Addressing Antisemitism in Your Town

Massachusetts created the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism to take a statewide look at how antisemitism is affecting Jewish life and what institutions can do about it. The Commission’s final report includes instructions for cities and towns, and gives residents something concrete to bring into conversations with their own local government. In this segment, we break down what this means at the local level: what your city or town should be doing, where gaps may exist, and how residents can advocate for change in their own communities. If you’re a resident, the included PDF guide can help you understand what your local government should be doing and identify where it may be falling short. Instead of having to make the case from scratch, you can point to recommendations from the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism and ask what your city or town is doing to put them into practice. And if you’re a municipal leader or local official, you don’t need to sort through the entire Commission report to figure out how to better ensure that Jewish residents and institutions feel welcome in your town. The guide pulls together the relevant recommendations and makes it easier to understand how to take concrete steps.