04-03-2025
2 Las Vegas teens present antisemitism bill at Nevada Legislature in Carson City
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two Las Vegas high school students helped put antisemitism in the public eye on Monday as they testified at the Nevada Legislature on one bill and helped present another.
Ethan Cohen, a 15-year-old sophomore at The Meadows School, and Meyer Delee, a 14-year-old freshman at Las Vegas Academy, testified in Carson City in support of Senate Bill 96 (SB96), which would designate Jan. 27 each year as 'International Holocaust Remembrance Day.' Then they introduced another bill, SB179, which would expand the types of discrimination subject to the authority of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to include antisemitism.
That means investigations into discrimination in housing, jobs and public access would include incidents of antisemitism.
For Elliot Malin, a lobbyist for the Anti-Defamation League in Nevada, it was an encouraging sign for the future. Lawmakers took note, as well, complimenting both Cohen and Delee on their work.
The brief presentation of SB179 came after Malin helped present SB96. He cited the contributions of youth.
'The Governor's Advisory Council has been very proud to partner with Mr. Ethan Cohen, behind me, who testified in support, who has been driving an initiative as a student at his high school. He is a sophomore in high school to do more to teach about the Holocaust,' Malin said.
'I would be remiss if I did not mention that and the good work of our youth who are here today to come in support, so thank you again,' Malin said.
James Ohrenschall, one of the sponsors of SB179, said he has been working with Cohen and Delee for close to a year on the bill. He called them 'two up-and-coming leaders in the Jewish community in Nevada.'
Delee, who is from 'a proud agricultural family out of Nye County,' is studying to get his pilot's license, Ohrenschall said. Cohen is a Nevada Youth Legislator, as well as the founder and president of the National Holocaust Youth Council.
'I am an American. I am a Nevadan. And I am a Jew,' Cohen said. 'I have had the unique experience of both witnessing and experiencing the sickening rise of antisemitism and hate in Nevada, and was inspired to come straight to lawmakers to do something about it.'
Delee cited four separate antisemitic incidents in the Las Vegas valley, along with statistics that
'According to the Nevada's Advisory Council on Education relating to the Holocaust, a majority of Nevadans can't define antisemitism,' Delee said.
The language of the bill sets the definition as 'a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish Individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.'
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The message to the Nevada Legislature is more than some vague concept of a problem that exists somewhere else, according to Malin.
'In this building, I have faced antisemitism. In this building from other lobbyists, I have faced antisemitism, and from members of the community. I remember last session, a bill on the Nazi swastica, and the remarks I was hearing from behind me,' Malin said.
'It saddens me to this day what we see, and make no mistake here, we have seen a 200% increase of antisemitic incidents over the last year per the Anti-Defamation League's statistics. After the Oct. 7 massacre and attack, it was a 374% increase in attacks on Jews in America,' he said.
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