Antisemitism is on the rise, surveys show — and it may be time for employers to speak up, Jonathan Segal, partner at Duane Morris LLP and managing principal of the Duane Morris Institute, told HR Dive.
In 2015, results from the Anti-Defamation League’s Global 100 index of antisemitism shared with HR Dive by Segal showed that 16% of people surveyed globally said that Jews have too much power in the business world. In 2019, the same index showed 35% of people surveyed globally said the same — and that was before the pandemic, which prompted more racist and antisemitic rhetoric to be shared widely.
These conspiracies of control are part of common antisemitic rhetoric that portrays Jews as both vermin but also somehow the group that runs the world in secret, Segal explained. It’s a common form of scapegoating against Jewish people — and one that may explain why calls to respond to antisemitism are often met with less urgency, he said.
“If I see a neo-Nazi, it’s so obvious that it’s hateful and everyone condemns it,” he said. “But there’s an element where it has become … acceptable.” Even in progressive spaces, some people feel comfortable espousing “beyond regressive” views regarding antisemitism.
“It would be naive to assume that the hate we see outside the workplace doesn’t enter the workplace,” he said. But Segal, who is Jewish, said there’s reason for optimism: Even if close to 40% of people espoused antisemitic views, that means 60% of people don’t agree. They simply need to be empowered to speak up.
So how can employers respond most effectively?
First, recognize that this may be the moment to make a statement if a company never has before. Just as the Harvey Weinstein revelations opened the door to conversations around sexual harassment at work and the murder of George Floyd prompted employers to speak out about racism, recent comments by Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) valorizing Adolf Hitler may give employers impetus to raise their voices. “I think we are at that kind of moment now with antisemitism,” Segal said.
When making a statement, make it a clear statement about opposing antisemitism. Avoid generalizing the issue into racism generally or sandwiching it with other forms of hate. Segal pointed to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's statement condemning antisemitism as a great example that employers can point to alongside their own words.
Recognize that Jewish employees may feel uncomfortable presenting their whole selves at work right now, Segal said. Nearly 1 in 4 Jews surveyed by the American Jewish Committee in 2021 said they avoided publicly wearing, carrying or displaying things that might identify them as Jewish.
“We talk about wanting employees to be their authentic selves, but we now know many Jewish people don’t feel comfortable doing so,” Segal said. “If 1 in 4 are admitting it, the actual number may be higher.”
Take a look at the company’s DEI training. If training around antisemitism is “absurdly obvious” and “doesn’t get into the conspiracy theories on Jewish wealth, it is flawed now based on what we know,” Segal said.
And if an organization doesn’t have an interfaith employee resource group, now may be a great time to start one, he added. “In the same way we heard a lot about male allies with #MeToo and White allies with racial bias, I think allyship is really important here.”
