Global leaders discuss "Time for Action: Rising Hate Crimes & Antisemitism" at Illinois Holocaust Museum
The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC) held a third program as part of its Jones Day Foundation Community Series, a special series of educational events focused on confronting antisemitism and hatred in all its forms. "Time for Action: Rising Hate Crimes & Antisemitism"— featured a powerful live and online discussion with global leaders and experts in the history and causes of hate in the United States and abroad. The group offered solutions for individuals and communities seeking to address and combat hate. Jones Day and the Jones Day Foundation are longtime supporters of IHMEC.
Moderated by Jones Day partner Michael Gray, an advocate for constructive efforts to defeat hate and antisemitism and co-recipient of IHMEC's 2024 Humanitarian Award, the panel included Brette Steele, president of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, former Director of Prevention and National Security at the McCain Institute, and former Regional Director of Strategic Engagement for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Terrorism Prevention Partnerships; Dr. Casey Babb, International Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Fellow with the Royal United Services Institute in London, and professor of International Security at Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa, Canada; and Matthew E. Berger, President and CEO of Mashber Strategies and former Executive Director of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
The discussion covered antisemitism's evolution, how technology's role is accelerating antisemitism yet can also be a catalyst for good, examples of how antisemitism can escalate into lethal violence like the Tree of Life massacre of 2018, and other global security threats. The panelists also discussed government's role in preventing hate-fueled violence, including evidence-based approaches and raising awareness, and increasing greater security measures. Paramount was the group's identification of solutions to bring people together—sometimes with uncomfortable but necessary conversations—and portraying how even incremental gains can generate progress. Participants also detailed the resources and toolkits available to empower individuals to address violence in their communities.
In 2023, IHMEC launched its Jones Day Foundation Community Series when more than 400 guests saw a screening of the 2023 Academy Award-nominated documentary "Stranger at the Gate," a documentary about a heroic Afghan immigrant who saved Muncie, Indiana, through love and connection. The second program took place in December, featuring a screening of the Native American short film "Without a Whisper" and a panel of true heroines spreading the often untold story of the profound influence indigenous women had on the women's suffrage movement in the United States.
