OHIO — The Ohio Senate has now passed a bill that would define antisemitism, and it’s on its way to the Ohio House. Senators voted and passed it last week while a group walked out the chamber yelling "shame."

What You Need To Know

  • Regardless of whether there’s disagreement, the bill could carry a bigger risk because of the way that it’s being presented

  • Some say it would suppress free speech

  • Others say it would help people understand what antisemitism is

Jonathan Entin, who’s a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, brings in another perspective.

Regardless of whether there’s disagreement or not, the bill could carry a bigger risk because of the way that it’s being presented.

“The bill doesn’t actually use the words adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Allies (Alliance). It simply says, antisemitism means what the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance says it means,” Entin said. “It gives that outside group no matter how well-intentioned, the ability to change Ohio law without even knowing that that’s what they’re doing.”

Now, Faten Odeh, executive director for the group against this bill, explains why they’re against it.

Odeh is a member of the Council on American Islamic Relations, which is one of the largest civil rights and advocacy organizations in the nation.

“We want to make it clear that we are not against protecting people from antisemitism; antisemitism is a real problem that does need to be dealt with,” Odeh said. “This definition would suppress free speech.”

Howie Beigelman, the president of Ohio’s Jewish communities, disagreed.

He said this bill would help investigators understand what antisemitism is.

“The bill would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance or definition of antisemitism into law in Ohio,” Beigelman said. “Then, if a crime has been committed, like a hate crime or something happens on a college campus or in a place of employment where a policy may be violated, a code of conduct may have been violated this helps those investigators to understand was this or not religiously biased action or not.”

But Odeh said that’s exactly where the problem lies.

“If we look up the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, it does exactly that any criticism of Zionism or Israel will be deemed antisemitic. It basically says Zionism and Judaism are basically the same," Odeh said.

Zionism and Judaism are two completely different things.

“To conflate a political ideology with a faith is dangerous,” Odeh said.

Here’s the definition and what it says: 

“Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong.” It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.”

But Beigelman said the First Amendment would still be in place.

“You can have expression, you can wear something you can carry something, you know those are all still allowed under this legislation and under current Ohio and U.S. law and regulation,” Beigelman said. “But you’re not allowed to take that and then use it as a screen to hurt somebody or discriminate against somebody.”