Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania addressed the need for a strong, bipartisan response to antisemitism during the American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey’s 80th-anniversary celebration on Monday titled “Shaping a New Future.”
Shapiro joined Ted Deutch, CEO of AJC, during the event for a conversation about the future of Jewish communities across the United States and the increasing political polarization threatening them.
“When it comes to antisemitism, it is incredibly important for everyone to understand that there is no nuance,” he said. “Everyone in a position of public trust—and everyone in our communities—has a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity and speak out against it.”
The governor continued, saying “it doesn’t matter who is sharing those sentiments—if they’re members of your own party, if they’re people you might otherwise agree with on some other issue—we have a responsibility to speak out against it, and we have a responsibility as a community to be unified against antisemitism, hatred, bigotry in all forms.”
Deutch asked Shapiro about the term “Genocide Josh” used by pro-Palestinian activists when the governor was seen as a Democratic vice presidential prospect for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign earlier this year. Shapiro said the insult did not impact the way he showed up publicly, but he was concerned that such expressions would make U.S. Jews question showing pride in their Jewish identities.
In discussing recent anti-Israel demonstrations at institutions of higher education, the governor said that some colleges had “lost their way” but that others were “moving in the right direction,” restoring students’ feelings of safety on campus.
Shapiro said university leaders must also hold faculty accountable and must ensure that they are teaching facts and not encouraging students to break the rules that are meant to keep their campuses not only safe but also welcoming for all students.
“While protest is a right—and it is important for all viewpoints to be heard—it must not come at the expense of the safety of others,” he said.
Following the nearly 40-minute discussion, Deutch said AJC is “proud to partner with principled leaders like Gov. Shapiro to address issues of concern to the American Jewish community.”
