Concerned Jewish Faculty & Staff

True. Almost certainly a choice made by the Al Jazeera editorial team.

Meant to say CEO of *Greater Boston* JCRC

To make sure your views are accurately represented, please also send written testimony via this form

forms.office.com/pages/respon...

We Need You to Make Your Voice Heard Jeremy Burton On Thursday, September 25, the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism convened its twelfth hearing at the State House. This session was dedicated to public comment. The hearing brought a wide range of voices. Some used the space to air political grievances, but there were also important contributions that spoke directly to the Commission's charge: sharing lived experiences of antisemitism in Massachusetts and offering recommendations for how our schools, campuses, and state can respond.

Jeremy Burton, CEO of JCRC and member of MA Antisemitism Commission, is misrepresenting public testimony to the Commission.

He dismisses the >75% of testimony that was critical of their reliance on IHRA definition as "some used the space to air political grievances"

Yes, the ADL is a ‘political front masquerading as a watchdog’ And for the past two years, it has played well the ‘arsonist and the fireman’ scam.

How the ADL's attempted alliance with the US far-right backfired, and what it means for all of us.

By @culturejamming.bsky.social

www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

There’s lots of folks in Massachusetts who think they’re too smart to fall for propaganda. And unfortunately I must say that if you’re not seeing this issue of Christian nationalists pushing Israeli government propaganda as something they’re falling for right now.

Public commenters overwhelmingly reject antisemitism commission's findings and composition - Jewish Journal BOSTON – Dozens of Jews and several legislators offered some suggestions for – but mostly criticisms of – the work of the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism at its public comment ses...

"Blue" state Massachusetts is using a stacked "antisemitism" commission to join the Trump administration in suppressing criticism of Israel and its genocide and ethnic cleansing. Governor Healey should be ashamed.
jewishjournal.org/2025/10/03/p...

Hilary Lustick, UMass Lowell: "Structured dialogue can help us build the stamina, in ourselves and in our children, to hold our own pain, build empathy, and create community across difference... discipline, termination, shaming, censorship, and suspension do not" static.wixstatic.com/media/d9078d...

Jonathan Feingold @jpygold.bsky.social Boston University: "The Commission has endorsed a definition of antisemitism that rationalizes abductions and deportations, and invites right-wing groups to hunt political speech with which they disagree.”

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Jeremy Menchik @menchik.bsky.social Boston University: "By over relying on data that is widely known to be unreliable and systematically biased, the Special Commission’s work thus far has misrepresented the character and severity of antisemitism in MA." static.wixstatic.com/media/d9078d...

Frances Tanzer, Clark University: "Using accusations of antisemitism to defund, bully, or control universities and other institutions breeds resentment toward Jews."

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On September 8, CJFS members testified to the MA Special Commission on how to combat antisemitism without enabling the Trump administration's attacks on free speech and education.

See our testimony here: www.concernedjewishfaculty.org/video-testim...

Lynne Layton: “Recommendations on antisemitism must be formulated in the context of this particular authoritarian moment... The threat of antisemitism, in fact, mostly comes from the Christian nationalist right, about which we have heard almost nothing in these hearings.”

Akiva Liebowitz: “There are many of us who believe that antisemitism – not the weaponized variant being put forth by organizations such as ADL, AJC, and AIPAC – should be combated within a broader framework of anti-racial bias and hate and bigotry.”

Cole Harrison of MA Peace Action: “They form the commission on antisemitism to make sure nobody can criticize Israel without being labeled an antisemite. Has any commission member spoken out against Israel’s atrocities and U.S. support for them? If not, I suggest that your commission is stacked.”

Testimony by Mark Gurvitch: “The commission has aligned itself with one side of an internal Jewish community conflict. This has not served the Jewish community or the people of Massachusetts.”

Public commenters overwhelmingly reject antisemitism commission's findings and composition - Jewish Journal BOSTON – Dozens of Jews and several legislators offered some suggestions for – but mostly criticisms of – the work of the state’s Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism at its public comment ses...

The public showed up to overwhelmingly reject the MA Special Commission's IHRA-based recommendations for combating antisemitism in k12 schools.

Will they listen?

jewishjournal.org/2025/10/03/p...

YouTube video by TheAAUP Faculty on the Front Lines: Maura Finkelstein (formerly of Muhlenberg)

One of these stories is Maura Finkelstein, a tenured Jewish professor fired from Muhlenberg College for posting a poem by a Palestinian on her personal social media

youtu.be/13irUYHM0_A?...

A New Project Exploring Attacks on Academic Freedom Faculty on the Front Lines: AAUP Members Share Stories of Repression and Resistance

Anna Feder, fired from Emerson College for screening @israelismfilm.com , launches a "Faculty on the
Front Lines" series with @aaup.org documenting violations of academic freedom against educators who speak out on issues of social justice academicfreedomontheline.substack.com/p/a-new-proj...

The ADL cozying up to MAGA was never going to work. It was always clear that MAGA was weaponizing antisemitism allegations to advance their agenda, and would drop the "combating antisemitism" stance whenever it became inconvenient. In the meantime ADL has lost credibility to fight real antisemitism.

It is wrong to blame an attack on a synagogue on Yom Kippur on Jewish support for Israel, and it is equally wrong to blame it on Muslim immigration to the UK. We can't give in to mutual hate. Be better, everyone.

The DHS/State lawyers' case was so incoherent. Argued that writing an op-ed was action not speech. Claimed that "preventing a hostile campus environment for Jewish students" (by repressing protected speech) was vital to US *foreign* policy.
Glad Judge Young wasn't having it.

Beyond horrified at the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester today

Notably, Judge Young calls the government's definition of antisemitism (which officially is the IHRA def) unconstitutionally broad:

"Trump administration's full-throated assault on the First Amendment across the board under the cover of an unconstitutionally broad definition of Anti-Semitism"

"An ecosystem of pro-Israel and right-wing organizations have been deeply involved in driving the surge in [Title VI antisemitism investigations] At least a quarter of the investigations originated from people with no relationship to the schools in question."

The ADL is openly caving to right-wing antisemites. No one should looking to them to arbitrate what is and isn't antisemitism, least of all school systems and universities.

"Secretaries Noem and Rubio have intentionally and in concert implemented Executive Orders in
a viewpoint-discriminatory way to chill protected speech. This conduct violated the First Amendment."

Actions to take:
1. Call MA legislators (617) 722-2000 and tell them to reject IHRA definition

2. Provide written testimony to Special Commission: forms.office.com/pages/respon...

3. Tell BESE not to implement IHRA definition in schools www.doe.mass.edu/contact/qand...

Powerful testimony last week by Alain Jehlen and State Sen. Pat Jehlen against the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which the MA Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism is trying to force on Massachusetts schools.

If you or your kids have been ostracized, bullied, censored, discriminated against, excluded from campus Jewish life, or fired for Israel-critical views: let the Special Commission on Antisemitism hear it. They claim that victims will be believed, not gaslit.