anti-Semitism is on the rise in Kentucky, with the state seeing a one.

Hundred and 28% increase in the number of antisemitic.

Incidents from 2021 to 2022.

That's according to the Anti-Defamation League.

To combat increasing antisemitism in the state.

Governor Andy Beshear announced a new task force.

The Kentucky anti-Semitism.

Task Force will be part of.

The governor's Office of Faith based Initiatives.

The initial task.

Force will.

Have.

18 members.

Including public officials, as well as religious and community.

Leaders.

Lexington and Louisville's police chiefs will.

Also be part of the task force.

The members will be.

Tasked with conducting.

A comprehensive review.

Of the state of antisemitism in the Commonwealth and of assessing Holocaust education in Kentucky.

Beshear also said the.

Task force would.

Be advising.

Training programs for law enforcement relating to hate crimes and referred to an.

Incident involving Kentucky State.

Police training materials.

That contained an anti-Semitic symbol.

I remember one early example in the administration when there was a symbol in some training materials that many people didn't recognize was anti-Semitic.

And so it's so important that we have those that now experience that feel that can guide us and make sure that we're not missing a thing and that we get whether it's these training materials or our approach, that we get it right.

Bashir was later asked.

If he felt the task force would be enough to make a difference.

When it comes to threats of.

Violence and hate.

I think the work of this task force and the individuals on it will be special and will help all of us to do better.

I think every time we do better, it makes a difference and it will help many people recognize something as anti-Semitic that they might not have otherwise known.

Sometimes it's the education and being able to sit across the table and sometimes to see how something that you might have thought was benign truly hurts another individual.

But on the very serious side, yes, there are threats that are out there.

We see them across the country.

And over the past two weeks, we've had synagogues have to evacuate during services.

Nobody should ever have to go through that.

You know, a lot of us out there have been through a bomb threat, and that can be really scary.

Now, think about one in your house of worship where you believe you are targeted because of your religion.

And we look at history and we have to take antisemitism very seriously.

For the horrific acts like the Holocaust that have occurred in the past, I believe that this group absolutely will make a difference and that we will make a very loud statement, but but also hopefully take loud actions that tell the rest of the world that anti-Semitism or hate of any kind will not be tolerated in Kentucky.