The Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas was the site of the attack by British national Malik Faisal Akram, who was in a 10-hour hostage battle with law enforcement. A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says anti-Semitism cases in the United States have increased by 36% in 2022.
Brandon Wade/AP
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The Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas was the site of the attack by British national Malik Faisal Akram, who was in a 10-hour hostage battle with law enforcement. A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says anti-Semitism cases in the United States have increased by 36% in 2022.
Brandon Wade/AP
Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased by 36% in 2022, an annual audit by the Anti-Defamation League found.
The report, released Thursday, tracked 3,697 incidents of harassment, vandalism and attacks targeting Jews and the community last year. For the third time in five years, this is the highest number ever recorded since ADL first began collecting data in 1979.
“The escalation in anti-Semitism comes at a time when the ADL has reported the highest levels of anti-Semitism among Americans in decades,” the report said, adding that officials Government officials, popular artists and social media stars have contributed to the normalization of longstanding anti-Semitic tactics.
The ADL report appears immediately after a FBI report earlier this monthstates that nationally reported hate crimes have increased by nearly 12% in 2021 compared to 2020.
5 states account for more than half of the cases
According to ADL’s latest analysis, spikes in each of the major audit categories occurred in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
- Anti-Semitic harassment increased 29%, from 1,776 to 2,298
- Anti-Semitic vandalism increased by 51%, from 853 to 1,288
- Anti-Semitic attacks increased by 26%, from 88 to 111
New York had the highest number of reported cases: 580. California followed with 518, New Jersey with 408, Florida with 269 and Texas with 211. “In total, these five states account for 54% of the total.”
Schools and synagogues are increasing targets
Another alarming finding was that the number of bomb threats against Jewish facilities, including schools and synagogues, jumped from eight to 91. bomb threats since 2017.
Children and educators in K-12 schools were victims of threats or assaults in 494 incidents. Meanwhile, 219 incidents were reported on the university campus.
Presenters who were Orthodox Jews were targeted in 59 attacks across the country.
Goyim Defense League is behind more than half of propaganda incidents
The ADL also found a doubling of activity among organized white supremacist groups, linked to 852 distributions of anti-Semitism propaganda.
While the study cited a number of factors contributing to the increase, the organization concluded that the large increase in the spread of anti-Semitic propaganda was “largely due to the growth of the League of Nations.” Goyim Defense,” known as GDL.
The GDL network, which has significant interference with other white supremacist groups and movements, was responsible for at least 492 propaganda incidents in 2022, a significant increase from the 74 recorded incidents. in 2021.
EQUAL by NPR Here now report“GDL members have been charged with stalking, aggravated assault, murder, making terroristic threats, threatening public officials, vandalism, soliciting sexual favors from a minor, and defamation. Memorial to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida.”
Ye’s social media attacks inspired dozens of incidents
The artist formerly known as Kanye West, who in October 2022 made convincing statements about Jews and praised Adolf Hitler while denying the truth about the Holocaust on social media, also was the cause of dozens of anti-Semitic attacks, the ADL said.
“The impact of Ye’s comments has been felt across the country,” according to the report.
“59 cases of anti-Semitism between October 11 and the end of 2022 are directly related to Ye, including 44 harassment, 13 vandalism, and 2 assaults.”
(Twitter suspended Ye’s account after the rapper/mogul posted an image of the swastika depicted inside the Star of David.)
The findings are a call to action
The organization said the audit would serve as a wake-up call for government officials. The ADL urges leaders to outright condemn anti-Semitism. It also urges them to launch “a coordinated government-wide, whole-of-society response” that includes stopping anti-Semitism online.
“Public officials and civilian leaders – from the President, to governors, attorneys general, mayors, other civilian leaders and law enforcement agencies – must use the podium their bullying to speak out against anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and extremism,” the report said.
