Frankel, Schwank laud Biden’s creation of national plan to fight antisemitism

HARRISBURG, May 25 – Pennsylvania Jewish Legislative Caucus Co-chairs Rep. Dan Frankel and Sen. Judy Schwank praised the White House announcement Thursday that the Biden-Harris Administration has established the first-ever U.S. national strategy to fight antisemitism.

“While antisemitism is not new, we are seeing a deeply disturbing rise in incidents fueled by inflammatory political rhetoric and a digital world in which hate-based speech can be spread at the touch of a button. Those special challenges demand new solutions, including decisive action at the national level,” Frankel said. “I am particularly encouraged that the new plan the Biden-Harris Administration has announced is a broad one, including new action by executive agencies, calls for new legislation and outreach to mobilize every sector of society.”

Frankel and Schwank highlighted the support and participation of the Anti-Defamation League, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Asian American Foundation, the Sikh Coalition, the National Urban League, the National Basketball Players Association and many other groups.

“Antisemitism and hatred of all forms thrive in the darkness, and that's why calling it out can be so powerful," Schwank said. "The administration's new plan and call to action are essential first steps in generating the kind of broad, unified efforts that can combat the dangerous rise in intolerance against Jews in the United States. I'm very grateful to President Biden and Vice President Harris for their leadership commitment on this issue.”

Frankel and Schwank founded Pennsylvania’s first ever Jewish Legislative Caucus earlier this year.