Hamilton statement on resolution honoring the Hoosier Jewish community and condemning antisemitism

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) joined the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) for its virtual annual meeting, along with fellow lawmakers as part of a bicameral, bipartisan effort to show solidarity with the Hoosier Jewish community and condemn antisemitism.

This past legislative session, Hamilton authored House Resolution 65 in response to growing rates of antisemitism in Indiana and across the nation.

“In addition to continuing the fight for a more inclusive hate crimes law that protects all Hoosiers, the least I could do for the Hoosier Jewish community was introduce a resolution acknowledging the pains of antisemitism and unequivocally condemning it,” Hamilton said. “No Hoosier should live in fear because of who they are. Diversity and unity will always be our greatest strengths.

“Indiana, unfortunately, isn’t excluded from the rising rates of antisemitism and other religious bigotry felt by communities across the United States,” Hamilton said. “Jewish people and Jewish institutions in Indiana have been subjected to unimaginable acts of hate motivated by antisemitism including bomb threats, desecration and vandalism of holy sites, and reports of an increasing number of Jewish youth facing antisemitism in our state's schools.”

Representative Hamilton was joined by State Rep. Mike Speedy (R-Indianapolis), State Sen. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis) and State Sen. John Ruckelshaus (R-Indianapolis), all of whom either authored or co-authored companion resolutions in the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Senate.

FBI statistics demonstrate that Jewish people and Jewish institutions continue to be the most targeted religious group, accounting for more than 60 percent of all religiously motivated crimes in 2018.