In a landmark decision on July 24, 2025, the New Jersey Assembly State and Local Government Committee voted and voiced their unanimous support for a bill formally enacting a state-wide definition of antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition. This was after several long hours of heated public comments and over 200 witnesses interested in presenting testimony, further demonstrating the public’s interest in this bill.
Assembly Bill A3558 was first introduced on February 5, 2024, sponsored by Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-36, Bergen and Passaic) and supported by over 50 other legislators who signed on as co-sponsors.
The Assembly Committee Substitution formally defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews, including rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism which are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and their property, Jewish community institutions, and religious facilities,” according to the New Jersey Legislature’s official statement regarding the substitution. The statement continues to provide examples from the IHRA to aid in the training of public workers, law enforcement agencies, and school administrations to be better equipped to identify antisemitic incidents and hate crimes and put an end to them before they escalate.
“In order to combat a problem, it needs to be clearly defined. With the passage of the IHRA definition and antisemitism out of committee, this is the first step in giving law enforcement the tools they need to help protect the Jewish community in New Jersey,” said Robin Freedman-Kramer, CEO of the Jewish Federation of West-Central New Jersey, in a press release by the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey on Thursday night.
Throughout the seven-plus hours spent in public testimony, Schaer and four other legislators voiced their support for the bill and the need to respond to rising antisemitic threats on the state level. Schaer emphasized that by creating a clear definition of antisemitism, they are not looking to impose official criminal penalties nor restrict the public’s right to protected free speech. Rather, their goal is to educate and guide anti-bias/anti–antisemitic efforts. Dozens of Jewish organizations around the state, municipal leaders, and even community members spoke up in their own testimonies, showing their support for Schaer and his ideas.
“Today’s vote is an important step forward in protecting New Jersey’s Jewish community and confronting the rising tide of antisemitism,” said Jason M. Shames, President & CEO, Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. “By adopting the IHRA definition, our state sends a clear message that hate in any form has no place here. We urge both houses of the State Legislature to pass this vital bill without delay.”
Despite this, the bill was also met with resentment and sharp criticism. Some argued that by creating a government-approved official definition of antisemitism, the differentiation between hate and political speech would be destroyed. However, the bill preempts such tension, explaining that nothing in the act is meant to lessen an individual’s rights protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It specifies that political discourse and any form of criticism of Israel and/or Israel’s policies cannot be deemed antisemitic without the use of words or conduct clearly defined as antisemitic in the Assembly bill.
The goal of A3558 is to create a steady and continuous guideline for individuals to utilize when making decisions as to whether and to what degree specific actions are antisemitic and prejudicial, namely in making determinations regarding state anti-discrimination laws and hate crime enforcement.
The Assembly bill follows the prior activity of its Senate counterpart, Senate Bill S1292, approved on June 13, 2024, by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee. Senator James Beach (D-6, Camden) was the Primary Sponsor of S1292, a Senator who has long been a strong supporter of stronger hate crime enforcement measures in New Jersey.
If enacted, New Jersey would join the 37 states and over 1,200 organizations, municipalities, and universities worldwide that have passed or signed, in some form, the IHRA definition and become a part of the nation’s fight against the reported uptick of recent antisemitic hate speech and violence. The bill now goes to the Assembly for potential full floor consideration before it is forwarded to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to sign.
