San Diego City Council’s vote on antisemitism resolution (Photo: StandWithUs)

By Liat Cohen-Reeis in San Diego

Liat Cohen-Reeis

For the past ten months, the Antisemitism Task Force at StandWithUs has worked relentlessly to bring the IHRA resolution to the City of San Diego. What began as a determined effort, filled with lobbying, countless meetings with the council members, and endless phone calls, reached a pivotal moment on Tuesday, March 17th, when IHRA was finally docketed with the incredible help of Council Member Stephen Whitburn, who sponsored the vote, and Deputy Chief of Staff Ryan Darsey, who worked non-stop to push this through.

With just one week’s notice, something extraordinary happened.

Our community rose.

Thousands of emails were sent to council members urging a “yes” vote. Hundreds of phone calls flooded their offices. Public comment forms were filled out in overwhelming support, doubling the voice of the opposition. And on the night of the vote, more than one hundred community members showed up, filling the chambers and sending opposition into the overflow room.

Because of every call, every email, every form, and every person who showed up, we achieved a resounding victory: an 8–1 vote in favor.

(Editor’s Note: The two Jews on the City Council split.  Sean Elo-Rivera cast the lone negative vote, while Dr. Jennifer Campbell voted in the majority.)

But beyond the numbers, something deeper was revealed.

Council members witnessed firsthand the antisemitism our community faces daily. As opposition voices made disturbing remarks about “money in our pockets” and even claimed that “Jewish children deserve to be spit at,” the contrast could not have been clearer. Our community stood with dignity, integrity, and strength. While others resorted to hate, we demonstrated resilience, as we always do.

Still, this is not the end. There is more work ahead. But now, we have something powerful: an official framework to continue this fight.

This moment was also a testament to partnership. While the Antisemitism Task Force leads the charge in bringing IHRA to San Diego City and County, building on unanimous wins in El Cajon, Chula Vista, and the Human Relations Committee, it was inspiring to stand alongside partners from IAC, AJC, ADL, FIDF, The Finest Community Coalition, and the Federation. Together, we educated, organized, and mobilized.

“It takes a village” doesn’t begin to capture what we accomplished together.

We united. We rallied. We won.

And together, we will continue forward, with strength, with purpose, and with unwavering commitment.

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Liat Cohen-Reeis is the StandWithUs Director of the Antisemitism Task Force in San Diego