Dozens of New Jersey rabbis are pressing Gov. Mikie Sherrill and state lawmakers to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, escalating pressure on state leaders after a bill to implement the standard was shelved in the legislative session that ended on Tuesday.

In an open letter released by the advocacy group The Jewish Majority, 93 rabbis called on the governor and the state Assembly to revisit and pass legislation adopting the IHRA definition, arguing that New Jersey’s surge in antisemitic incidents demands clearer legal and educational standards.

“The Jewish community is facing surging antisemitism that we never thought possible in America,” the rabbis wrote, citing a string of recent attacks and harassment targeting Jews across the state. “Prioritizing politics over antisemitism signals that Jewish safety is negotiable and subjects our community to further cases of harassment and violence.”

The push comes as New Jersey leads the nation in antisemitic incidents per capita, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a data point the rabbis highlighted as evidence that current policies are failing to stem the rise in anti-Jewish hate.

At the center of the dispute is the IHRA definition, an internationally recognized framework that defines antisemitism and includes examples illustrating how certain forms of anti-Israel rhetoric can cross into antisemitism, while also explicitly allowing for measured criticism of Israeli government policy. Opponents, including some anti-Israel activist groups, argue that the definition could chill political speech or conflate legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

Supporters counter that the framework provides essential clarity for law enforcement, educators and institutions tasked with responding to hate incidents. In their letter, the rabbis urged state leaders to apply the IHRA definition across training, education and hate-crime response systems, framing the move as a necessary tool to protect Jewish communities.

“We call on our political leaders in New Jersey to immediately revisit and pass legislation that adopts the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and applies that definition to training, education, and hate-crime response systems,” the letter states.

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