Attorney General Miyares Publishes New Virginia Rules Resources to Combat Antisemitism

RICHMOND, Va. — Attorney General Jason S. Miyares has announced the publication of a new Virginia Rules lesson focused on combating antisemitism. This new module will be added to the broader Virginia Rules program, which provides law-related education to students, parents, teachers, and communities across the Commonwealth. 

“Antisemitism is the world’s oldest form of bigotry. Despite making up only 2.4% of the population, Jewish-Americans were the target of 56% of all religiously motivated hate crime in the U.S. before the October 7th massacre. In the three months following October 7th, that number spiked to 75%,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I am grateful to the OAG Antisemitism Task Force for their instrumental contributions designing this new Virginia Rules lesson on antisemitism. Religious freedom is the hallmark of what it means to be a Virginian. By being vigilant today and teaching our youth, we help ensure that future generations keep the promise to never let antisemitism take root in the land of Thomas Jefferson.”

The new lesson explains how Virginia laws on discrimination and hate crimes protect Jewish Virginians. The latest FBI Hate Crime Statistics show an alarming spike in an already historic number of incidents targeting Jewish Americans. In addition, the curriculum offers students a primer on Jewish religion, culture, and history. Like all Americans, Jewish Americans deserve to be treated as individuals who contribute their rich traditions and efforts to the American fabric, not defined by the evil that opposes them.

The new Virginia Rules lesson on antisemitism is available here.

About Virginia Rules (VARules)

Virginia Rules is Virginia’s state-specific, law-related education program for elementary, middle, and high schoolers. The goal of the program is to educate Virginia’s youth about state laws to empower them in becoming active citizens of their communities, while allowing students to form community bonds with the law enforcement in their area. The program is composed of lesson plans tackling various aspects of juvenile law issues such as bullying, internet safety, dating violence, gun and gang violence, substance abuse, human trafficking, and fentanyl-laced counterfeit drugs. These resources are also available online for students, parents, and instructors alike to access at any point in time.

# # #