Among states, Maryland ranks No. 1 in minority employment and gender equality, No. 3 in education, and No. 11 in health. Montgomery County has the highest life expectancy in Maryland. Living here is a point of pride.
But another set of rankings should give our state and county pause: Maryland has experienced the seventh-highest number of antisemitic incidents of any state. In 2023, Maryland experienced 339 antisemitic incidents — more than triple the number from 2022 and a nearly seven-fold increase over 2021. More than half of those incidents were in Montgomery County.
As the CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, I’ve devoted my professional career to ensuring that families in our region — Jewish and non-Jewish alike — can thrive. Antisemitism has existed for thousands of years and will never completely disappear, but stronger policies can make our communities safer and more welcoming.
Here are some of JCRC’s top priorities for the Maryland General Assembly’s 2025 legislative session:
Protecting students on college campuses
Hamas’ terrorist attack that killed 1,200 innocent people in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, precipitated a deluge of antisemitic attacks against Jewish students on U.S. college campuses. Free speech is a sacred right, but students should never be threatened, harassed, bullied, or become targets of violence because of their faith. The Maryland CAMPUS Act would require Maryland colleges to adopt policies that address and prevent racial, religious and ethnic harassment. This bill would help ensure that Jewish students feel as safe and supported as everyone else.
Training educators in K-12 schools
The stunning rise in antisemitic attacks in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) made national headlines last year — to the point where MCPS was the subject of a congressional committee hearing. School officials must help protect children against antisemitism, which is why JCRC has conducted trainings for thousands of educators in MCPS and other school districts on Jewish identity, antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Legislation passed by the General Assembly last year requires annual anti-bias training for all school classroom employees in Maryland; the County Board Member Antibias Training Act would extend that requirement to all school board members. It’s an important step toward ensuring schools are places of learning, not battlegrounds for hate.
Teaching Jewish history in public schools
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust. But younger generations today know precious little about the worst genocide in human history — which can in turn breed antisemitism. We are grateful that MCPS has incorporated more Holocaust education into its curricula, including a new Holocaust studies class at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. But schools need additional resources to scale these efforts. The Holocaust Education Assistance Grant Program would do just that by allocating funding for similar such classes.
Keeping houses of worship safe
Like schools, houses of worship should be safe and welcoming. We are deeply grateful to Gov. Wes Moore (D) for his proposal to double state security funding for nonprofit institutions like synagogues, churches and mosques — the General Assembly must support these additional dollars. We also support legislation that criminalizes obstructing entrances to religious facilities. No one should have to navigate a gauntlet of hostility to practice their faith.
These bills aren’t just about Jewish communities in Montgomery County and Maryland — they’re about the kind of state and county we strive to be. This legislative session, Maryland lawmakers have an opportunity — and obligation — to take action that protects students, families, schools and institutions. We are proud to help lead that worthy fight.
Ron Halber of Germantown is chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.