JCRC Statement
February 28, 2023
The Virginia Jewish Communities thank the General Assembly for their bipartisan work in adopting – by overwhelming majority – the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a guide and tool for training, education, understanding and combatting antisemitism. Thank you to Delegates and Senators from both sides of the aisle, as well as the Governor and Attorney General, for engaging in the discussion and finding consensus – a process that, in and of itself, highlighted the alarming rise in antisemitism and provided an opportunity to discuss the many forms that antisemitism can take. Thank you to the hundreds of community members who joined a chorus of voices to share the significance and value of the IHRA definition for use throughout the Commonwealth. The Jewish Federations and Community Relations Councils of Northern Virginia, Richmond, Tidewater and the Peninsula are honored to have led this community-wide effort. We now look forward to the work of educating law enforcement and educators as well as the community at large about the Jewish community and ways in which we can recognize and combat antisemitism.