Top Organizations Fighting Antisemitism

Top U.S. Jewish Organizations Fighting Antisemitism

(in alphabetical order)

American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC): Founded in 1963, AIPAC is a Jewish national organization with three million members that fosters a relationship between the United States and Israel and advocates on behalf of Israel to the U.S. legislative and executive branches of government. While lobbying for Israel among American lawmakers, it opposes anti-Israel discrimination, including BDS and discrimination at the United Nations, although AIPAC’s work is not directly focused on fighting antisemitism. (https://www.aipac.org/)

American Jewish Committee (AJC): Founded in 1906, AJC is a Jewish organization that advocates globally for the Jewish people by working with leaders in government and civil society to combat antisemitism, stand up for the State of Israel, and promote democratic values. Holly Huffnagle, a Christian, serves as AJC’s U.S. Director for Combatting Antisemitism. AJC has a significant amount of resources related to antisemitism. (https://www.ajc.org/resources/antisemitism)

Anti-Defamation League (ADL): Founded in 1913, the ADL, is the most prominent Jewish organization fighting defamation of the Jewish people and for justice for all people. It counters hate, antisemitism, extremism, bigotry, and discrimination through its regional U.S. offices (and one in Jerusalem), but also has expanded globally. The ADL has three research centers: Center on Extremism, Center for Technology and Society, and Center for Antisemitism Research. The ADL gathers antisemitic incident statistics and produces annual reports based on those findings (https://www.adl.org/resources/research-analysis).

Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA): Founded in 1982 by Winifred Meiselman, CAMERA has been monitoring the media for anti-Israel bias. It also monitors campus activity and has a blog, CAMERA on Campus. CAMERA Education Institute helps confront antisemitism and anti-Zionism in K-12 and in higher education, helps students stay informed about Israel and assists students, parents, and educators who are facing discrimination. Some accuse CAMERA of being an extreme activist group. (https://www.camera-edu.org/about-us/)

Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM): Founded in 2019, CAM fights all modern-day antisemitism coming from the far-left and the far-right and from radical Islamists through new approaches and alliances and relationship-building with policymakers. CAM engages more than 700 partner organizations and three million people from a variety of backgrounds. It produces global reports on antisemitic trends. It is active on Instagram. (https://combatantisemitism.org/)

Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS): FCAS was founded in 2019 by Robert Kraft to combat antisemitism on social media through positive messaging to non-Jews and equip them to be defenders of Jews. According to its website, its “Command Center technology allows access to over 300 million online data sources including public social media, traditional media, websites, blogs, forums, and more. Over 15 billion pieces of content are added each month, with access to 1.5+ trillion historical data points from the past decade.” All this allows FCAS to monitor antisemitic trends and incidents in order to pro-actively fight antisemitism. This organization is behind the blue square campaign seen on television and social media (#standuptoJewishhate). (https://www.fcas.org/)

Israel Action Network (IAN): IAN works on school campuses, with interfaith partners, including churches, and with governments at the state and federal level to combat discrimination, antisemitism, BDS, and anti-Israel attacks.  (https://www.israelactionnetwork.org/)

Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA): JCPA engages the Jewish community to create a just and inclusive society free of discrimination. Combatting antisemitism is at the core of its mission to create a democratic society free of hate. Since 1944, JCPA has been advocating for policies relating to antisemitism, civil rights, reproductive rights, civil justice, immigration, poverty, voting rights, etc. Regarding antisemitism, JCPA has urged congress to pass legislation to improve tracking and prevention of hate crimes, white supremacist violence, and online hate. (https://jewishpublicaffairs.org/antisemitism-and-hate/)

Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA): JFNA was founded in 1999 from the merger of United Jewish Appeal and the Council of Jewish Federations. JFNA helps keep Jewish communities safe in the face of rising antisemitism through its LiveSecure nationally funded safety program. It also partners with the federal government (DHS) and the Secure Community Network to ensure the safety of Jewish community organizations. The office in Jerusalem is the hub for supporting Jews around the world. (https://www.jewishfederations.org/livesecure)

Simon Wiesenthal Center: This Center is a global Jewish human rights organization that combats antisemitism, hate, and promotes Holocaust education. It is headquartered in Los Angeles, but also has offices in other U.S. cities, and internationally (Berlin, Toronto, Jerusalem, and Buenos Aires), and is an NGO at the U.N. It educates through the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. (https://www.wiesenthal.com/about/about-the-simon-wiesenthal-center/)

StopAntisemitism: Founded in 2018 by social media influencer Liora Rez, this grassroots action-oriented organization publicly exposes antisemites and brings about consequences, such as job loss and school expulsions. Its website highlights the “Antisemite of the Week” and “Antisemite of the Year” and grades college campuses annually for their antisemitism. It is active on social media. (https://www.stopantisemitism.org/)

World Jewish Congress (WJC): This non-partisan Jewish organization was formed in 1936 in Geneva, Switzerland, to fight the Nazis and to advocate for a Jewish homeland. It is now based in New York and advocates for Jewish communities and organizations in 100 countries globally.  WJC has a variety of programs and initiatives, including SECCA, Special Envoys & Coordinators Combating Antisemitism forum, where officials from various countries meet to exchange views and share policies to combat antisemitism. (https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/focus-areas/combating-anti-semitism)

Jewish Organizations in Canada Combatting Antisemitism

B’nai Brith: B’nai Brith is Canada’s Jewish human rights organization that fights antisemitism and racism, and defends the State of Israel and worldwide Jewry. The League for Human Rights, the Committee for Justice in Canada, B’nai Brith Sports, and Community Engagement Programming all make up B’nai Brith. B’nai Brith has an anti-hate app to report online and real-world hate incidents. The Matas Law Society is a network of Jewish lawyers and an activist Jewish law society under the League for Human Rights. B’nai Brith produces an annual audit of antisemitic incidents in Canada. (https://www.bnaibrith.ca/antisemitic-incidents/)

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA): CIJA is the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada and the Canadian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress to protect the quality of Jewish life in Canada, including through combatting antisemitism and strengthening the Canada-Israel friendship. CIJA informs leaders in government, media, business, and academia about Jewish perspectives and ensures that the Jewish perspective is included in public policy. (https://www.cija.ca/)

Canada’s Federations are the central organization bodies for the Jewish communities. The Federation in Montreal is called Federation CJA, which provides a Hillel resource guide for students to stand up against antisemitism and access to the Community Security Network and hotline. The Federation in Toronto is called UJA-Federation of Greater Toronto, and the Federation in Vancouver is called the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. (https://www.federationcja.org/; https://www.jewishtoronto.com/; https://www.jewishvancouver.com/)

Campus Organizations Fighting Antisemitism

CAMERA on campus: CAMERA helps students on campuses fight distorted information about Israel and helps students set up Israel groups on campuses. It offers a CAMERA fellowship for student activists and CAMERA on Campus Coalition funds new on-campus Israel organizations. (https://cameraoncampus.org/about-us/)

Hillel International: Founded in 1923, Hillel is the largest Jewish campus organization and is on 850 college and university campuses to encourage Jewish students in Jewish life, including Shabbat life and Birthright trips. Through its Campus Climate Initiative, Hillel staff work with college and university administration to ensure Jewish students feel safe on campus to express their Jewish identity without the fear of antisemitism or harassment. Hillel has a hate and antisemitism reporting tool on its website, and videos explaining antisemitism. It offers regular in-person teach-ins regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on various campuses. (https://www.hillel.org/confronting-antisemitism/)

Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC): ICC was founded in 2002 as a pro-Israel umbrella organization by Hillel and the Schusterman Family Philanthropies to help American students stand up for Israel on campus and unite all other pro-Israel campus organizations. It helps coordinate students to combat anti-Israel activity on campus, and offers grants to students, faculty, and professionals for pro-Israel initiatives. (https://israelcc.org/about-us/)

Jewish on Campus (JOC): A Jewish student organization that began as an Instagram campaign in 2020 and grew into a nonprofit organization to strengthen Jewish voices on campus and fight hate and end antisemitism on campus with help of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. (https://www.jewishoncampus.org/)

StandWithUs: This non-partisan organization was founded in 2001 by Roz Rothstein to counter antisemitism and educate about Israel. Its focus is to empower students on college campuses, as well as on middle and high school campuses. (https://www.standwithus.com/about). It has a center for combatting antisemitism and an incident reporting tool on its website. It provides educational resources about BDS and other campaigns of hate, the Holocaust, and Zionism. It is based in Los Angeles, but has offices in other parts of the U.S., Canada, Israel, the UK, the Netherlands, Brazil, and South Africa. It has a Center for Combatting Antisemitism that deals exclusively with fighting antisemitism and has its own legal department (Saidoff Legal Department) (https://www.standuptohatred.com/). They offer booklets for students to understand their legal rights on campuses. It works with the Mizel Family Foundation and law enforcement agencies to offer monetary rewards to individuals who offer information that lead to the arrest of those committing antisemitic hate crimes.

Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME): A non-partisan group of scholars who use their place in academic circles to promote honest and civil discussions about Middle East issues, including responses to distorted ideology and religious or ethnic hatred, which they believe have no place on campuses and are adversarial toward peace. This organization supports Israel’s right to exist within safe borders as well as supports the rights of her neighbors. SPME monitors BDS on campuses, offers webinars, lists of scholarly speakers, resources on the Hamas-Israel war, BDS, and the history of the Middle East. SPME has chapters at universities in the U.S., Canada, and around the world. (https://spme.org/about-us/)

Students Supporting Israel (SSI): A campus Zionist organization founded in 2012 at the University of Minnesota that advocates for Israel on campus. It has more than 50 chapters at colleges and high school campuses. It provides activism kits, mini-grants, and resources with information about Israel, and passes resolutions on campuses. It has several programs to help combat antisemitism, including UNDENIED, a Holocaust Memorial campaign; #Jew4aday, and Define it to Fight it. (https://www.ssimovement.org/programs.html)

Christian U.S. Organizations Fighting Antisemitism

Alliance for Israel Advocacy (AIA): AIA is the advocacy arm of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA) to help the Church stand with Israel by articulating Israel’s biblical claim to the land. It also addresses BDS and antisemitism. (https://www.israeladvocates.org/antisemitism.html)

Bridges for Peace: A Christian organization that supports Israel and builds relationships between Jews and Christians in Israel and around the world. It aims to educate and equip Christian to identify with Israel, the Jewish people, and the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and to bless Jews worldwide. It counters antisemitism worldwide and supports Israel’s right to the land. It was founded in 1976 by Dr. G. Douglas Young. It has numerous programs and publications, including prayer nights, a food bank, aliyah help, humanitarian aid, and Bible tours. (https://www.bridgesforpeace.com/)

Christian Friends of Israel-USA (CFI): Formed in 2005, CFI-USA is an organization that supports Israel and the Jewish people by sending funds for IDF soldiers, Ethiopian Jews, Holocaust survivors, new immigrants, Gaza evacuees, Lebanon war victims, and believers in Israel. CFI also educates about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Located in Dallas, Texas.

Christians United for Israel (CUFI): Founded in 2006 by Pastor John Hagee (who’s also been accused of antisemitic statements), CUFI is the largest pro-Israel Christian Zionist organization in the United States, with more than 10 million members. CUFI educates and empowers Christians to defend Israel and the Jewish people. CUFI works in churches, at Capitol Hill, through the media, and on campuses to confront antisemitism through a network of activists. CUFI includes CUFI on Campus, which helps address anti-Israel movements on campus, and the Israel Collective Initiative (2014), led by young Christian leaders to build relationships between American Christians and Israel.

Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism (CCAA) (Under Philos Project): Under the Philos Project, CCAA has a statement against antisemitism (https://philosproject.org/ccaas/).

Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJR): CCJR is a network of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim scholars at centers and institutes in the United States and Canada and stresses mutual understanding and education between Jews and Christians. It includes dialogue and educational programming. CCJR issued a statement (2022) calling on churches to confront antisemitism and stress Jesus’ Jewish identity and one showing solidarity with Israel in 2023. (https://ccjr.us/news/newsflash/call-to-churches-2022dec14)

Eagles’ Wings: Founded in the early 1990’s by Robert Stearns (and Pastor Tommy Reid), Eagles’ Wings seeks to foster a right relationship with Israel and the Jewish people through gratitude, repentance, and finding common ground. Eagles’ Wings educates about Israel and the Jewish roots of Christianity and has tours to Israel, including young leaders tours, and holds an annual day of prayer for Israel. Stearns is also president of the Israel Christian Nexus, which builds relationships between Christians and Jews in support of Israel and the Jewish people, and to stress common values. (https://eagleswings.org/ministries/)

Gateway Center for Israel: Under Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, Gateway Center for Israel aims to inspire the global church for a love for Israel and the Jewish people. The church and center believe in Israel’s irrevocable election and for Jewish followers of the Messiah to remain true to their Jewish identity. This center is concerned about antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Provides educational tools against antisemitism and the current Hamas-Israel war. (https://centerforisrael.com/collection/antisemitism/)

International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (now Yael Eckstein) to build bridges between Christians and Jews and to bless Jews around the world through humanitarian work. Part of its work includes helping persecuted Jews who are experiencing antisemitism with flights to Israel. (https://www.ifcj.org/who-we-help/persecuted-and-oppressed)

Joshua Fund: Founded by Joel and Lynn Rosenberg in 2006 to mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors. Joshua Fund leads trips to Israel, organizes conferences about the Middle East, appears in the media, and works with governments, business, and religious leaders. It also funds a variety of evangelistic and humanitarian works in Israel and among Palestinians.

Philos Action League (Under Philos Project): The Philos Action League is a community of Christians who are committed to showing up when Jews experience acts of antisemitism through a Facebook alert notification (like attending protests). (https://philosproject.org/action/)

Philos Project: Founded in 2014, the Philos Project is a Christian organization that promotes positive Christian engagement in the Near East by creating leaders, building community, and taking action. It includes the Philos Action League and the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism. Its headquarters are in New York City and has regional offices in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. It believes Israel is a legitimate expression of Jewish nationhood, while supporting a two-state solution for Palestinians (as long as Israel has secure borders). The Philos Project has worked with Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) against the PCUSA when it called Israel’s policies “apartheid” toward the Palestinians.