About

We are residents of Sonoma County California working together to address antisemitism and hate speech in our county.

Over the last three years, antisemitism has spiked to the highest levels in decades. In October 2023, Hamas attacked civilian villages with barbaric purpose in southern Israel, killing over 1,300 people and taking over 200 hostages. Since the Hamas attack and subsequent Israeli government retaliation, antisemitism has spiked even further.

Sonoma County residents are coming together to address this rising tide of hatred. When one group is targeted with escalating hate, everyone becomes less safe.

We invite all institutions in our county - religious groups, civic groups, charities, government agencies, businesses, schools, libraries, police and public safety groups - to take a stand against antisemitism and all forms of hate speech in our county.

Our Definition of Antisemitism

We follow the definition established by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which is:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

The IHRA contextualizes this definition further, including:

"Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong.” It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits."

More information including a list of examples of what falls in and out of this definition is provided on the IHRA website.

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