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Here’s what the state’s antisemitism commission found — and what it thinks we should do about it
“Combating antisemitism must combine strong civil rights protections, civic education, and moral responsibility,” the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism said.
Citing a “pervasive and escalating” threat of antisemitism in Massachusetts schools and workplaces, a state-appointed commission has put forth a sweeping set of recommendations aimed at combatting anti-Jewish sentiment.
Unanimously approved last month, the report from the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism debuted to mixed reception; while proponents praised the commission for offering a blueprint to a more welcoming Massachusetts, some critics felt its findings missed the mark.
The non-binding recommendations call for state leaders to fight antisemitism “the Massachusetts Way,” through a combination of proposals meant to promote inclusivity, bolster anti-bias education, and improve channels for monitoring and reporting potential hate crimes.
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“The Massachusetts Way reflects our belief that combating antisemitism must combine strong civil rights protections, civic education, and moral responsibility,” the commission wrote in its final report.
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Commissioners also argued that the state “must combat antisemitism in a way that distinguishes between good-faith criticism of the actions and policies of Israel’s government, on the one hand, and advocacy that condones or supports the elimination of Jews and the State of Israel.”
Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli offensive, “antisemitism has manifested in new and troubling ways, particularly in K-12 schools, on college and university campuses, and in the workplace,” the commission found.
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According to its report, families and teachers in Massachusetts public schools have reported incidents of bullying and hate, including swastika graffiti, Holocaust jokes, and name-calling that uses the term “Zionist” — someone who supports a Jewish state — as a “replacement slur for ‘Jew’ or ‘Jewish.’”
“Many Jewish students in Massachusetts schools are scared to publicly display their Judaism or let others know they are Jewish for fear of disparate treatment or bullying,” the report alleges.
What the report recommends
The commission’s K-12 recommendations include an Advisory Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education; model curricula and resources for teaching about antisemitism and Jewish history; mandatory anti-bias education for faculty and school leaders; and a statewide bias reporting program that explicitly includes antisemitism as a form of bias.
The report further notes antisemitism is a “serious, systemic concern” at colleges throughout Massachusetts, adding that Jewish students and staff have said they feel their campuses have become “increasingly hostile.”
However, the commission also found that “punitive measures taken by the federal government against Massachusetts higher education institutions are highly divisive and threaten to undermine the earnest efforts that many Massachusetts college and university leaders are making to deal with the issue of antisemitism in good faith.”
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Colleges should adopt and share clear rules for campus demonstrations and protests, institute mandatory anti-bias education that includes antisemitism training, and have clear protocols for reporting incidents of hate or bias, the report recommends.
The commission also cited a rise in online harassment and noted that digital platforms are fertile ground for antisemitic conspiracy theories and intimidation tactics like doxxing, or disseminating someone’s personal information without their consent. Moreover, the commission said it has heard from employees who reported feeling unsafe, unwelcome, or uncomfortable being openly Jewish at work due to fear of discrimination or social exclusion.
Notably, the report sheds light on a sort of catch-22 countless American Jews now face; while many Jewish Bay Staters who reported antisemitism felt their experiences were minimized or dismissed, residents also raised concerns about steps the Trump administration has taken toward the ostensible goal of eradicating antisemitism.
Specifically, the report explains, many Massachusetts residents who testified before the commission fear the federal government’s forceful actions could backfire and fuel further antisemitism.
“People in Massachusetts, including Jewish residents, widely recognize, and have re-learned many times throughout history, that ‘narrow nationalisms’ never end well for Jews, and as such, threats to democracy are intrinsically threatening to the Jewish people,” the commission wrote.
Did the commission meet its goal?
The recommendations earned statements of praise from several Massachusetts elected officials, with Gov. Maura Healey commending the report as “an important guide for educating our children, building a better understanding of the Jewish experience, and making it clear that antisemitism has no place in Massachusetts.”
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Senate President Karen Spilka likewise suggested that the recommendations will “move us toward a world where Jews — and all people of any identity — can live authentically and free from hate.”
However, the report was also met with sharp criticism from some who felt the commission fell short.
“The Commission has done more to fuel rising authoritarianism and antisemitism than to create the conditions that promote Jewish safety,” declared the Concerned Jewish Faculty and Staff. According to its website, the group’s members hail from colleges and universities around the Boston area and oppose “the invocation of Jews and Jewishness” to penalize pro-Palestinian activism, stifle free speech, or erode democratic institutions.
The Concerned Jewish Faculty and Staff released a competing “shadow report” calling for, among other points, antisemitism training that separates Jewish identity from any nation-state or political ideology; anti-harassment policies that differentiate between prohibited harassment and protected speech; and an emphasis on open inquiry into competing ideas, including those related to Zionism, antisemitism, Israel, and Palestinian territories.
Jeremy Menchik, an associate professor of international relations and political science at Boston University, alleged in a statement that the commission failed to combat antisemitism and instead “increased polarization in Massachusetts and created a template for blue-state authoritarianism.”
Similarly, BU law professor Jonathan Feingold accused the commission of endorsing the same policies the Trump administration has used to “strip our rights, silence dissent, and terrorize our communities.”
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“What might have been a model for the nation offers a cautionary tale that leaves Massachusetts even less equipped to contend with antisemitism in the Commonwealth and beyond,” Feingold warned in a statement.
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