NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares created an Antisemitism Task Force that he said is the first of its kind across the country.
The task force is in response to the recommendation of the Governor’s Commission to combat antisemitism report issued in December.
13News Now sat down with Miyares on why he believes the task force will make an impact.
"Our job right now is to recognize it's a problem and not keep our head in the sand and to come up with solutions and that's why we are tackling this issue," said Miyares.
The task force will focus on monitoring, information-gathering, educating, and investigating instances of antisemitism in the Commonwealth. It will include up to 10 to 15 members that are still being selected
Betty Ann Levin, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, said she anticipates her organization and others like it will be included in the selection process.
"There will be actionable items that come out of it, I know they will be not only collecting information but they'll be doing education and investigating," said Levin. "We know this is going to be making an impact."
According to the Foundation to Fight Antisemitism, 65% of college students who belong to Jewish Greek Organizations have felt unsafe on campus because of fears of antisemitism.
Gershon Litt, a Norfolk rabbi, has led several trips to Israel for college-level students and said he has noticed an uptick in students feeling unsafe.
"I ask students every year, 'Have you had a direct experience with antisemitism," said Litt. "This year almost 100% of all the students raised their hands, and said, 'I have been through some type of incident on my campus.'"
Litt said it is his hope that the task force will lower the threat students feel across Virginia campuses.
Miyares said the task force will have selected all of its members within the next 60 days.