WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, commemorated the third anniversary of the 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest attack on the Jewish American community in U.S. history.
“Three years ago, the lives of 11 innocent people were taken during a horrific act of terror fueled by antisemitic hate. May the memories of those whose lives were lost that day forever be a blessing,” said Senator Rosen. “We can honor the memory of those lost by taking action to stand against antisemitism. In the wake of this attack on the Jewish community, my colleague Senator Lankford and I launched the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, a group whose work is more important than ever as antisemitism continues to surge across the nation and the world. We must all stand together and make clear that hate has no place in our communities.”
“Today we remember the tragedy of the deadly attack against the Jewish community at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and we stand side by side with the Jewish community,” said Senator Lankford. “Senator Rosen and I and our colleagues on the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combatting Antisemitism continue to call out the unacceptable wave of antisemitism in our nation and around the world and ensure we increase access to Holocaust education resources. After the violent attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue, we secured important resources in law that help faith-based nonprofits and houses of worship increase security in the face of their unique risks. Jewish Oklahomans, Jewish Americans, and people of all faiths should be able to worship safely and without fear.”
BACKGROUND: A recent report by the American Jewish Committee on the State of Antisemitism in America found that one in every four American Jews has reported being a victim of antisemitism over the past year.
In June, Senators Rosen and Lankford, co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, led a group of 56 Senators – representing over half the Senate – in announcing the re-launch of the Task Force. First launched in 2019, the collaboration is the first of its kind in the Senate, serving as a corollary to the House of Representatives Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.
That same month, the U.S. Senate passed Rosen’s bipartisan resolution condemning the global surge in antisemitism. The resolution was co-sponsored by nearly three-quarters of the Senate.
Senator Rosen holds the distinction of being the third female Jewish Senator in U.S. history, as well as the first former synagogue president to serve in the Senate. She has been an outspoken advocate of combating antisemitism in the U.S., the Middle East, Europe, and around the world.
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