[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6209804,"mediaKeyId","3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d","parentId",3730669,"title","Commission approves minutes, hears testimony on campus antisemitism, BDS, social media and local school incidents","audioSeconds",10696,"startMs",6000,"endMs",10702000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d&start=6&end=10702","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d/thumbnail_6000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6209804/Massachusetts/Commission-approves-minutes-hears-testimony-on-campus-antisemitism-BDS-social-media-and-local-school-incidents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209804-ed8523f99aca7e9ecb70102f8cb92a59/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440959&Signature=nWMqghhWtxEVT1h3FFmGEEnaxJmBRYdl4gJrPI4G91-xqXQIa9Pw8rUeDUoXFmtc39MVqqajuyc5RySaozEYMcN6rrwi4zxqlSiwX1L-zURomtgbHBQPr3Ns7fDYabRwsXpGyidKGhXlPpWguyAowvnSJTqsNplZ8aPMIc2QvRIuG-gvXD3fvHIJT04-azEXldDRENCGJNxJInP-7TKy~gv3Fl1Polsxsmhyl-rjPM7roTS3i9vR5oiP7iEseMb-dDoZYiLwaVyk7bo97QklWVsIKu-S7UpfyLmguX3VimBBQ7XFQY61m3fZYlEe10zF6sKtOHh4A0ALfQiFPVSgEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism","date","2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism approved its May 5 meeting minutes and heard multi-hour testimony from national and local experts on rising antisemitism in higher education, the BDS movement and state policy responses, social media trends, and a detailed local account of antisemitic incidents in an East Hampton public school district.

The commission approved a motion to adopt the minutes from the May 5 meeting. Representative Howitt moved to approve the minutes; Senator Buis seconded. Chair Vilas announced the motion carried and the minutes were approved.

The hearing then included extended testimony from Alan Solomont, a former U.S. ambassador and Dean Emeritus at Tufts University Tisch College, who described how debates over Israel and the Oct. 7 attacks have driven a surge in campus incidents and urged the commission to avoid letting antisemitism concerns be “weaponized” for unrelated policy aims. David Weber, a law professor at Boston University, testified about the BDS movement and urged Massachusetts to consider anti‑BDS measures similar to laws enacted in 37 other states. Adam Katz, president of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS), presented social‑media monitoring data showing a sharp rise in posts and impressions with antisemitic content since October 2023 and outlined messaging strategies to convert “unengaged” bystanders into allies. Owen Zarratt, a former city councilor and Jewish community organizer from East Hampton, testified that multiple school‑district incidents, including swastika graffiti and Nazi salutes, went unaddressed and that local officials, he said, minimized or concealed incidents rather than investigate them.

The commission’s agenda included public discussion and follow‑up requests for materials from the witnesses. Chairs invited written materials and legal models from the Nexus Project and from Professor Weber on anti‑BDS statutes. Commissioners also asked FCAS to provide state‑level social‑media breakdowns and message testing data that the commission can use in drafting recommendations for education and reporting pathways.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve May 5 meeting minutes — Mover: Representative Howitt; Second: Senator Buis; Outcome: approved.

Next steps discussed at the meeting included requests that witnesses submit model statutory language, evidence summaries, and campus best practices for inclusion in the commission’s draft recommendations.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Combatting Antisemitism - 6-9-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism approved the minutes of its May 5 meeting and spent the session receiving testimony on antisemitism in campuses, the BDS movement, social media trends and local K–12 incidents.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209784,"Former councilor says East Hampton school district failed Jewish students; calls for state investigation and clearer reporting pathways",969,9007000,9976000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d&start=9007&end=9976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d/thumbnail_9007000.jpg","/articles/6209784/Massachusetts/Former-councilor-says-East-Hampton-school-district-failed-Jewish-students-calls-for-state-investigation-and-clearer-reporting-pathways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209784-454cbf7a15d0bb320aa80d6176abe31b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440959&Signature=ntAvjqu-Z1AxgUnyVFj602peH-PU6QUSpewYrqn1cA9aMPIMehlCd1d4WNoKYopFUkKxi6x~W5ozcygq~11Shza00B0DDrGBWBIpl7Sjb0-drwnmd0GoyIpHrCj7cI630oG~~I4z-e2DcfDNT~m7AMrmPlVa~tHhaBfVYEYF71sXrFlcyJ~uyN26W3Ekl6cs52nE-TGfgXX4sBjUY2gtlkiJhNWBHjoBLkJLLjkzqPi0VNynFSFGhpowe6yJJrVFAYzK8tEVw4UV3Dbcv3PzkEMndkxV1~C~1U6HsLlmYnQtn-eLSgKScncr1v9zb0HC2gnb1mU8N9a~OWegVztVMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Owen Zarratt, a former East Hampton city councilor and Jewish community organizer, told the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism that his repeated efforts to escalate local school‑district antisemitic incidents were met with minimization, concealment and, he said, retaliation.

Zarratt described multiple incidents reported to him over more than a year: swastika graffiti at elementary, middle and high schools; a high school student’s notebook containing \"I hate Jews\"; and a Jewish child who received Nazi salutes and taunts such as \"here comes the Jew.\" The child, Zarratt said, removed and stopped wearing his Star of David and ultimately left the public school and was homeschooled because he did not feel safe.

Zarratt recounted that school officials asked him not to publicize incidents, and that elected leaders and school administrators minimized or dismissed complaints. He said a municipal resolution he co‑sponsored against antisemitism passed unanimously but was not followed by the city council or mayor with actionable steps. Zarratt said he was later subject to an effort to censure him for his advocacy and resigned his council seat because he saw continued obstruction rather than remediation.

\"This isn't bullying,\" Zarratt said in testimony. \"This is antisemitism. It's aggression against Jews. The tolerance and enabling of these actions across the entirety of city government is deeply disturbing and a symptom of a deeper societal illness.\"

Zarratt recommended the commission request an independent review by the Attorney General's civil‑rights division or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to determine whether Title VI or other civil‑rights thresholds were met, to clarify reporting pathways and to adopt straightforward definitions (he cited IHRA and similar frameworks). He also recommended clearer reporting requirements, stronger penalties for districts that conceal incidents, and more comprehensive Jewish education in schools beyond Holocaust instruction.

The Attorney General’s staff in the meeting invited Zarratt to file a formal complaint with the civil‑rights division and offered contact information for follow‑up.

","Former East Hampton city councilor Owen Zarratt testified that repeated antisemitic incidents — swastika graffiti, Nazi salutes and taunts — were minimized or concealed by local officials and called on the attorney general's office, DESE and the Legislature to require independent investigation and clearer reporting mechanisms.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209789,"FCAS presents social‑media analysis showing surge in antisemitic content; recommends ally‑building strategies",1727,7282000,9009000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d&start=7282&end=9009","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d/thumbnail_7282000.jpg","/articles/6209789/Massachusetts/FCAS-presents-socialmedia-analysis-showing-surge-in-antisemitic-content-recommends-allybuilding-strategies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209789-b970781352d13d0f15d924a28c840d7c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440959&Signature=JnDuWOAwmHhKjw-pVvueWLgIUPziCdKvbML0l~KDL0uBG8DzBbW~EDXmH5NNyZM5OZKPUY-bdv67-uQbYsAjREosfu1NU1BErPJLmzkTj4CwXhhXyp4Nm5NX32ox3ljQyY6SgKKsjGRIhbVVa186PT2logbS5uQtBpSaVxTawzMEHnk2Pqwz1GgIJ2eUHWeTEx~z-b2i4-Mw6PKR-6DCdMubjz7dvKqLTeJvbO45qpGjCsE~S64ea7pEOsfoptDhewjjn55bhm1~2TwSW7dm5TUM9ucc87Naz5SRwHKhtnSl6~uyNN4k6hQO3HeJWnINnLNV2WvcKRhkaxNm4UcfbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Adam Katz, president of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, told the commission that social media has amplified antisemitic narratives, and that a large portion of the public remains an “unengaged” audience that can become allies with the right messaging and messengers.

Katz described FCAS’s monitoring operation, which analyzes large sets of public social content to identify themes, geographic patterns and message spread. He told commissioners that FCAS tracks a rise in antisemitic posts and impressions: the organization reported that the volume of social‑media impressions with antisemitic content since October 7 equaled roughly ten years of prior volume. For Massachusetts specifically, Katz cited roughly 58,000 posts in the tracking period and increases in discussions about conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes.

Katz said FCAS segments the public into three groups: \"haters\" who actively propagate antisemitism, a large group of unengaged bystanders (approximately 45 percent of Americans in FCAS surveys) who do not prioritize antisemitism but are predisposed to other anti‑bias causes, and a smaller group of allies. He argued that the most effective interventions begin with identifying where unengaged audiences get information and then placing empathic, example‑driven messages through trusted messengers in those channels.

Katz offered specific tactics: local, non‑Jewish community leaders or faith leaders as messengers; short video and narrative examples that model allyship (for example, neighbors who clean hate graffiti from a home); and state‑level monitoring data broken down per capita and by town to help school districts and municipalities target outreach. FCAS agreed to share state‑level breakdowns and message tests with the commission.

","Adam Katz of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) presented social‑media monitoring that shows a sharp rise in antisemitic posts and impressions since October 7; FCAS recommended targeted messaging and working with trusted community messengers to convert \"unengaged\" bystanders into allies.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209794,"Law professor urges Massachusetts to consider anti‑BDS measures, cites economic ties to Israel",1045,4522000,5567000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d&start=4522&end=5567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d/thumbnail_4522000.jpg","/articles/6209794/Massachusetts/Law-professor-urges-Massachusetts-to-consider-antiBDS-measures-cites-economic-ties-to-Israel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209794-0bb897e6f5bebf5f8e1cb7cc613ba2df/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440959&Signature=erfWk55ak4s9TjGzauhTCJONjgyT1qwhcWMTPxyS4X6Yrvyz2U1AnOppEctDdf~u0Si3GNqAlL0KQLS~G4ZQjhtFeV6~0VXLpLxvXFz2oE7kRhwmtbseRlWUrErVGH9CYR9gkjnn50cLtNhbOC0Zk8mJQ1Xhv8~QoNiYhbzivg86Oj8IJwDwd45qe5eL9EuuYMtW1MVasjTjBXH~gbxqWGwieUxogDYtyistuaTTGQag~P7~ubh54XZ7sm~PSmND8BPIevWn6JMdX6-RrULuClY55fKjH7sOaPNBc5bw7MjG-mr2kErKmRFfF8KrW56clsAGUVy4wlynb5sXifb5Nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Weber, professor of law at Boston University, told the commission that the BDS movement targets universities, companies and cultural institutions and that Massachusetts — he said — currently lacks statutory countermeasures that 37 other states have adopted.

\"This movement organizes boycotts, divestment from, and sanction of institutions that engage with Israel or Israeli businesses,\" Weber said. He described instances in which corporate and university actions were reversed after states used anti‑BDS provisions: he cited the 2021 reaction to Ben & Jerry’s announced boycott, and a 2022 episode in which multiple state attorneys general warned Brown University that divestment from Israel could trigger divestment from Brown by state pension funds under anti‑BDS laws.

Weber emphasized the economic ties between Massachusetts and Israel at the hearing, citing a New England Israel Business Council estimate that Israeli companies support about $18 billion in economic activity and some 27,000 jobs in the state. He argued that measures which target companies for doing business with Israel can therefore harm Massachusetts residents and businesses, including in health‑care startups and technology.

Weber outlined the typical form of anti‑BDS statutes that states have adopted: restrictions on procurement or investment when entities undertake or require boycotts of Israel, and declarations that state pension funds must divest from entities that choose to boycott Israel. He said the laws do not, in his view, suppress protected speech; rather, he framed them as a government choice about how to deploy procurement and investment resources.

Weber urged the commission to consider recommending either a state statute or an executive order that would align Massachusetts with the anti‑BDS approaches other states have used. He offered to provide the commission with sample statutory language and cited his participation in prior legal analyses on the topic.

","Professor David Weber described the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement's tactics, its impact on academic and business ties, and urged the commission to consider anti‑BDS statutes modeled in other states to protect economic relationships and deter targeted divestment.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209799,"Former ambassador urges nuance on campus antisemitism, warns against weaponizing concerns",1298,314000,1612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d&start=314&end=1612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3730669-a59af7c0ce7b6a420cbfb5a4e527d77d/thumbnail_314000.jpg","/articles/6209799/Massachusetts/Former-ambassador-urges-nuance-on-campus-antisemitism-warns-against-weaponizing-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209799-359e1cb21798eb551b6d51f9ba4d2fd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440959&Signature=gZHWm1USiKVcSA0Hf4Ai0rg1pqczhVtWhLxBHJv4QQS4jtTl4skpT9JEaJLG~UgO4IcDx2JZ5igb6TkxkG9EWR~m9lzOD~37JVPgu~DXk6KKhJ1POsEZBYQli9SUF2tpQZI6OnkOhhCaSQI2dOZNKK8XuswIKUuJVMZvpMov-zwv~IXCJEW03FVAoqF6METx5s~3oz0x81T45xVKc1ApiwcfEwnibGpubPPB~zmxUg6tuSbBK4JtuixOxuFdr9FJNtwrVD2cAl4sCPUSR7KLvxEHgYUi7fYYzq3DZCE71iXx9twaJxF4jbN-oUuwblE9EkxJcm8hqhKjQv5LlUij5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alan Solomont, former U.S. ambassador to Spain and Andorra and Dean Emeritus at Tufts University Tisch College, told the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism that antisemitism is on the rise nationally and on college campuses and that the commission should respond with careful, campus‑specific strategies rather than one‑size‑fits‑all rules.

\"These attacks... were violent acts of violent antisemitism directed at Jews because they were Jews,\" Solomont said of recent violent episodes, urging commissioners to separate legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy from speech that is antisemitic because it blames Jewish people for the acts of a government.

Solomont said two overlapping phenomena drive the current climate: classical antisemitic conspiracy theories attached to white‑nationalist ideas, and a second strain that conflates opposition to Israeli government policy with hatred of Jews. He described Tufts’ own experience after Oct. 7: increased incidents but a mixed campus picture. Solomont said an ADL report initially gave Tufts an F that later improved to a C‑minus; he criticized singular reliance on any single definition of antisemitism, and recommended the commission consider multiple frameworks including the IHRA Working Definition, the Nexus Project materials, and the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. He also urged greater investment in civic education so students learn to “talk to one another across differences.”

Solomont cautioned against government responses that he said could be used for unrelated aims, citing testimony that an executive order directing federal attention to campus antisemitism had been used, he said, to broaden enforcement in ways that risked chilling academic programs. He urged the commission to explicitly oppose using antisemitism concerns to curtail unrelated university research or to bar foreign students.

Solomont recommended that the commission: (1) assess campus climates across the commonwealth rather than focusing only on highly visible institutions; (2) use multiple definitions as educational tools; and (3) strengthen civic education for pre‑college students so that incoming college students are better prepared for civil discourse.

","Alan Solomont testified about the rise in antisemitic incidents, distinguished between legitimate criticism of Israel and Jew‑hatred, and recommended multi‑framework definitions and expanded civic education.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves minutes, hears testimony on campus antisemitism, BDS, social media and local school incidents

Former councilor says East Hampton school district failed Jewish students; calls for state investigation and clearer reporting pathways

FCAS presents social‑media analysis showing surge in antisemitic content; recommends ally‑building strategies

Law professor urges Massachusetts to consider anti‑BDS measures, cites economic ties to Israel

Former ambassador urges nuance on campus antisemitism, warns against weaponizing concerns