2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25107444D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 680

Offered February 14, 2025

Commending the Combat Antisemitism Movement.

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Patrons—Jones, Helmer, Carr, Cousins, Hope, Laufer, Lopez, Martinez, Sullivan, Ward, Watts and Willett; Senators: Reeves, Cifers, Craig, Deeds, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein and VanValkenburg

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WHEREAS, the Combat Antisemitism Movement is a global coalition dedicated to uniting individuals and organizations from all backgrounds to confront and eliminate antisemitism in all its forms; and

WHEREAS, the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has demonstrated a significant commitment to combating antisemitism in the Commonwealth of Virginia through initiatives that promote education, law-enforcement training, community engagement, and cultural recognition; and

WHEREAS, CAM hosted the First Annual Summit to Combat Antisemitism, bringing together community leaders, lawmakers, and advocates to address the rise of antisemitism and propose tangible solutions, with a second summit scheduled to be held in May 2025; and

WHEREAS, CAM honored the courageous service of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, the 6,500 military members of which recently returned from nine months at sea, where they faced the most significant combat action defending against missile and drone attacks on United States and allied assets since World War II, through the Military Tribute Gala Dinner; and

WHEREAS, a half-block-wide wall mural at the oceanfront of Virginia Beach, painted by an Israeli artist, was dedicated to the brave service members of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, recognizing their valor and sacrifices; and

WHEREAS, CAM has facilitated law-enforcement training across the Commonwealth for hundreds of local, state, federal, and university law-enforcement professionals, with instruction provided by worldwide experts from the George Washington University Program on Extremism, the leading research center on extremism, antiterrorism, hate, and antisemitism, resulting in real-world results with investigators identifying and thwarting potential threats to public safety thanks to improved recognition of evidence associated with extremism during probes of unrelated criminal activities; and

WHEREAS, CAM has provided training for public and private university presidents and higher education leaders to recognize and fairly address hate and antisemitism on their campuses, ensuring a safer and more inclusive learning environment; and

WHEREAS, CAM has conducted meetings with concerned parents and students experiencing antisemitism in elementary, middle, and high schools as well as universities across Virginia, directly connecting them with elected officials and public entities capable of addressing their grievances and assisting in opening civil rights cases within the Virginia Attorney General's Civil Rights Division; and

WHEREAS, CAM is preparing to launch new initiatives in Virginia emphasizing education, scholarships, and cultural bridge-building, including scholarships for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and community colleges, as well as programs to bring Black and Jewish students together through the Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) short curriculum contest and the introduction of a long-term JAHM curriculum; and

WHEREAS, CAM is supporting the restoration of the first-floor soda fountain in the historic Woolworth's building in Norfolk, Virginia, the site of one of the first civil rights demonstrations in the state, now housed in the Tidewater Community College academic building, which will serve as an interactive learning museum and classroom instruction site highlighting civil rights history and its connection to combating antisemitism; and

WHEREAS, CAM is also working to restore and support the legacy of Rosenwald Schools and HBCUs, ensuring continued investment in educational institutions that have historically empowered marginalized communities and fostering unity and understanding; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Combat Antisemitism Movement for its outstanding efforts in combating antisemitism, promoting education, fostering interfaith and intercommunity dialogue, and supporting military, law-enforcement, and civil rights initiatives across the Commonwealth of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Combat Antisemitism Movement as an expression of the General Assembly's appreciation for its dedication to fighting antisemitism and promoting justice, unity, and education throughout Virginia.