US President Joe Biden marked Jewish American Heritage Month on Tuesday by highlighting his administration’s efforts to combat rising antisemitism, at a White House reception.
Biden told the crowd it was important to him personally to guard against the rise of “antisemitic bile” in the world, and in particular the US.
“Jewish Americans are shattered by a long and painful history of the oldest, the most sinister forces hate and antisemitism,” he said, talking about how he learned of the horrors of the Holocaust from his father and how it motivated him to speak out against hate.
The president, who just weeks ago announced he would run for reelection, spoke frequently during the 2020 campaign about the “Unite the Right” rally led by white nationalists bearing torches. Clashes between that group and a large gathering of counterprotesters led to the death of counterprotester Heather Heyer when a white nationalist drove his car into the crowd.
Biden highlighted his appointment of America’s first ambassador-level special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, increased federal funding to help secure synagogues, Jewish community centers and Jewish day schools, and convening a White House summit on combating hate-fueled violence.
Biden late last year established an inter-agency group to better coordinate US government efforts to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia and related forms of bias and discrimination within the United States. He said his administration would soon be releasing its national strategy to counter antisemitism.
