At its meeting on January 25, 2022, the Southampton Town Board unanimously approved a resolution that adopts the working definition of antisemitism set forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
With evidence that antisemitism is once again on the rise, the IHRA was committed to providing a definition of antisemitism, and to present it to the world for international consensus. On May 26, 2016, the IHRA adopted the following non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism: “Antisemitism is 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.”
Examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere are highlighted in the Town’s resolution. With this definition in place, policymakers and law enforcement officials now have a tool to address the rise in hate and discrimination at both the national and local level. Suffolk County, as well as other Towns across Long Island, have also adopted IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism.
Supervisor Jay Schneiderman credits Robin Long, a member of the Town’s Planning Board, with bringing this issue to the forefront, and for urging the Town to adopt the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism. Schneiderman noted, “The Town of Southampton is committed to cultivating a culture of openness and acceptance. Adopting this definition of antisemitism helps to ensure the protection of the freedoms and rights of all its residents and visitors alike.”
