May 27, 2025

In moments of crisis, history judges leaders not by their rhetoric, but by their response. Today, Vermont lawmakers are facing a defining moment — a moral crossroads where their decisions will profoundly impact the safety and well-being of Jewish people in Vermont.

As the war in Israel and Gaza continues and antisemitic violence surges worldwide under the guise of “Free, Free Palestine,” Jewish communities worldwide, including Vermont, are seeking safety and solidarity. Vermont has the opportunity, and indeed the responsibility, to act, because it is not a matter of if this behavior escalates into violence in Vermont. It’s a matter of when.

One immediate avenue lawmakers have at their fingertips is H.310, a bill currently introduced that would define ethnic and antisemitic harassment, and provide schools and students with the tools to identify, address, protect against and teach about antisemitism. This legislation recognizes what Jewish students and families have long reported to Vermont elected officials and schools, and the Jewish people have experienced for more than 3,000 years: that antisemitism does not begin with violence — it begins with silence, denial, ignorance and exclusion.

Vermont is the only state in New England without any Holocaust education standards, despite bills being introduced seeking this change since 2017. By equipping Vermont’s educational institutions to confront this hatred directly, H.310 not only offers protection but also affirms the dignity and identity of Jewish Vermonters.

The urgency of this moment was heartbreakingly underscored by the recent murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim — two young members of the American, Israeli and Jewish communities — gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Their killer reportedly shouted ‘Free, Free Palestine’ after targeting the couple, who worked at the Israeli Embassy, in cold blood.

Here in Vermont, we cannot ignore the surge in antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories flooding social media platforms, especially in local forums and comment sections. Jewish Vermonters have reported seeing Holocaust comparisons, coded slurs, and explicit denial of Jewish identity or history — often unmoderated and, worse, encouraged by coordinated online mobs.

This digital hate translates into real-world fear and threats, particularly for visibly Jewish residents and children in schools. It’s a reminder that Vermont is not immune to the dangerous currents sweeping the country.

To stand with the Jewish people today means more than statements of solidarity. It means real, tangible action. It means creating avenues for safe harbor, standing firm against rising antisemitism, and making Vermont a beacon for those fleeing danger. Legislators: you have a choice. You can be remembered as leaders who rose to meet history, or as bystanders who allowed it to pass them by.

The opportunity to save lives is before you — take it.