Antisemitic incidents spiked in Indiana in 2024, new audit finds

Yahoo

22-04-2025

Antisemitism spiked across Indiana and the nation last year, spurring local Jewish community leaders and organizations to issue a call to action for Hoosiers of all faiths to stand against anti-Jewish hate and bigotry.
The 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, released by the Anti-Defamation League, found 142 documented acts of harassment and vandalism in Indiana last year — a 140% increase year over year and more than four times what was reported three years ago. Of those incidences, 116 involved harassment while vandalism accounted for the remaining 26.
"The numbers are sobering," David Goldenberg, regional director of the ADL's Midwest office, said during a press conference held at the Max & Mae Simon Jewish Community Center in Indianapolis.
Nationwide, more than 9,350 reports of antisemitic harassment, vandalism and assaults were documented in the media or by law enforcement last year. The Anti-Defamation League tracks, investigates and evaluates the incidents, publishing them in a yearly report that reflects both criminal and non-criminal acts.
The organization, which works to combats bigotry and discrimination, said antisemitic incidents in the United States were up 5% last year from 2023 and 344% over the past five years.
Goldenberg attributed the rising numbers to the ADL doing a better job tracking and investigating bigotry, discrimination and harassment aimed at Jewish people, and more people reporting more episodes. Under reporting, however, remains a problem.
The majority of all incidents tracked by ADL — 5,452 or 58% — are related to Israel. The organization said nearly 2,600 of the Israel-related incidents took place at rallies in the form of antisemitic speeches, chants, signs and slogans.
Goldenberg said the organization has also seen a spike in the leafletting of neighborhoods with propaganda fliers expressing anti-Jewish and anti-immigrant sentiments. The fliers have been from individuals connected to white supremacist groups, Goldenberg said. Law enforcement agencies can be challenged by limitations in what they can do to address the leafletting because of First Amendment and property rights issues.
"The larger story, though, is the Jewish communities being targeted with hate in ways that we have not experienced in generations," he said. "You will be hard pressed to find anyone in the Jewish community who is not experiencing antisemitism first hand or knows someone who has. It's no more than one degree of separation."
Ruthie Rosenberg, a 17-year-old North Central High School senior, said she was signaled out for her Jewish heritage on social media after a teacher attempted to explain the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. People took sides, expressing preferences for one side over the other, Rosenberg said, adding that Jewish students were negatively affected. Her name and picture were posted online, with a warning to beware of her because she's Jewish.
"It's becomes frightening when there's a situation in a classroom because we have to be our own advocates," Rosenberg said.
Goldenberg said the greater society has a responsibility to address antisemitism, adding that comprehensive governmental policies are needed to curb bigotry and harassment. He said Gov. Mike Braun's executive order holding colleges accountable for antisemitism and ordering a review of their policies is as a good example of the role government can play to create safe spaces for Jewish students.
He also noted Purdue and Indiana University were making strides to create safe campuses.
"Each of us has a role to play in how we respond to today's antisemitism crisis," he said.
David Sklar, executive director of the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council, said his organization is working closely with the ADL and with partners in other faith communities to support those impacted by antisemitism.
"We fully expect them to be partners in confronting antisemitism just like we would be partners in confronting any discrimination they may face," Sklar said.
Indiana ranked 12th in the United States for the total number of recorded incidents, including bomb threats, swatting and protests, recorded at Jewish institutions last year. The ADL said the state's Jewish population is one-tenth the size of the Jewish population in Illinois, yet Indiana Jewish institutions were targeted nearly the same amount of times in both states.
The Indianapolis metro area experiences the highest concentration of antisemitic incidents, accounting for a third of all incidents in the state, Goldenberg said. Bloomington and West Lafayette also showed a significant number of documented reports, reflecting national trends of antisemitism on college campus.
Incidences of antisemitism also increased sharply in neighboring Midwest states — all of which saw a sharp rise over a three-year period. There were 336 incidences in Illinois, 252 in Michigan, 233 in Ohio and 58 in Kentucky.
Contact IndyStar investigative reporter Alexandria Burris at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Antisemitic incidents spiked in Indiana in 2024, new audit finds