For Immediate Release
Media Contact
Washington, D.C. — Kevin Rachlin, the Washington Director of The Nexus Project, testified today as an invited witness before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on the subject of combating antisemitism. The Nexus Project is a Jewish organization dedicated to building an inclusive and effective national coalition to confront antisemitism, while preserving academic freedom and the right to free expression. Nexus experts have published a respected guide to identifying and responding to antisemitism on college campuses.
In his testimony, Rachlin highlighted the alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. and called for meaningful action to address this crisis. He warned against the alarming normalization of antisemitic ideas and movements at the highest levels of American politics, including by the current administration.
Rachlin urged lawmakers to move beyond rhetoric and partisan point-scoring and pass concrete measures like the Countering Antisemitism Act (CAA) which has broad Jewish communal support. He also cautioned against efforts to exploit real fears over antisemitism in order to attack or weaken pluralistic democracy — underscoring how strong democratic institutions and rights help guarantee Jewish safety.
The full text of Rachlin’s testimony can be found here. Notable excerpts include:
“Congress has spent more time in press conferences and hearings than on funding or voting for substantive solutions. The Trump administration, meanwhile, seems to be using the legitimate pain of Jewish communities to advance an agenda that most Jewish Americans do not support.”
“Jewish safety is most secure in healthy democracies with robust civil rights protections. History shows that Jewish communities have been most vulnerable where democratic institutions are weakened or destroyed.”
“Who could ever have imagined an American president hosting a known Holocaust denier like Nick Fuentes or a rap star who promotes brazen antisemitism. Who could have imagined senior administration officials promoting ‘Great Replacement Theory rhetoric — the same ideology that drove mass shootings at Tree of Life synagogue, El Paso, and Poway. What more troubling signal could there be to American Jews?”
Rachlin and other leaders of the Nexus Project are available to discuss key takeaways from today’s hearing, as well as constructive strategies for combatting antisemitism that uphold democratic rights and freedoms.
