Latest news with #AuditofAntisemiticIncidents
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ADL: Mass. set new record for antisemitic incidents in 2024
Some records and record-breaking events are worth celebrating. Consider John Korir, of Kenya, who raced to victory in Monday's Boston Marathon. His brother, Wesley, won in 2012. That makes them the first siblings to ever win the nation's premier road race. And there's Sharon Lokedi, also of Kenya, who won the women's race and set a new course record in the doing of it. She finished ahead of Hellen Obiri, the defending women's champ, who was looking to become the first woman to three-peat at the Marathon since 1999, CBS News reported. Then there are the records you wish would remain unbroken: Like the fact that 2024 marked the fifth straight year that there were more antisemitic incidents in New England than the year before, shattering the previous year's record. That ignominious data point comes from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) New England's latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, an annual audit of the hate that continues to thrive in our midst. The civil rights group recorded 638 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism across the five-state New England region in 2024, including Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Read More: The U.S. has a political violence problem. Can we solve it before it's too late? | John L. Micek That's up from the 2023 tally of 623 incidents, according to the ADL. The number of antisemitic incidents across New England has risen steadily since 2020, when the ADL recorded 109 such incidents. That increase is a 'stark reminder that antisemitism continues to impact our communities,' Samantha Joseph, the group's regional director, said in a statement. The rise of attacks against Orthodox Jews was 'particularly concerning,' Joseph said, noting that the 'alarming manifestations of antisemitism in 2024 instill fear and are reminders that much work remains to be done.' So, where does Massachusetts fall in all this? Nowhere good. The Bay State charted 438 antisemitic incidents last year, the fifth-highest nationwide behind New York (1,437), California (1,345), New Jersey (719) and Pennsylvania (465). That's a 188% increase from the 152 incidents recorded in 2022. And it's effectively unchanged from the 439 that were recorded in 2023, according to the ADL's data. That 2024 tally for Massachusetts breaks down to 276 reported incidents of harassment, 157 incidents of vandalism (an 11% increase from the 141 incidents in 2023), and five assaults. Of the state's 351 cities and towns, 108 saw at least one antisemitic incident, according to the report. Boston logged 96 such incidents last year, according to the report. The ADL recorded 12 cases where Orthodox Jews were specifically targeted for harassment, compared to the four incidents across the five-state region in 2023. The majority — 10 of them — took place in Massachusetts, the civil rights group said. One particularly graphic example included a man yelling at a Jewish child — 'You are a Jew, [expletive] you' — while he shopped with his mother at a kosher grocery store, the civil rights group said. And a lot of those incidents took place in settings where people are supposed to be learning how to appreciate and celebrate their differences: New England's college campuses. They ranged from someone replacing the Star of David on an Israeli flag with a swastika at Smith College to a Berklee College of Music student telling a classmate that 'Jews belong in the oven.' Then there were the threatening emails sent to Jewish student organizations at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. All told, the region's college campuses saw 151 incidents of antisemitism last year, up from 81 in 2023 and way up from the 15 reported in 2022. Taken together, that's an 86% year-over-year increase on college campuses between 2023 and 2024. The ADL was quick to point out that it was not trying to conflate general criticism of Israel or anti-Israel activism with antisemitism. And 'legitimate political protest, support for Palestinian rights or expressions of opposition to Israeli policies' was not included in its audit. Still, this increase came amid campus protests and arrests tied to Israel's prosecution of its war against the terrorist group Hamas, which is dragging into its third year. But, really, no place was safe. The ADL reported antisemitic incidents in K-12 public schools, public parks, private businesses and homes. And there was the terror of striking the region's Jewish population in their own safe spaces: schools, community centers and synagogues. In October 2023, for instance, two worshippers in Springfield who had to leave a rideshare early after they were harangued for praying in a 'terrorist Israel institution,' according to the report. Antisemitism commissions at the state and federal levelsthat are trying to tackle the issue with varying levels of success. The former has held informational hearings, while critics say the latter is a barely covert effort to undermine the rule of law and to undermine academic freedom. No one's questioning that there's a problem. You don't have to look any further than the headlines to find evidence of that. The new data drop comes just about two weeks after the nation's antisemitism problem was thrust into the headlines once more with news that a lone attacker had set fire to the official residence of Pennsylvania's governor. State Police ushered Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, his family and guests out of the neo-Georgian building in the state capital of Harrisburg. The night before, they had celebrated Passover. Shapiro, a former state attorney general, has taken heat for his support for Israel, with some branding him 'Genocide Josh.' As MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen has pointed out, blaming Shapiro for the actions of a foreign government, helmed by fellow Jews, on the other side of the world is the "definition of antisemitism." And since the start of Israel's war in 2023, data have shown an increased belief in anti-Jewish tropes, with particular growth among younger Americans. So, how do you stop one of history's oldest hate crimes? There are no easy solutions. But one group, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, is doing what it can through a mixture of media campaigns, partnerships and public education efforts. Those blue squares you've seen on Kraft's lapel? That's the symbol of his organization. 'Our mission is to educate and inspire unengaged Americans to stand up to Jewish hate by recognizing that hate of any kind increases hate of all kinds,' Kraft said on the organization's website. And it's as good as any place to start. So that next year, all we're talking about is the records that were broken on Boylston Street. Mass. gave the U.S. its Constitution. Why it matters more than ever| Bay State Briefing US-Canada relations tested as border library faces new restrictions | John L. Micek 3 UMass poll numbers that could worry Republicans. And 1 for Democrats | John L. Micek Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New ADL report shows decrease in antisemitic incidents across the Southeast in 2024
Antisemitic incidents are at a record high in most regions of the country, but have decreased slightly in the Southeast, according to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League, a leading global advocacy organization that fights antisemitism. The annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, released April 22, tallied the types of antisemitic incidents recorded over the past year. Across the country, the ADL counted 9,354 antisemitic incidents nationwide – a 5% increase from 2023, and a 344% increase over the past five years. The data is collected from incident reports sent to the ADL directly, as well as reports made by law enforcement, news media and partner organizations of the ADL. It is the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents 46 years ago. But the Southeast, which includes Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee in the ADL report, is a different story. According to the data, 346 antisemitic incidents were recorded throughout the region in 2024, representing a 14% decrease from 2023, though the numbers remain almost double the levels seen in any year prior to 2023. The audit also shows a decrease in white supremacist propaganda incidents as well — from 137 in 2023 to 87 — though what white supremacist activity was recorded more specifically targeted 'figures in the Jewish community,' including businesses. 'We're pleased to see (the decrease), because that has been a focus of our work: trying to stop tactics of hate and trying to make it more difficult for extremist groups to get their message out … by doing things like the Nashville Metro Council did over the summer,' said Eytan Davidson, regional director for ADL Southeast. More: In response to recent neo-Nazi activity, Nashville council advances slate of restrictions Tennessee saw 81 incidents in 2024, down from 90 in 2023, including 29 incidents of vandalism, 51 incidents in public areas, and one assault. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in bomb threats to Jewish institutions in Tennessee, from 14 in 2023 to one in 2024. Across the region, there were 70 incidents of antisemitic messaging on university campuses recorded in 2024, compared to 36 in 2023 and just 12 in 2022. These numbers reflect the increase in antisemitic incidents on college campuses, which are tied to the large-scale protests seen at many universities regarding the Israel-Hamas war. 'We saw an alarming number of incidents on college campuses across the country,' Davidson said. 'That being said, Tennessee has a real bright spot there in Vanderbilt University, which received an A on ADLs campus report card in March.' More: Vanderbilt University claims a commitment to free speech. But does it deliver? Although the report also tallies what the ADL labels 'anti-Israel activity,' in addition to the antisemitic expressions, Davidson stresses that the organization does not conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and separates the incidents before reporting them in the audit. 'Anytime somebody criticizes the government of Israel, that does not necessarily mean that it is antisemitic,' Davidson said. 'We're really looking for language that is calling for what could only be described as antisemitic, and in our view, that is calling for the elimination of the only Jewish state in the entire world.' In the report's methodology, it states that the ADL's 'approach to Israel-related expressions' comports with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism — a definition that has a long history of clashing with a number of First Amendment advocates for potentially conflating constitutionally protected criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism. When asked how the organization interacts with these First Amendment concerns while using the definition as a basis for data collection, Davidson said that although they recognize the debate, antisemitism is 'unique.' 'The ADL recognizes that the First Amendment protects all speech, and that includes hate speech,' he said. 'And that is the price of having a free and democratic society with a very robust First Amendment. At the same time, antisemitism functions as a conspiracy theory, and all of the examples that are in the IHRA definition point to very specific things that are antisemitic that wouldn't necessarily be obvious.' Davidson said the examples in IHRA definition, even the ones many First Amendment experts contest, are included because it is 'what we see' — going on to list criticism of the Israeli government in examples. 'We see people using these criticisms of Israel that go beyond what one would consider criticism of a state's policies,' he said. 'That's a real problem that we have in this world: that Israel is treated differently because it is the Jewish state. And when it is applied, that is antisemitism in action.' The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@ by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: New report shows decrease in antisemitic incidents across Southeast
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Antisemitic incidents spiked in Indiana in 2024, new audit finds
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 aburris@ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Antisemitic incidents spiked in Indiana in 2024, new audit finds
Indianapolis Star
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Antisemitic incidents spiked in Indiana in 2024, new audit finds
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.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Antisemitic incidents remain elevated in Massachusetts, ADL says
The number of antisemitic incidents reported in Massachusetts was essentially unchanged in 2024, though officials with the Anti-Defamation League said the total is 'part of a troubling long-term trend' of heightened harassment, vandalism and assault. Massachusetts recorded 438 antisemitic incidents in 2024, one fewer than in 2023, representing the fifth-highest number of incidents of any state in the country, the ADL said Tuesday in its annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. The group said the number of antisemitic incidents here has spiked 188% since 2022. Across ADL's New England region (which includes Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont), there were 638 antisemitic incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2024. The number of incidents in New England has increased each of the last five years and is up 485% since 2020. Nationally, the ADL counted 9,354 antisemitic incidents -- the highest number recorded since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents 46 years ago. That's a 5% increase from 2023, a 344% increase over the last five years and a 893% increase over the last 10 years. 'The persistent increase in antisemitic incidents over the past five years is a stark reminder that antisemitism continues to impact our communities,' Samantha Joseph, ADL New England's regional director, said. 'Particularly concerning is the continued proliferation of extremist incidents and the rise of attacks against Orthodox Jews. The alarming manifestations of antisemitism in 2024 instill fear and are reminders that much work remains to be done.' Of the 438 antisemitic incidents reported in Massachusetts last year, the ADL said 275 or 63% of them were related to Israel or Zionism, 'a trend that reflects the impact of geopolitics on domestic antisemitism.' There were also 132 instances of verbal or written harassment and threats, 157 instances of vandalism, 37 appearances of antisemitic white supremacist propaganda, 87 times in which a swastika was discovered, 17 bomb threats, and five assaults. A total of 108 Massachusetts cities and towns saw at least one antisemitic incident last year, but the audit identified the state's 'primary hotspots' as Boston (96 incidents), Cambridge (52) and Newton (25). Last year saw the number of antisemitic incidents on college and university campuses climb more steeply than in any other location, the ADL said, and Massachusetts had the third-most campus incidents of any state with 107 of them. Examples cited in ADL's audit included the discovery on the Smith College campus in Northampton of an Israeli flag with a swastika spray-painted to replace the Star of David and an incident at Berklee College of Music in Boston in which a student told a Jewish classmate that 'Jews belong in the oven' and that he 'cannot stop following Israel's war against Palestinian children.' 'College campuses have become an epicenter of American antisemitism, as the sites of close to a fifth of all 2024 incidents. Antisemitic incidents on college campuses reached their highest point for the year in the spring of 2024, from mid-April through mid-May, which coincided with activity related to the anti-Israel encampment movement on dozens of campuses nationwide. Incidents at or near encampments often contained antisemitic messages, and participants recited antisemitic slogans,' the ADL said. The organization said that its audit methodology 'is careful to not conflate general criticism of Israel or anti-Israel activism with antisemitism' and does not count as antisemitic incidents any 'legitimate political protest, support for Palestinian rights or expressions of opposition to Israeli policies.' ADL said its approach to Israel-related expressions 'comports with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.' As part of a national wave of protests and subsequent student arrests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war, a number of encampments cropped up last year on campuses around Massachusetts, including at Harvard University, UMass Amherst, Northeastern University and Emerson College. The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has taken aim at Harvard as well as Boston generally. Task force representatives were reportedly in Boston earlier this month to meet with city officials as the group investigates four cities -- Boston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles -- and the 'responses to incidents of antisemitism at schools and on college campuses in their cities over the last two years.' The DOJ said in March that the task force 'was aware of allegations that the schools in their respective cities may have failed to protect Jewish students from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law.' A city spokesman said in March that Boston 'has one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in America ... and we stand firmly against antisemitism.' This month, the task force announced it would halt $2.2 billion in multi-year grants headed to Harvard. The task force called the harassment of Jewish students 'intolerable' and declared, 'It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.' Since the fall, Westfield Sen. John Velis and Concord Rep. Simon Cataldo have been leading the state's new Commission on Combating Antisemitism, which they have said aims to stamp out Massachusetts' recent 'ignominious reputation as a hub of antisemitic activity.' Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
