(RNS) — Few think-tank initiatives have garnered as much public attention as the Heritage Foundation’s set of policy proposals, called Project 2025a conservative vision aimed at eliminating education funding, attacking LGBTQ+ rights, reducing overtime pay for workers, and giving tax breaks to the wealthy. Trump disavowed Project 2025 during his campaign, but now that he’s won the presidency, most observers expect the plan to be a big part of his agenda.

But nearly a year after its launch, the foundation has expanded to incorporate a new edition. On the October 7th anniversary, Heritage launched an initiative called The Esther Project, which is supposed to address a real and undeniable problem: the rise of antisemitism.

Although a bit convoluted and repetitive, The Esther Project claims that the Palestinian Liberation Movement is part of a global Hamas support network — they call it “HSN” — that the authors say is working overtime to destroy American society. The report suggests that these alleged anti-Semitic forces are supporting foreign adversaries while leveraging America’s open society to seize control of higher education, the media, and the federal government.

Contrary to what one might think of a report on anti-Semitism, The Esther Project speaks disparagingly of Jewish concerns, going so far as to attack “American Jewish complacency” for failing to address the issue. In fact, the Jewish Insider reported that only two organizations listed in their task force actually represents any Jew. James Carafano, the leader of the initiative, said: “I really understood the Jewish perspective, but it was important to me to have all these organizations represented, and frankly, if they did their job and were effective, we wouldn’t have a problem with which we have.”

On closer inspection, it becomes clear that The Esther Project is not about Jews or anti-Semitism; it is about using justified concern about anti-Semitism to turn the power of the federal government into the dismantling of domestic civil society.

The Esther Project does this first equating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism and attacking some of the main pro-Palestinian organizing movements, including the National Students for Justice in Palestine, Muslims Americans for Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. While we must remain vigilant interrogate antisemitism wherever it appearsthis report goes beyond pushing back against the public arguments of these groups. He advocates dismantling their funding structures and applying this approach to the progressive left.

Hundreds of demonstrators protest Israel’s military policies in the Cannon House office building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (RNS photo/Jack Jenkins)

The 30-page document urges the federal government to shut down a list of foundations that support pro-Palestinian organizations as part of their work on Middle East issues, including the Open Society Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Tides Foundation. But these groups do much more than support Palestinian causes; they support invaluable work on a range of issues, including climate justice, separation of church and state, and immigration reform.

The report suggests targeting these organizations by taking advantage of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and the Corrupt and Racketeer Influenced Organizations Act, normally reserved for pursuing foreign lobbying and organized crime. They also suggest using anti-terrorism, hate speech and immigration laws to press charges against pro-Palestinian voices. The entire operation, it said, could be accomplished within 12 to 24 months, given that “a willing administration occupies the White House.”

By pretending to address anti-Semitism, they can create a smokescreen to attack the funding infrastructure for a variety of progressive causes. The Esther Project is not really for Jews: in other words, it is an attempt to cite anti-Semitism as an excuse for promotes Heritage’s broader Christian nationalist agenda.

A gift is Esther’s project The McCarthyist plan it completely ignores the most violent manifestations of anti-Semitism, including white nationalism and the grand theory of replacement. This year, the neo-Nazis marched in the capitals Tennessee and Pennsylvaniawhile three weeks ago, Trump’s far-right supporters flew swastika flags at a boat parade in Florida. The document also gives no account of the role hateful, anti-immigrant rhetoric played in inspiration the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue and the Unite Right March in Charlottesville.

The Esther Project website. (Screen shot)

The bait and switch of ignoring far-right anti-Semitism in favor of demonizing pro-Palestinian activism has become common on the right. During the Crusades against antisemitismRepublican politicians traffic in anti-Semitic tropes. In April, Congresswoman from New York Elise Stefanik posted on Twitter“George Soros is trying to fund America’s downfall by buying elections for radical far-left politicians and corrupting the next generation to support terrorist groups.” The The Southern Poverty Law Center has been documented for a long time how attacks on Soros play on traditionally anti-Semitic tropes and should be understood as thinly veiled attacks on Jews.

Naming the report after Esther (the Jewish heroine who saved the Jews from destruction in ancient Persia) continues to be appropriated by far-right figures as a Christian nationalist model. At a rally in late October hosted by International Association of Christians and Jewsa prominent Christian Zionist organization, loudspeaker asked women to act as “Esthers” by submitting to their husbands to save today’s youth.

Heritage is betting that many Americans who oppose Project 2025 itself won’t know what to make of a proposal to combat anti-Semitism. As civil society begins to strategize for a response to the incoming Trump administration, it is important to see Project Esther for what it is: an extension of Project 2025 that would attack social justice and promote Christian supremacy.

(Zev Mishell is a writer currently studying at Harvard Divinity School. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)