Soon after hearing from a Jewish mother about her daughter’s fear of wearing a Star of David necklace to school, John C. Velis, a non-Jewish Massachusetts (MA) State Senator, introduced a budget amendment creating the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism. On September 28, a gorgeous Sunday during the Jewish High Holidays, over 40 Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) congregants and Acton area residents met with the commission’s co-chair, MA State Representative Simon Cataldo. Rep. Cataldo discussed the MA Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism K-12 Findings and Recommendations report, released August 8, 2025. The gathering was hosted by CBE’s social action group, Na’aseh.
“Even though overall hate crimes are going down in MA, they’re spiking for Jews,” Rep. Cataldo said. Although Jews are just 4.42% of the Massachusetts’ population according to the World Population Review of 2025, he said Jews in MA were the most likely hate crime victim in 2024, 30% more likely than Black individuals. In addition, MA is in the top five states for antisemitic incidents. The year prior, there was a 70% year-over-year rise of documented crimes against MA Jews.
Rep. Cataldo said the amendment faced a “very coordinated campaign of opposition” upon becoming public. “Fortunately, our leadership in both chambers are incredible on this issue,” he said.
The Special Commission is the only state-level commission on combating antisemitism in the United States. “I was really honored to be asked by the speaker to co-chair this,” said Rep. Cataldo. “It is a true consensus group” started in the summer of 2024 with a “rock-star” group of 19 people. Representation is from gubernatorial appointees, the Attorney General, the District Attorneys association, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Department of Higher Education, Chiefs of Police Association, the Holocaust Museum, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Committee (AJC), and the Mass Municipal association.
Early in the commission proceedings Rep. Cataldo invited AB School Superintendent Peter Light to present, as he considers AB a statewide leader in addressing bias and antisemitism. He had been impressed by actions the AB school administration took after hearing from Jewish students and parents of antisemitic incidents. The commission’s meeting with Superintendent Light was a seminal moment. They realized they needed to write a “playbook” addressing antisemitism, starting with the schools. “We felt our most pressing task was to provide a playbook to K-12 stakeholders, including school committees, superintendents, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, that is specific, robust, reliable, sufficiently flexible, and has the imprimatur of the Governor and the Legislature,” Rep. Cataldo said.
The Special Commission has now held over 40 hours of expert testimony over ten hearings, and has four more to go.
Rep. Cataldo learned that Jewish kids who reported anti-Semitism were often “gaslit,” and their experiences minimized. “Middle school children would experience antisemitism as part of their educational experience in these schools. I was so moved by that…,” he said. Examples of local antisemitic behaviors included a child who was told to go to the gas chamber, and swastikas placed on chalkboards, in bathrooms and at the Concord Carlisle High School (CCHS) skate board park.
The commission’s K-12 recommendations passed unanimously. Rep. Cataldo discussed a recommendation adding Jews to the DEI programming that trains teachers and students for diversity, equity and inclusion and addresses bias and hate in schools. Another recommendation is to have an explicit school protocol addressing communication to parents and children after antisemitic incidents occur. Past such communications did not even use the word “Jew.” Additional recommendations include teaching about the Holocaust and Jewish contributions to America and adding a Jewish American Heritage Month in May.
“The governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, our congresswoman, Lori Trahan, Katherine Clark, … and others put out very strong statements endorsing the special commission recommendations,” said Rep. Cataldo. The Boston Globe editorial board endorsed it as well.
And the early results? After a swastika appeared at CCHS on the first day of school, a letter was issued before the school day was over commending the person who came forward and giving resources on talking to your kids about the issue.
“Thank you for giving us a little bit of hope,” concluded CBE’s Rabbi, Braham David.
Rep. Cataldo, a Concord resident, father of four, and member of Concord’s Kerem Shalom synagogue, represents the 14th Middlesex district, including parts of Acton, Carlisle, Concord, and Chelmsford. Rep. Cataldo shared that he identifies as a Jewish legislator and engages with a group of Jewish legislators that they jokingly call the “Kosher Caucus.”
For information on the Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism: Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism. For information on CBE and Na’aseh: https://www.bethelohim.org/.
Susanna Wood is a congregant at CBE in Acton. She resides in nearby Westford.
