By Nathan Diament

Enough.

Every week, another horrific act of antisemitism reminds us that we are witnessing an epidemic of hatred infecting our country and world.

Last week, it was Rabbi Zvi Kogan’s horrific murder at the hands of Uzbekistani terrorists hired by Iran.

The week before it was a modern-day pogrom in Amsterdam.

Before that, there was a shooting of an Orthodox Jew on his way to Shabbat services in Chicago.

Tomorrow, it will, unfortunately, be something else.

And that doesn’t even count the rank antisemitism at places like the United Nations, or at the International Criminal Court, which just sent out warrants for the arrest of Israel’s leaders for the “crime” of defending their country from blood-thirsty terrorists.

Jews are tired of senators and congressmen posting heartfelt tweets and empty promises.

We are tired of the excuses for not taking action. Enough.

We want action. Now.

And there’s action lawmakers can take.

For months, Jewish leaders and non-Jewish allies have urged Congress to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act to combat the rampant antisemitic protests and attacks on college campuses.

We were off to a promising start when the AAA sailed through the House of Representatives in the spring by a generous vote of 320-91, and 30 senators from both sides of the aisle jumped to sponsor the Senate version.

Then the bill ground to a halt.

Fearful of antagonizing their left-wing activist base and putting vulnerable senators on the record, especially right before the November election, Democrats delayed bringing the AAA to the Senate floor for a vote.

Now, the election is over, but the political games continue.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer floated the idea of including the AAA in the National Defense Authorization Act — which must pass Congress before year’s end — but there has been no sign of movement.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he opposes including the AAA in the NDAA. He hopes to press the Senate to take a standalone vote to hold members accountable.

Frankly, we who have worked on the AAA bill from its inception don’t care one bit how it passes Congress — so long as it passes and is signed into law. Now.

You can’t combat antisemitism if you can’t — or won’t — define it.

Modern antisemites hide their hate behind virulent anti-Zionism. They use this ploy to avoid liability under Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act.

They claim a free pass because they aren’t targeting Jews with their calls for an intifada and Final Solution. They are merely opposing the only Jewish state on the planet and those who support it.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act targets this loophole by codifying that the Department of Education must use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in its application of Title VI.

This definition includes the modern antisemitism of our moment: the targeting of Jews using rhetoric and actions related to Israel and Zionism.

The AAA also sends a clear message to college presidents and administrators who fail to protect Jewish students and give free reign to antisemites running amok on campus.

The November elections herald the prospect that huge change is coming to Washington, but some things seem as broken as ever.

When Congress can’t pass one of the most popular, bipartisan bills on the books — maybe the problem isn’t the bill, but Congress.

If you are a politician who claims to care about antisemitism in America, reject the political games and demand a vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act now.

Not in January. Now.

Because we who feel the cloud of antisemitism hovering above us have had enough.

Nathan Diament is the executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center (OUA).

Source: New York Post