U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Kay Granger (R-TX) announced the relaunching of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism amid a recent rise in Jewish Community Center bomb threats.
Roskam and Granger were joined by fellow task force co-chairs: U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Marc Veasey (D-TX).
In a joint statement, the task force co-chairs called anti-Semitism witnessed at home and abroad both dangerous and complex.
“The recent desecration of Jewish grave sites and bomb threats targeting JCCs and Jewish day schools across the country are deplorable,” the lawmakers said. “And overseas, the anti-Semitic threats, vandalism, and violence aimed at Jewish schools, synagogues, kosher supermarkets, homes and property are unacceptable.”
“In light of recent events, it is more important than ever that Democrats and Republicans work together to root out hatred and racism in all its ugly forms. We look forward to working with our colleagues in Congress to find innovative solutions that match the 21st century face of this ancient bigotry,” the lawmakers said.
In 2017, approximately 100 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish day schools have received bomb threats in 33 states and two Canadian provinces, according to the JCC Association of North America.
Roskam signed a letter to the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice last week calling for swift action on bomb threats to Jewish community centers.
“Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our nation and the ability for all faiths to worship freely is sacred to our identity as Americans — no hateful act of vandalism or violent threat can change that,” Roskam said. “I stand with the Jewish people, who have for thousands of years stood resilient in the face of persecution and oppression. An attack on the Jewish community is an attack on every American community — we must step up the fight against this cancerous hatred.”