The Federation of Jewish Women's Organization of Maryland

We are seeing this surge in antisemitism create an environment for violent and deadly acts against the Jewish community – with the fatal shootings outside the Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. and the firebombing attack at a peaceful Jewish march in Colorado being the most recent examples. Despite making up roughly 2% of the U.S. population, Jews were targets in roughly 16% of all reported hate crimes last year, according to the FBI. Nearly 70% of all religion-based hate crimes targeted Jews, both here in Maryland and across the United States.

We are not so naïve as to think that acts of antisemitism will never occur in our communities. The challenge for everyone – our institutional leaders, our partners in different faith communities, our neighbors, our educators, our elected officials at the local, state and federal levels – is how we as a society respond to these acts. There should be no tolerance for antisemitism. Period. We call on all elements of our Baltimore community to join in the fight to condemn acts of hatred and violence.

The Baltimore Jewish Council, which was founded in 1939 as the Baltimore Jewish community's response to rising antisemitism prior to World War II, will continue to lead our fight against antisemitism, working in partnership with The Associated's newly launched Center for Countering Antisemitism and Hate. We will educate. We will advocate. And we will help ensure that our Jewish community remains safe and secure, in partnership with our allies in law enforcement and elected office.

The Baltimore Jewish Council has a long history of standing in allyship with our fellow communities whenever they are subjected to acts of hate. We will not waver in that commitment. Now is the time that we need others to stand up with us. This unprecedented outpouring in hatred against Jews – a surge that began in 2017 with the march in Charlottesville and accelerated following the terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 – must be reversed. It will take all of us, Jews and non-Jews alike, to stand up together.

HB 496/SB 758 - Sexual Crimes - Definition of Consent and Repeal of Force - Lisae Jordan, Maryland Coaltion Against Secual Assaul.

HB 99/SB 113 – Criminal Law - Sexual Solicitation of a Minor Through Child Pornography – Prohibition - Lisae Jordan, Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

HJ 1/SJ 1 – Affirming the Federal Equal Rights Amendment - Judy Carbone, Maryland NOW.

HB 39/SB 197 – Residential Services Agencies - Reimbursement - Personal Assistance Services (Homecare Worker Rights Act of 2024)- David Rodwin, Public Justice Center.

HB 1091/SB 975 – Public Safety – Reproductive Health Care Clinic Security Grant Program – Establishment (Supporting Reproductive Health Care Clinics Act) [substituted for HB 1412/SB 947 – Abortion Care Access Grant Program and Fund – Establishment] - Jennifer Mercer, Pro Choice Maryland.

HB 649/SB 525 – Labor and Employment - Equal Pay for Equal Work - Wage Range Transparency - Delegate Jennifer White Holland and Kali Schumitz, Maryland Center of Economic Policy.

HB 691/SB 119 – Legally Protected Health Care - Gender-Affirming Treatment - Scott Tiffin, Office of Senator Clarence Lam.

The following 2 bills did not pass and will probably be introduced next January where we will once again support them in the next session.

HB 869/SB 753 – Public Safety - Firearm Background Checks, Victim Notification, and the Maryland State Police Gun Center – Melanie Shapiro, Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence.

HB 482/SB 398 – Criminal Injuries Compensation Board - Victims of Nonfatal Strangulation – Melanie Shapiro, Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Raise a Glass to Toast our 2024 Success – Stephanie McGencey, MLAW Board Member.