(CHICAGO) — As Chicago remembers the 81st Anniversary of the the liberation of Jews at Auschwitz, leaders and organizations across the region are praising recent efforts by Ald. Raymond Lopez, Ald. Debra Silverstein, and others, along with student leaders Michael Kaminsky and Jake Rymer, to include the term “antisemitism” in the Human Rights Ordinance as well as an internationally recognized definition of antisemitism.
“Chicago has taken a clear and historic stand against hate by officially adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism,” said Ald. Silverstein, the only Jewish member of the city council. “Chicago now proudly joins a global consensus of more than 1,200 entities worldwide, including the United States, 37 U.S. state governments, and 98 city and county bodies who have adopted this definition. At a time when antisemitic hate crimes are surging locally, this unanimous City Council action sends an unmistakable message that anti-Jewish hate has no place in Chicago.”
The effort behind Ordinance O2025-0019984 began in the Spring of 2025. Kaminsky and Rymer, students at DePaul University and the University of Chicago, met with Ald. Lopez and proposed numerous ideas of what they, as Jewish residents of this city, needed to see changed if Chicago wanted to actively try to help curb the obvious rising antisemitism. While brainstorming, they noticed a gap in Chicago’s municipal code.
The three quickly realized the City of Chicago had never provided a clear definition of what antisemitism is. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is the most widely accepted version by Jewish individuals and organizations alike. With this in mind, they created the initial framework of the ordinance to be proposed and debated. After drafting, Kaminsky and Rymer met with countless other Chicago aldermen over the course of several months to garner support from every corner of the city.
The IHRA definition of antisemitism is as follows: “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.”
The student duo had no prior political or legislative experience in the city. After being told by most Jewish communities and organizations just to accept the plague of rising antisemitism, and that tangible change was on the way, it was clear to them, however, that change was not coming. It was time to take action.
According to Kaminsky, “When we face Jew-hatred in our communities, we must stand our ground and fight back against those who wish to see our people, cities, and nation crumble. Never again is now.”
In the grand scheme of things, Rymer sees the passing of this ordinance as “an important first step to finally protecting the Jewish community in Chicago. Any one of us can actually make an impact, and there is no better time than the present to make it happen.”
They are not alone in recognizing this moment’s need for both calling out and defining antisemitism. Alison Pure-Slovin, Midwest Director of Social Action & Partnerships, shared this statement:
“The Simon Wiesenthal Center applauds the leadership of Alderman Raymond Lopez, Debra Silverstein and the Chicago City Council for codifying Section 6-10 of the Municipal Code of Chicago to explicitly include antisemitism and for adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism. This additional language to the code gives the City of Chicago a clear and practical framework to identify and address antisemitism while safeguarding lawful expression. It aligns the city with widely used national and international standards and strengthen Chicago’s ability to respond consistently to hate incidents, discrimination, and harassment.
The IHRA definition provides a shared reference point for recognizing antisemitism across diverse settings. This consistency helps city departments, agencies, and partners distinguish between legitimate political speech and antisemitic conduct.
Many governments, municipalities, universities, and international bodies have adopted or endorsed the IHRA definition. Chicago’s adoption places it within a broad consensus, facilitating cooperation with state, federal, and international partners and signaling a commitment to recognized best practices.”
Recent data published by the Chicago Commission on Human Relations shows that hate crimes against Jews or people perceived to be Jewish has risen 58%. According to Ald. Lopez, that is reason alone to declare and define what is a growing an evident problem in the city.
“If history has taught us anything,” said Ald. Lopez, “it is that we must never be afraid to call out the obvious antisemitism in our midst. We must define it fully & completely so that we can address it directly and resolutely. Vague nondescript definitions give Jew hatred cover. That ends now.”
The ordinance was passed without objection in both the Committee on Public Safety and the full City Council. It becomes law upon publication.
