Acton adopts IHRA’s definition of antisemitism

After hearing impassioned arguments for and against, the Select Board voted unanimously Tuesday to embrace a controversial definition of antisemitism.

It was part of a broader proclamation that affirmed Acton’s “commitment to opposing” anti-Jewish hate “and promoting a welcoming and inclusive community.” 

“Regardless of how people may feel about some of the specific words, I just want it to be clear to everybody here that we’re trying to do the right thing,” Select Board member Cameron McKennitt said.

Supporters call the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition a clear, widely used framework for recognizing and responding to antisemitism. Opponents say it risks chilling legitimate political speech, especially when it comes to criticizing Israel. 

Dozens packed the Select Board meeting room Tuesday night as others watched a simulcast in the Town House auditorium and joined via Zoom. 

Concordian Deb Kavaler Wysopal, who supports the IHRA definition, told the Select Board that the Jewish community isn’t monolithic on the matter but “disagreement does not erase the fear and lived experience of the many Jewish citizens of Acton,” and “a community can hold diverse political views and still ask for protection from hate.”

Resident Dan Booth, who also identified himself as Jewish, read from a letter opposing the adoption of the IHRA definition. He said it included 76 Concordians among its hundreds of signatories.

Those who signed “believe it is our responsibility to protect Jewish people from hatred and harm,” Booth said, but think the definition “can be misused in ways that harm other communities.”

The Select Board proclamation notes that it doesn’t “create new legal standards, enforcement authority, or limitations on constitutionally protected speech.” 

The vote follows an explosive 2025 federal civil rights filing from the Anti-Defamation League and other organizations. It alleged that Acton school officials failed to adequately address the persistent harassment of Jewish students, including with Nazi symbols.

The filing drew national attention and prompted renewed scrutiny of how the town defines and confronts antisemitism.

Dampening debate?

The IHRA definition, followed by examples, reads: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Ece Turnator, a Muslim parent of a Acton-Carlisle High School sophomore, and Carlisle parent Mahreen Hoda founded the group Acton-Carlisle for Informed Dialogue. They say their concerns lie less with the core definition than with the examples IHRA provides. 

The IHRA framework “deprives this community of accessing the truth,” Turnator told The Acton Bridge, “and being able to debate the truth.” 

They pointed to IHRA examples of antisemitism that include:

• “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
• “Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”
• “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.”

Addressing the Select Board Tuesday, commenter Michael Furstenberg said it’s crucial “not to conflate or equate antisemitism with opposition to Israel or Israeli policies, especially regarding Palestine, Gaza, and the West Bank.” 

‘Real work to do’

CCHS junior Adeline Weinstock told The Bridge she has been the target of antisemitism and supports using IHRA’s definition because it covers cases in which Israel is used as a proxy for Jewish identity.

Weinstock described a time when another student called her “Zionist scum” for refusing to let him use her phone. 

Though she does describe herself as a Zionist, Weinstock said the student used those words to lash out “not because he understood anything about me politically,” but “because he was angry at me and he knew I was Jewish.”

Schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter didn’t respond to Bridge questions about the use of the IHRA definition in Acton schools. 

Rabbi Darby Leigh of Kerem Shalom also supported adopting the definition — not because he thinks it is perfect, but because it lays a groundwork for confronting antisemitism. He hopes nuance will play a role.

“It’s a tool that can be used for good or [for] not good, depending on who is wielding it,” he told The Bridge. 

Also Tuesday, the Select Board unanimously approved a new DEI Commission charge that emerged from at-times tense discussions. Among other duties, the charge says the group should develop an action plan to address hate against Jewish people.

“There’s real work to do here in Acton,” Select Board Chair Mark Howell said. “We could have a lot of discussion about definitions, or we could be doing that work — so let’s do the work.”

This story includes previously published information.