Antisemitism Watch

UN Ambassador Launches Global Initiative Against Rising Antisemitism
Five Jewish Groups Unveil 'Students' Bill of Rights' Amid High K-12 Incidents
North Miami Beach Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

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You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin with a new international effort to combat rising antisemitism. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon launched an initiative on Wednesday aimed at coordinating global action against antisemitic threats. Danon stated that 'Never Again' was meant to be a commitment, not just a slogan, emphasizing that words and declarations are insufficient. The initiative seeks to move beyond statements to coordinated international action, identifying emerging threats and developing tools and policies to combat them. Participating countries will coordinate diplomatic efforts, and Danon called for prioritizing the fight against antisemitism in the selection of the next UN secretary-general. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Jeff Bartos described the situation as a 'global pandemic of antisemitism,' while EU Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism Katharina von Schnurbein added that many Jews feel the need to hide their identities, which she called 'fully unacceptable.' This initiative involves countries committing to join this important mission, which Danon stated is the responsibility of the entire international community, not solely Israel and the Jewish people.

In North America, five major Jewish organizations have launched a 'Jewish Students’ Bill of Rights,' calling on schools to adopt new standards for combating antisemitism and protecting Jewish students. The initiative comes as students return to school following years of elevated antisemitism. The groups — the Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and StandWithUs — outlined six steps for schools. These include training educators to recognize contemporary forms of antisemitism, establishing clear reporting systems, and ensuring accurate teaching about Jews, the Holocaust, antisemitism, and Israel. The document also calls for protecting students who express their Jewish identity or connection to Israel and for teachers to present disputed political issues in a balanced manner. Reporting reviewed for this episode indicates that antisemitic incidents in U.S. K-12 schools have remained stubbornly high. The ADL's 2025 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents recorded 825 such incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools, a slight decrease from 860 the previous year. Overall, the ADL recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2025, a 33% drop from 9,354 in 2024. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stated that when a school fails to identify or respond to antisemitism, the lesson for Jewish students is that 'they do not belong.'

Closer to home, the North Miami Beach City Commission unanimously voted on August 27 to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism. According to reporting reviewed for this episode, the resolution was adopted as a 'non-binding educational and analytical framework to guide municipal training, policy development, and incident assessment.' The city unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms and rejects the normalization of antisemitic rhetoric. Mayor Michael Joseph, the resolution's prime sponsor, stated that adopting the IHRA definition provides a clear, internationally recognized framework for identifying antisemitism and sends a message that hatred against Jewish people has no place in the city. He added that it helps ensure North Miami Beach remains a place where people of every faith can feel safe and respected. The Combat Antisemitism Movement, which helped facilitate the adoption, noted that as of the end of 2025, over 1,330 entities globally had adopted or endorsed the IHRA definition.

Finally, major Jewish groups are announcing a rally in New York City against antisemitism. This event is planned to take place during the UN General Assembly. The announcement comes amid reports that an Iran-backed militia chief, who had previously plotted antisemitic attacks, sought entry into Singapore. Reporting reviewed for this episode highlights this planned rally as a community response to ongoing concerns about antisemitism.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908226
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908178
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-908182
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/major-jewish-groups-announce-nyc-rally-against-antisemitism-during-un-general-assembly/