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Josh Shapiro, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, has leaned more directly into his Jewish faith as antisemitism rises and the Israel-Hamas war intensifies divisions in U.S. politics, the Associated Press reported ahead of his reelection push.

Speaking at BBYO, the world’s largest conference of young Jewish leaders, Shapiro told the crowd: “We’re facing some challenges out there.” He added, “And this is a moment…where I lean on my faith. I am proud of my faith.” The AP said Shapiro did not mention an arson attack his family escaped last year, or the antisemitism he says he encounters regularly.

The AP said Shapiro has made religion central to his political identity, describing living his faith “out loud.” It also reported that he observes Shabbat every Friday night with his family, keeps kosher, and that his children attend Jewish day school, and that he speaks openly on the campaign trail about his spiritual values and quotes the Bible at virtually every stop.

In the AP interview, Shapiro said antisemitism is not confined to one side of the political spectrum. He said it is “a very real problem” among both Democrats and Republicans and that “anyone who’s trying to lead this country…has a responsibility to call it out no matter which side of the aisle it’s on.”

The governor said he and his family face new incidents of antisemitism on a regular basis, citing an arrest in February of a man near Harrisburg charged with making terroristic threats and stalking. Jonathan Greenblatt, leader of the Anti-Defamation League and described by the AP as a Shapiro ally, said the group is seeing the highest levels of antisemitic hate crimes and harassment nationwide since it began tracking such data more than a half century ago.

Greenblatt criticized extremists and leaders from both political parties, while praising President Donald Trump for opposing anti-Israel protests on college campuses—even though he characterized the approach as “heavy handed.” The AP said Greenblatt also argued that in progressive circles, “being anti-Zionist has become very permissible.”

Shapiro’s challenge, the AP said, is navigating criticism that comes from both his political coalition and from his Jewish supporters. After Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza, the AP reported that Shapiro defended Israel’s right to defend itself while voicing concern for Palestinian civilians and criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “dangerous and destructive force.” It said he also criticized pro-Palestinian campus protests that he described as hostile toward Jewish students.

Among his critics, Beth Miller, political director for anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace Action, said in response to Shapiro’s stance on Israel that he has “a damning history regarding U.S. policy toward Israel, including his failure to call for an end to U.S. complicity in the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and his smearing and attacks against those speaking out for Palestinian rights.” Miller also said Shapiro’s leadership is “sharply out of line with his constituency — including American Jews.”

The AP also reported that Shapiro has described difficult personal consequences tied to his public role. It said he, his children and extended family were sleeping inside the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion after celebrating Passover on April 13, 2025, when a stranger broke in and exploded multiple Molotov cocktails. The AP identified Cody Allen Balmer, 38, as someone who called 911 and later pleaded guilty to attempted murder, terrorism and 22 counts of arson, and Shapiro told the AP that the incident still haunts him.

Shapiro said he would not back away from his faith, telling the AP: “I refuse to live in fear, I refuse to back down.” He said, “Even though the threats are increasing, the light I see and the joy I find in others is also increasing,” adding that it allows him to “ignore the noise and ignore the hate and focus on the goodness in people.”