Antisemitic incidents are surging in the U.S., according to a new report
Antisemitism is rising across the United States, according to the latest edition of an annual audit of antisemitic incidents from the Anti-Defamation League.
The goup found the number of “reported episodes of antisemitism” rose 36% from 2021 to 2022 to the highest level the organization has seen since it began tracking such incidents in 1979, Axios reported.
The Anti-Defamation League’s count includes a variety of acts, from vandalism to physical violence to the distribution of antisemitic propaganda. The organization draws from news articles, police files and victim statements, among other sources, to put together its report.
Not all of the incidents included in th group’s annual count would be viewed by law enforcement as criminal acts, but all cause discomfort and anxiety in the Jewish community.
“This report lays bare some data around why the Jewish community has been feeling so vulnerable,” said Oren Segal, vice president of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, to Axios.
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In other interviews, organization leaders have highlighted how widespread antisemitism appears to be. In 2022, at least one antisemitic incident took place in every state in the nation, as well as in Washington, D.C.
“Five states — all with significant Jewish populations — accounted for more than half of (the incidents). New York was first, with 580, followed by California with 518. New Jersey, Florida and Texas rounded out the top five,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
All together, the Anti-Defamation League counted 3,697 antisemitic acts in 2022, up from 2,717 in 2021, the article noted.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to rising antisemitic harassment, but increasing awareness of the scope of the problem is a good starting point, according to Jewish leaders.
That’s one reason why many Jewish groups approach high-profile antisemitic incidents, such as the rapper Ye’s recent controversial tweets about the Jewish community, as an opportunity to talk about the broader issue of antisemitism instead of as a chance to simply call out and condemn the perpetrator.
Better education about antisemitism, including historical events like the Holocaust, can help reduce the number of antisemitic incidents, said the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center in a Thursday press release.
“Ignorance is a key underlying factor in the spread of age-old antisemitic tropes,” the press release said.
That organization and others have also called on Congress to continue and expand the Nonprofit Security Grand Program, which enables faith groups, including Jewish synagogues, to receive federal funding support for security upgrades.
In December, the Biden administration launched an interagency task force focused on combatting antisemitism, and President Joe Biden has also personally spoken out against antisemitic hate, Axios reported.
