AJC CEO Ted Deutch and USC Shoah Foundation CEO Dr. Robert J. Williams. Photo: Screenshot/YouTube/AJC event

At the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Global Forum on Sunday, the organization unveiled a new plan with the USC Shoah Foundation to collect 10,000 testimonies from victims of antisemitism across the United States and around the world.

“Research has shown how personal storytelling changes hearts and minds,” AJC said in a statement. “One of the most effective ways to confront antisemitism and change people’s perceptions about Jews is through the power of personal testimony, and hearing firsthand accounts can profoundly shift perceptions and increase understanding.”

AJC CEO Ted Deutch saw the project as contributing to the fight to define antisemitism.

“We must clearly show to the world – and preserve for the future – what antisemitism is, what it looks like, and the personal toll it takes on Jews around the world. AJC has seen, firsthand, the way antisemitism has morphed and manifested itself in different ways since the end of the Holocaust,” Deutch said. “Through AJC’s work all over the globe combating antisemitism, we have also seen the power of personal testimonies in not only changing hearts and minds but also in winning support for policies that protect Jewish communities.”

Deutch explained that “the USC Shoah Foundation’s collection of testimonies will forever capture the personal experiences of thousands of Jewish people, enabling us to tell our story, and share it with generations to come.”

Dr. Robert J. Williams, CEO and Finci-Viterbi Chair of the USC Shoah Foundation, noted the initiative’s potential to contribute to scholarly understandings of antisemitism.

“Our partnership with AJC will enable us to reach survivors of antisemitic violence from all over the globe. In turn, this is a powerful statement that bringing the world’s attention to antisemitism requires partnerships built on a shared commitment to giving voice to the personal histories of those who have and continue to experience one of humanity’s oldest and most enduring forms of hatred,” Williams said. “This ambitious project, namely building a Contemporary Antisemitism Collection at the USC Shoah Foundation, will add tremendous value to the study of antisemitism and hate and help Jewish and non-Jewish communities become more resilient against these forces, both now and into the future.”