PRINTER'S NO. 2557
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
311
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HOGAN, MARCELL, MERCURI, GREEN, LABS, LEADBETER,
M. MACKENZIE, R. MACKENZIE, MENTZER, OWLETT, PICKETT, RAPP,
ROWE AND SCHEUREN, FEBRUARY 1, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 1, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Designating November 9, 2024, as "Antisemitism Awareness and
Education Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, On October 17, 2023, the House of Representatives
unanimously passed House Resolution No. 245, which condemned the
terrorist attack in Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and
urged the Congress of the United States to provide the State of
Israel with the necessary support to ensure its safety and
security; and
WHEREAS, Antisemitic incidents in the United States have
increased at an unprecedented record in the months since the
terror attack on October 7, 2023; and
WHEREAS, The Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism has
recorded a significant increase in antisemitic incidents across
the United States, with reported incidents of harassment,
vandalism and assault increasing 388% over the same period last
year; and
WHEREAS, Antisemitism, including harassment on the basis of
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actual or perceived Jewish origin, ancestry, ethnicity,
identity, affiliation or faith, remains a persistent, pervasive,
and disturbing problem in contemporary American society; and
WHEREAS, Jewish people continue to be a targeted minority in
the United States and Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Data shows that Jewish people are consistently the
most likely of all religious groups to be victimized by
incidents of hate and that these incidents are increasing at an
alarming rate; and
WHEREAS, While there can be no exhaustive definition of
antisemitism because it can take many forms, the International
Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of
antisemitism has been an essential definitional tool used to
determine contemporary manifestations of antisemitism, and
includes useful examples of discriminatory anti-Israel acts that
can cross the line into antisemitism; and
WHEREAS, The IHRA working definition:
(1) is used by various agencies of the Federal
Government and the 33 governments that are members of the
IHRA;
(2) is recommended for use by the European Council and
the European Parliament;
(3) is endorsed by the United Nations' Secretary General
and the Secretary General of the Organization of American
States;
(4) is included in policy guides prepared by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; and
(5) has been formally adopted by a growing number of
European nations;
and
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WHEREAS, The use of this definition of antisemitism, though
not exhaustive, will increase awareness and understanding of the
parameters of contemporary anti-Jewish discrimination in certain
circumscribed areas; and
WHEREAS, It is incumbent on all leaders to unequivocally
condemn antisemitism; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
November 9, 2024, as "Antisemitism Awareness and Education Day"
in Pennsylvania.
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