Submitted by Brant Schulz, JCRC
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (JFC) and Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) announced Monday they have joined the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism as an official partner of hashtag StandUpToJewishHate, their new national campaign to mobilize all Americans, and especially non-Jews, to combat antisemitism by using the blue square emoji as a unifying symbol of support. Jews only make up two point four of the American population yet are the victims of fifty five percent of religious-based hate crimes. That startling discrepancy is the cornerstone of this new campaign, created through a twenty five million dollar investment by Robert K. Kraft and his family. JFC and JCRC joins the Foundation, alongside a broad coalition of partnered organizations, including the League of Women Voters, Urban League, National Governors Association, the Anti-Defamation League and Hillel International to encourage its supporters to stand up to Jewish hate.
Through the hashtag StandUpToJewishHate campaign, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism is establishing the Blue Square emoji, already on all smartphones, as a simple but powerful symbol of solidarity and support for the Jewish community. The will make its debut by taking up two point four percent of TV and digital screens, billboards and social feeds, including an integrated roll-out across NBC in which hosts and talent from some of the network’s most popular shows introduce and discuss the rising threat of antisemitism, including on The Voice, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, The Kelly Clarkson Show and TODAY.
“The hashtag StandUpToJewishHate campaign is designed to raise awareness for the fight against antisemitism, specifically among non-Jewish audiences and to help all Americans understand that there is a role for each of us to play in combating a problem that is unfortunately all too prevalent in communities across the country today,” said Robert K. Kraft, Founder of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. “We must stand up and take action against the rise of all hate and I hope everyone will post and share the Blue Square to show their support in this fight.”
This is a local problem. On January 6, antisemitic graffiti was found scrawled on bridges in Norwood’s Lindner Park. That same day, JCRC Director Ari Ballaban removed the graffiti. In the last two months, JCRC has also responded to several instances of antisemitic flyers distributed in College Hill and Northside.
While high-profile events have started to make more people aware of antisemitism in the past year, many outside the Jewish community still are not aware of or recognize the scale of Jewish hate. According to a survey by Wunderman Thompson SONAR, over fifty two percent of U.S. adults eighteen and over do not believe “antisemitism is a big problem,” and forty five percent believe that Jewish people are more than capable of handling issues of antisemitism on their own. Another recent study from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found that eighty five percent of Americans believe at least one anti-Jewish trope. Additionally, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism has observed an increase in discussion of antisemitism online over the past two years, with the biggest increases in conversation in 2022 related to antisemitic flyers, conspiracy theories, and the Holocaust. We cannot let two point four percent of the population fight antisemitism on its own.
JFC and JCRC encourages people to hashtag StandUpToJewishHate in a number of ways:
Post and share -– an emoji already available on most smartphones — as a hashtag across social media alongside a message of support for the Jewish community and commitment to stand up to Jewish hate.
Activate your network by making them aware of the StandUpToJewishHate campaign and how they can use the Blue Square as a powerful symbol of solidarity with the Jewish community.
Tell your story to followers on social media, describing an instance where you’ve either encountered antisemitism and how it affected you or witnessed someone standing up against hatred towards Jews.
Visit the StandUpToJewishHate website and subscribe to the Foundation’s ”From the Command Center” e-newsletter to keep up to date on how antisemitism is spreading online, learn ways to identify and report it, and find helpful tools and resources around antisemitism.
Follow the StandUpToJewishHate campaign at StandUpToJewishHate on social media to keep up-to-date with and learn more about antisemitism.
Report antisemitism immediately when you see it, and if it is an emergency, dial 911. You can learn more about how best to report antisemitism by visiting the StandUpToJewishHate website.
