|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A dozen local leaders from across Utah convened at Clearfield City Hall on Friday for a collaborative dialogue organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) on cities-oriented approaches to countering rising Jew-hatred.
Friday’s gathering was hosted by Clearfield City and Mayor Mark Shepherd, and the roundtable discussion was moderated by CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz, who leads CAM’s work with North American mayors and is a former town supervisor of New Castle (New York).
Just last month, a 21-year-old man was arrested by police in Ogden, Utah, and charged for making violent threats against the local Jewish community and assembling multiple pipe bombs — a case highlighting the urgency of addressing antisemitism in the state.
In addition to the host, other cities and counties represented at Friday’s closed-door meeting included: Clinton (Mayor Marie Dougherty), Davis County (Commission Chair John Crofts), Herriman (Mayor Lorin Palmer), Layton (Mayor Joy Petro), Millcreek (Mayor Cheri Jackson), Ogden (Mayor Benjamin Nadolski), Roy City (City Councilmember Janel Hulbert), and Salt Lake City (Chief Impact Officer Damian Choi).
CAM mayoral partners in Utah who could not attend the meeting were: Mayor Tami Trwn (Kaysvill), Mayor Monica Zoltanski (Sandy), Mayor Dirk Burton (West Jordan), and Mayor Cherie Wood (South Salt Lake City).
The Utah forum was the second in a series of regional follow-ups to the 2025 North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in New Orleans, Louisiana, in December — with the first being held in Georgia last month.
During Friday’s exchanges, which lasted more than three houses, the mayors shared experiences and explored best practices and actionable strategies to combat antisemitism, with a particular focus on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism (which was unanimously adopted by the Clearfield City Council in October), buffer zone legislation for protests, educational initiatives, and law enforcement training programs.
“Antisemitism is a real threat to the safety and cohesion of our communities, and local leadership is where the response has to begin,” Katz said. “I’m truly grateful to the Utah mayors who came together ready to lead, setting a clear standard of what will not be tolerated, strengthening the partnerships that keep communities safe, and taking concrete steps to protect Jewish residents.”
Mayor Shepherd commented, “What a phenomenal opportunity to sit with my fellow mayors from across Utah to talk about the urgency of municipal leadership as antisemitism rises. The conversation was a powerful reminder that confronting antisemitism and hate takes local leadership and real action. When mayors work together, we move beyond statements to practical, coordinated steps that strengthen our communities and make clear that hate has no place in our cities.”
Mayor Nadolfski said, “The mayors roundtable was especially meaningful given the intensity of the current moment. Antisemitism, as the oldest form of hate, teaches us how dangerous it becomes when anger hardens into dehumanization. Those lessons matter for Ogden and all other Utah cities right now as we work to protect lawful expression while rejecting hate and violence in all forms.”
Presentations were also made at the roundtable by Chief Executive Officer of the United Jewish Federation of Utah Alex Shapiro and Regional Security Advisor (Utah) for the Secure Community Network David McKean.
For more information on CAM’s Mayors Program, including the Municipal Antisemitism Action Plan, please visit: combatantisemitism.org/municipal-action-center
