In a solemn event at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, President Biden addressed a surge of antisemitic incidents on college campuses. Delivering his speech during the Days of Remembrance for the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, Biden strongly condemned the rise of hate and prejudice against Jewish students.

Drawing a direct line from the atrocities of the Holocaust to the recent Hamas attacks on Israel, President Biden described the subsequent surge in antisemitism as "despicable." He pointed out that Jewish students have been subjected to harassment, encountering posters and slogans calling for the annihilation of Israel. Additionally, efforts to deny or downplay the gravity of the Oct. 7 attacks have further fueled the spread of hatred.

"We know hate never goes away. It only hides, and given a little oxygen, it emerges from under the rocks. We also know what stops hate - one thing - all of us," President Biden emphasized. Last week, he briefly denounced the "chaos" on college campuses, stating that things had gone too far. He reiterated the importance of free speech, debate, and peaceful protest, but firmly asserted that there is no place for antisemitism, hate speech, or any form of violence on any campus in America.

The President often reflects on how the 2017 white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting "Jews will not replace us," influenced his decision to run for president. However, Biden did not recount this personal story during the bipartisan event at the Capitol on Tuesday. He frequently shares stories of his father teaching the family about the horrors of the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of not remaining silent in the face of injustice. As a testament to his commitment, Biden has taken his own children and grandchildren to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany to impart the same message.

Sarah Hurwitz, former speechwriter for Michelle Obama and author of Here all Along, a book about Judaism, stated that President Biden's track record on this issue uniquely positions him to advocate for attention to antisemitic incidents. She believes that Biden perceives the resurgence of an old and ugly phenomenon that threatens society.

As President Biden denounces the surge of antisemitic incidents on college campuses, he calls upon all Americans to stand united against hate and discrimination. Recognizing the power of education and remembrance, he urges individuals to confront and condemn antisemitism wherever it arises, echoing the sentiment that silence is complicity.