Concerned with the threatening rise in antisemitism, Hadassah Greater Atlanta leaders Phyllis M. Cohen, Esther Panitch, and Simone Wilker brought together a group of members on Nov. 19 for “Hadassah in Action.” They focused on how to succeed in getting a bill passed to adopt the IHRA definition to define antisemitism in Georgia. State Rep. Panitch, Georgia House of Representatives for District 51, was a co-sponsor of the original HB30 bill.

In order to create a Hadassah video to educate and inspire grassroots advocacy in Georgia and across the country, the videography team of Meaningful Media captured questions raised and concerns voiced in a round table discussion with Panitch.

Phyllis Cohen, HGA dvisor and the discussion chair, noted, “Jews all over and many students on campuses no longer feel safe. Misunderstanding and misinformation are a big part of the problem, and defining antisemitism can be a big part of the solution. We must define it so that we can identify it and call it out whenever it rears its ugly head!”

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Simone Wilker, HGA Zionist Affairs Chair, encouraged the group to invite others to join her in the meaningful experience of speaking with legislators and attending sessions at the State Capitol. She emphasized, “We must speak up, counteract misinformation, and show the support and importance of this bill to get it passed.”

From left) Phyllis M. Cohen, Julie Jacobson, Holly Kurtz, State Rep. Esther Panitch, Linda Goldstein, Simone Wilker

Panitch answered a question from Talia Segal, President of Hillel at Georgia Tech, by first thanking her for her advocacy on the front lines countering antisemitism on campus – and then responding, “The way we defend our position in defining antisemitism is to inform that while criticism of Israel is protected under free speech, when that criticism escalates to stating that Israel doesn’t have the right to…