while tensions abroad have spiked in the last few days tensions in Trenton are also rising over a bill that would create a definition for anti-semitism it has strong support from the Jewish community who've experienced a rise in anti-semitism since the October 7th attack in Israel but Palestinian Americans and supporters say it criminalizes their criticism of the Israeli government as part of our ongoing series under the dome Ted Goldberg looks at how New Jersey lawmakers are handling this controversial legislation for more than a year a bill has stalled in Trenton that would adopt a formal definition of anti-semitism on Monday there was another delay as an assembly committee switched a hearing on the bill to discussion only with no vote at the end as originally intended i'm a bit taken aback by a decision of the chairwoman and the speaker to hold the bill for discussion only assemblyman Gary Shear is the bill's prime sponsor like others who support the definition he was frustrated to see that the vote was tabled as prime sponsor of this bill it would seem to me that such a decision on behalf of our leadership would have included discussion with us topics like this and a lot of other topics require a robust discussion while I do agree that discussions are extremely important and are needed for us to be able to engage in conversations with the entire body of the state of New Jersey in their feelings i feel that transparency of communication is important so that when we drive down to Trenton we're doing it fully informed of what is going to be happening most of the bill supporters were also angry and made it a point to walk out of the hearing i find that this process and the last minute change to be deeply deeply hurtful disturbing and disappointing for the over 600,000 Jews who live in the Great Garden State the definition of anti-semitism as devised by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance or IRA includes language calling for aiding or justifying the killing or harming of Jews it also includes language denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination by claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavor and any language that applies double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation whose voice Our voice whose voice Our voice some say the definition violates free speech particularly those who want to criticize Israel if New Jerseyians have the right to say that the US is a racist state they should have the right to say that Israel is a racist state our community stands firmly against anti-semitism and all forms of hate but this bill isn't about that it's not about protecting Jewish communities it's about silencing Palestinian voices this bill would not only further protect the policies that orchestrate the military and settler violence against Palestinian youth it would suppress our ability to raise awareness about it i teach students about democracy about free speech and the importance of standing up for injustice this bill threatens those very values by conflating criticism of Israeli government policies with anti-semitism one needs to realize the difference between Judaism and Zionism judaism is a religion while Zionism is a political movement has no connection a few supporters of the bill stuck around and explained why they think the definition is needed if it is just speech why are Jews afraid to identify as Jews on college campuses Would the call for the destruction of any other nation be considered free speech The IH definition provides clarity and gives our state a shared language to identify and confront anti-semitism in all its forms angry protesters have picketed outside synagogues driven car parades through heavily Jewish neighborhoods and disrupted Jewish activities on college campuses and they do it literally under the waving banners of Hamas Hezbollah the PLO the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine a Senate version of this bill passed through committee a year ago while its counterpart in the Assembly seems stuck despite having more than 50 lawmakers signed on as sponsors at the state house I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight News under the Dome is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting a private corporation funded by the American people