are, which means operating online where the next generation is living, learning, and socializing.
What matters most to the organization is that it is making a difference in people’s lives and helping them deal with difficult circumstances.
Rez remarks, “It’s incredibly fulfilling every time we’re successful in getting appropriate charges brought against a perpetrator, or even just allowing the victim to tell their story when the media won’t. Watching them realize that their voice matters and that we truly are in their corner is the best form of validation we receive.”
The goal of the organization is always having impact and producing real world results.
“We count our success not in the statements we release, but in the people we help and the antisemites we hold accountable. We model the saying that ‘actions speak louder than words’ every day by upholding our mission statement.”
Fighting antisemitism must be a team effort and Rez has a three-step solution plan that outlines what to do if you witness or are the victim of antisemitism.
BE VIGILANT. As always, if you see something, say something.
Discuss Antisemitism With Your Social Circle
- don’t avoid the topic as raising awareness makes people more comfortable talking about their own experiences.
BE VOCAL. Get involved in your community. Go to city council meetings, call your elected representatives, and share StopAntisemitism’s content on social media.
The organization not only touches millions of people, but its activism has also had tangible results. With StopAntisemitism’s help, antisemitic students have been expelled, antisemitic employees have been fired, and antisemitic political activists have been exposed and embarrassed. ♦
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