Remarks by the Second Gentleman at the Rue des Rosiers Commemoration Ceremony in Paris, France

[As prepared for delivery.]

SECOND GENTLEMAN DOUGLAS EMHOFF: Thank you, Yonathan, for hosting us.

I am honored to join you at this important commemoration to mark the 42nd anniversary of one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in France since the Holocaust.

On August 9, 1982, six innocent people, including two Americans, were murdered at the Chez Jo Goldenberg restaurant. 22 others were injured.

They were murdered by terrorists who hated them simply because of their connection to the Jewish community.

When I visited the Marais back in 2021, I first heard about this tragic attack and its impact on the community.

As I toured the Holocaust Museum and Memorial, I learned about the adversities French Jews had to overcome. How they turned their pain and suffering into triumph and how this vibrant Jewish community came to be.

I was sickened when I heard that the same memorial I had visited was defaced just a few months ago.

And while I wish I could say this was a one-off incident as a result of one bad actor, it is not. Far from it.

There is a ferocious surge of antisemitism occurring around the world, including here in France.

It is a crisis.

We are seeing it on our streets, our college campuses, in our places of worship, and online.

And since the heinous terrorist attacks on October 7 – and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war – we are witnessing the worst wave of Jew-hatred the globe has experienced since World War II.

People are living in fear – scared to wear their Star of David or kippah in public.

When Jews are targeted because of their beliefs or identity, and when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish hatred, that is antisemitism, and it must be condemned clearly, unequivocally.

No one should have to hide who they are. And no one should feel afraid or ashamed to be Jewish.

Antisemitism is more than solely a threat to the welfare of Jews. It is also a threat to democracy and democratic ideals.

The United States is deeply committed to working with our European partners to stop malign actors who seek to widen societal divisions and undermine democratic institutions across the globe.

Just a few weeks ago, 39 countries and international organizations, including the United States, announced their endorsement of the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism.

The guidelines include 12 widely recognized best practices that can strengthen worldwide responses to prejudice, discrimination, hatred, and threats to Jewish communities and civil society.

This is a milestone diplomatic achievement: the first international framework on countering antisemitism.

Back home in the United States, under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, we are implementing the first-ever United States National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.

The strategy consists of four pillars: Increasing awareness and understanding of antisemitism; Improving safety and security for Jewish communities; Addressing the rise of antisemitic speech in public spaces and online; And building cross-community solidarity and collective action against hate.

It was created after Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt and I traveled together to Poland and Germany to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

During that trip, we met with special envoys from across Europe to learn about the strategies they had implemented in their home countries to counter antisemitism.

We took what we learned and used it to create our own strategy to fight antisemitism in America.

President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to take action to address hate and the rising tide of antisemitism and violence around the world.

The Vice President has spent her career fighting antisemitism and hate in all forms – and will always stand up against Antisemitism whenever and wherever it occurs.

When Kamala was sworn into office and I assumed the position of the first Second Gentleman of the United States, I never thought that working on the safety and security for Jewish Americans and Jews around the world would be one of my areas of focus.

But the Vice President encouraged me to embrace this role. She and I knew that someone had to speak out. And I knew I had to take on this fight – no matter how difficult it was.

It's important that we all call out and condemn antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head.

We cannot be silent, and we cannot be afraid. We must take action.

Part of fighting hate is living openly and proudly – celebrating our faith and our culture.

We must also never forget the joy that comes from being Jewish, and at the same time, we must take pride in our Jewish identity.

I will take what is said here today and carry it with me as I continue this important work.

On behalf of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States stands in solidarity with you.

Thank you.