State Sen. Velis to lead antisemitism commission

(WWLP- 10/3/24) Westfield Sen. John Velis and Concord Rep. Simon Cataldo will lead the state’s new commission on combating antisemitism, which they say will set out to stamp out Massachusetts’ recent “ignominious reputation as a hub of antisemitic activity.”

The Democrats jointly announced Wednesday morning that they had been chosen by House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka to lead the commission created in the fiscal 2025 state budget. The commission is supposed to report on data and trends in antisemitic activity here, study efforts Massachusetts has undertaken to combat hate and practices that are in use in other states, make recommendations to implement the federal government’s strategy to counter antisemitism, and more.

“The work is urgent and the mission is critical. Over the past several years, our Commonwealth has earned the ignominious reputation as a hub of antisemitic activity. We have heard it through harrowing accounts from Jewish students, parents, educators, and people of all backgrounds who feel it on a visceral level in our communities. And we see it in the 2023 data,” the co-chairs said.

There were 440 antisemitic incidents recorded in Massachusetts in 2023, a 189 percent increase from 2022 that outpaced the nationwide 140 percent increase in antisemitic incidents, the chairs said, citing data from the Center on Extremism and Anti-Defamation League. Massachusetts had the fifth-highest number of antisemitic incidents of any state last year, behind California, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

“This is not ok. These trends must be — and can be — reversed through concerted action,” the said.

The commission is also to include appointees chosen by the governor, legislative leaders of both political parties, the attorney general, the Mass. Municipal Association, education officials and others. The budget language calls for a report and recommendations “not later than November 30, 2024.”

Velis has served in the Legislature for the last decade; six years in the House and the last four in the Senate, where he chairs the Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery and the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. He is also a U.S. Army Reserve veteran and National Guard member.

Cataldo is a first-term representative who previously worked as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s criminal division, where he was part of the team that prosecuted former Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joseph Arpaio. Before law school, he taught special education math in Harlem through Teach for America and founded a school-based nonprofit that now operates in five cities as Harlem Lacrosse.