Brensley Calls for Stronger Response to Antisemitism in Massachusetts

Anne Brensley, the Republican-endorsed candidate for Secretary of State of Massachusetts, argues in a column published by the Boston Herald on November 1, 2026, that the United States has a serious problem with antisemitism and should act on it rather than keep trying to prove it. She writes that security is now placed at synagogues across the country and that children are struggling to decide whether to reveal their Jewish heritage, a concern for the vulnerable that calls for speaking up (Proverbs 31:8-9).

She acknowledges that many reports, statistics, and well-researched surveys document antisemitism, which she defines as moving toward Jew hate. She says that spending more time persuading non-Jews would highlight two problems: that people need confirmation from outsiders before they feel comfortable saying there is a problem, and that they do not know how to handle it. In her view, the time is better spent shutting down Jewish scapegoating.

Brensley cites the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as describing the blaming of Jews for the world’s catastrophes as depressingly normal, and she points to France as an example. She recalls that during the Black Death in medieval Europe, Jews were accused of poisoning wells and causing the plague. She also writes that after Germany’s defeat in World War I, Jews were blamed for conspiring with the opposition and stabbing Germans in the back, a narrative she says was later exploited in World War II. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she states, some antisemites used social media to question whether Jews had started the pandemic for financial gain.

On the speed of hatred today, Brensley quotes the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which said: “Today, an antisemitic narrative can be seeded or exploited in one country, amplified by coordinated networks in another, translated instantly into multiple languages, optimized by algorithms for engagement, and reach citizens across borders within minutes.” She argues that terrorist organizations are using the media outlets people use daily, reaching millions of people with a paid Facebook boost, and that scapegoating methods in 2026 are more dangerous than ever.

Her proposed response has three parts. First, she calls for mobilizing the Jewish community across the world and building an advanced data collection and real-time tracking system for hate speech, which she says would require financial participation from the most affluent members of the Jewish community. Second, she writes that publicly taking a stand is financially less costly but personally more dangerous, and that in Massachusetts, saying one opposes antisemitism invites commentators to deny that it exists. She says politicians, community leaders, Jewish leaders, and allies should state that they stand with Israel. She distinguishes standing with Israel from standing with its leadership, and she argues that this distinction should not cause Jews to cower.

Brensley also addresses political allies. She writes that American Jews’ allegiance and commitment to the United States are unwavering, but that people must consider who will be reliable allies going forward. She suggests that voters ask every politician, “do you stand with Israel?” and says the pro-choice, Second Amendment, and Muslim communities have no difficulty asking hard questions of candidates and accepting or rejecting them based on their answers. She cites a figure that 40% of Jews in Massachusetts reported feeling unsafe in their community.

She notes that some towns and cities in Massachusetts have long been known for supporting the Jewish community, and that Jews have gathered in those areas and helped support their local economies. As that support wanes, she writes, new allies should be considered, even those outside the traditional groups of supporters.

Brensley also cites ADL reporting of a 50% increase in antisemitic incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools in Massachusetts from 2024 to 2025.

Source: Read the original report