The New Jersey state senate canceled a Thursday hearing on an antisemitism bill over “safety concerns,” according to a prominent Jewish organization.
Lawmakers on a senate government committee were slated to vote on a bill defining antisemitism in the state. But the 10 a.m. hearing was marked “canceled” on the state legislature’s website, which provided no reasoning for the abrupt cancelation.
“The Senate State Government Committee has cancelled its meeting this Thursday, May 16th so, unfortunately, the trip to Trenton is cancelled,” the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey said in an Instagram statement. “We are very disappointed in our elected officials. We are hoping this important bill will be heard sometime in the near future.”
The news was first reported on Monday by the Forward senior political reporter Jacob Kornbluh, who publicly shared an internal federation email he obtained. “Senate leadership has signaled that they have safety concerns and are not comfortable hearing bills supporting Jews at this time,” the email reads. “Additionally, we have been discouraged from gathering at the statehouse.”
The federation’s members were planning to attend a rally and press conference at the Trenton state house before the hearing was canceled. It’s unclear if the hearing will be rescheduled.
“Jewish Federation of Northern NJ is very disappointed that such a crucial piece of antisemitism legislation is not being heard. It is ironic that a bill designed to protect the rights and safety of Jews was cancelled due to concerns about keeping the community safe,” Jason Shames, the federation’s chief executive, told Fox News. “We look forward to working with our elected officials to pass this critical legislation in the near future and thank our community leaders and fellow organizations for their incredible partnership in mobilizing behind essential protections for Jews.”
Other pro-Israel organizations such as the Agudath Israel of America also expressed frustration with the hearing’s cancellation.
“The need for such a bill is perfectly illustrated by the fact that Jews are being denied the ability to testify in support of a bill granting them protections from antisemitism due to the threat of antisemites disrupting the hearing,” said Shlomo Schorr, director of legislative affairs for Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office. “We urge the Senate leadership to reconsider their decision and find alternative means to ensure both safety and the continuation of this important legislative process.”
The New Jersey senate was supposed to consider S.B. 1292 to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in the state. The alliance defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Contemporary examples of antisemitism, according to the Holocaust organization, include calling for, aiding, or justifying the genocide of Jews and alleging that Jews control the news media, economy, government, or other societal institutions.
State senators James Beach (D., N.J.) and Robert Singer (R., N.J.) sponsored the bill, which was accompanied by identical legislation in the state house. In addition to establishing a statewide definition of antisemitism, both bills seek to create a public awareness campaign regarding the rise of antisemitism in recent months and appropriate $100,000 to the campaign.
Antisemitic hatred and violence skyrocketed in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. In the U.S. alone, the Anti-Defamation League reported in April that there have already been more than 8,800 antisemitic incidents in 2023, a 140-percent increase from the prior year.
About 9 percent of those incidents occurred in New Jersey, including incidents involving harassment, vandalism, and assault, according to the ADL.