Record High Levels of Anti-Semitism Reported in US
An annual report by the Anti-Defamation League indicates a significant increase in incidents related to Israel or Zionism.
The Anti-Defamation League published a report highlighting a rise in anti-Semitic occurrences following Hamas’s assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which carried on into 2024, reaching record levels again.
The organization released the report on April 22, stating, “This marks the fourth consecutive year of increased anti-Semitic incidents surpassing previous records.” They disclosed that incidents involving Israel or Zionism comprised a majority of the total incidents for the first time, making up 58 percent.
Data regarding incidents is collected from individuals, law enforcement, media sources, and partner organizations by the ADL.
Concerns have arisen around the allegations of anti-Semitism, with some critics claiming it is a tool to stifle free speech on college campuses and elsewhere.
They align the ADL’s approach to Israel-related expressions with the definition of anti-Semitism issued by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016.
New York (1,437), California (1,344), and New Jersey (719) registered the most incidents in 2024. New Jersey topped the list in terms of per capita rates (7.57 per 100,000), followed by New York (7.23 per 100,000). California ranked thirteenth with 3.41 incidents per 100,000.
The District of Columbia, however, had three times the incidence of the highest-ranking states at 23.20 incidents per 100,000 residents.
Out of 5,452 incidents related to Israel, the ADL noted that 2,596 occurred at anti-Israel rallies featuring anti-Semitic speeches, chants, signs, and slogans.
About half of the anti-Israel rallies monitored in 2024 contained anti-Semitic expressions, according to the group.
The report also highlighted that Students for Justice in Palestine and the Party for Socialism and Liberation were the most active organizers or co-sponsors of events where anti-Semitic incidents occurred.
The report recorded 196 incidents of physical assault targeting 250 victims, with 30 percent being Orthodox Jews, none of which were fatal.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks on stage during the National Urban League Conference Plenary II: State of Black America, in Houston, Texas, on July 28, 2023. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League
The report identified 2,606 incidents of vandalism, characterized as property damage indicating anti-Semitic intent, with swastikas present in 37 percent of cases.
Harassment incidents totaled 6,552, defined as Jews or individuals perceived as Jewish facing harassment featuring anti-Semitic slurs, stereotypes, or tropes.
There were 627 bomb threats reported, with 89 percent targeting synagogues.
On college campuses, there were 1,694 anti-Semitic incidents, showing an 84 percent increase compared to 2023.
The report noted a 19 percent rise in incidents in public areas and an 11 percent increase in business establishments since 2023. In non-Jewish K-12 schools, there was a 26 percent decrease with 860 incidents reported. The ADL mentioned that the actual numbers were probably higher due to the nature of bullying and children’s reluctance to report it.
White supremacist propaganda was linked to 962 incidents, down by 17 percent from 2023, with three groups – Patriot Front, Goyim Defense League, and the White Lives Matter network – responsible for 94 percent of this category.
The ADL, established in 1913 to combat the defamation of Jews, was formed in response to the wrongly convicted case of Leo Frank in Atlanta, marked by anti-Semitism. His death sentence was commuted to life in 1915, but he was later lynched by a mob in Marietta.
