For years, American Jewish Committee (AJC) has advocated for a whole-of-society approach to counter the rise of antisemitism, urging all Americans to play a role in curbing the world’s oldest hatred. Dozens of committed Americans heard the call, and, in June, AJC debuted the most robust whole-of-society approach to combat contemporary antisemitism in the U.S. to date titled the Combating Antisemitism Playbook.
Here is the story of how AJC and more than 60 leaders across society worked together to develop a practical, coordinated approach to countering antisemitism grounded in real-world experience. It equips leaders in 13 sectors with clear, practical, and tailored guidance to identify, counter, and prevent antisemitism wherever it emerges.
On January 15, 2022, neighbors in a normally quiet Dallas-Fort Worth suburb watched from their backyards for nearly 11 hours as hundreds of law enforcement officers descended on the neighborhood synagogue to rescue four hostages inside.
That morning, a gunman had entered Congregation Beth Israel, a Reform temple in Colleyville, Texas, demanding that the rabbi and congregants help him secure the release of a federal prisoner. While the gunman’s motive was crystal clear to those familiar with the antisemitic conspiracy of Jewish control and power, it was less clear to the FBI.
“We do believe from our engagement with this subject that he was singularly focused on one issue and it was not specifically related to the Jewish community,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Dallas Field Office. “But we’re continuing to work to find [the] motive and we will continue on that path.”
Holly Huffnagle, AJC’s U.S. Director for Combating Antisemitism at the time, could not believe her ears.