Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union) – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization – welcomed yesterday’s announcement by The White House that President Biden is creating an interagency task force to focus upon and coordinate the federal government’s work to combat antisemitism.
The announcement was issued the same day the Orthodox Union convened a meeting on this topic in New York City between community leaders and high-ranking government officials, including DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Orthodox Union President Mark (Moishe) Bane stated:
“The surge of antisemitism has preoccupied us as a community and we appreciate deeply this action by President Biden, coming less than a week after the White House welcomed our participation in a roundtable discussion on this urgent issue convened by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.”
Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer stated:
“The Orthodox Jewish community whose members, because of our visibility as Jews, have been so often targeted is grateful for President Biden’s latest action to deploy the full strength of the U.S. government in the fight against antisemitism.”
Orthodox Union Executive Director for Public Policy Nathan Diament stated:
“President Biden’s establishment of this interagency task force is a very important step toward an effective response to the recent surge of antisemitism in the United States. It is particularly important that the president has directed this effort to be led by the existing White House Domestic Policy and National Security Council staffs – and not a new, separate apparatus – so that key cabinet agency leaders and offices will be better coordinated and impactful around combating antisemitism.”