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Edited by: Fern Sidman
The American Jewish community has faced a wave of unprecedented anti-Semitic incidents since the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel. According to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center on Extremism, more than 10,000 anti-Semitic events have been recorded between October 2023 and September 2024, marking a 200% increase from the previous year. According to a report that appeared on Thursday on The Algemeiner web site, this surge in anti-Semitism coincides with global reactions to the brutal Hamas attack, reflecting a growing trend of violence and hostility against Jews in the US.
The ADL report outlines that 30% of the incidents occurred on college campuses, while 12% took place during anti-Israel protests. Jewish institutions, including nonprofits and places of worship, were particularly targeted, with 20% of the incidents directed at them. Of those, 50% involved bomb threats, further intensifying the fear and insecurity within Jewish communities. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, remarked on the enduring impact of Hamas’ assault, stating, “From that day on, Jewish Americans haven’t had a single moment of respite. Instead, we’ve faced a shocking number of anti-Semitic threats and experienced calls for more violence against Israelis and Jews everywhere,” The Algemeiner reported.
The ADL’s data highlights the alarming rise of anti-Semitism across the United States. Between January and December 2023, the organization recorded 8,873 antisemitic incidents, an average of 24 per day. The Algemeiner report indicated that this represents a significant increase in acts of harassment, vandalism, and assault, with the highest concentration of incidents occurring in California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Massachusetts. These five states alone accounted for nearly half—48%—of all anti-Semitic events in 2023.
One of the most disturbing findings of the report is the 237% increase in attacks on Jewish institutions, including synagogues, community centers, and schools. The report mentions over 1,000 bomb threats, also known as “swattings,” that targeted Jewish organizations across the country. As was noted in The Algemeiner report, these figures point to a growing climate of fear and insecurity among Jewish Americans, with harassment, vandalism, and assaults rising dramatically. Harassment surged by 184%, vandalism by 69%, and physical assaults by 45%.
As per the information provided in The Algemeiner report, college campuses have become especially volatile environments for Jewish students, with anti-Semitic incidents on campuses increasing by 321%. These events have disrupted academic life and created uncertainty about the future for Jewish students, who are now facing growing hostility in traditionally liberal spaces. The ADL’s report reveals that the most damaging period occurred in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack, with 5,204 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in the last quarter of the year alone.
As The Algemeiner has previously reported, the rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S. is not limited to any one segment of society. From white supremacist groups on the far-right to left-wing student organizations on college campuses, anti-Semitic sentiments have spread across the political spectrum. Many of these groups have expressed support for Hamas and have openly called for violence against Jews, both in Israel and worldwide. The Algemeiner report noted that anti-Semitic tropes, blood libels, and calls for genocide have become increasingly common in public discourse, particularly in the wake of the October 7 attack.
According to information contained in The Algemeiner report, these incidents are reflective of a broader wave of anti-Semitism that has targeted Jewish communities in both public and private spaces. From hate crimes in California to shocking threats at Ivy League universities, the American Jewish community has found itself in the crosshairs of an alarming rise in hostility.
One of the most disturbing cases involved the death of an elderly Jewish man in California, who was allegedly killed by an anti-Zionist professor during an argument. As The Algemeiner reported, the professor, employed by a local community college, allegedly pushed the man during a heated exchange, resulting in fatal injuries. This tragic incident underscores the level of violence that anti-Semitic rhetoric has incited in recent months, particularly in areas where anti-Zionist sentiment is deeply embedded.
In New York, at Cornell University, a student was arrested after making violent threats to rape and kill Jewish female students and “shoot up” the campus’s Hillel center. The information in The Algemeiner report indicated that the threats spread fear throughout the campus and demonstrated the growing radicalization of some students. The student in question expressed extreme anti-Israel views, which led to his targeting of the university’s Jewish community. This chilling episode is emblematic of the heightened level of danger Jewish students are facing on American campuses.
In Ohio, a Jewish cemetery in a Cleveland suburb was desecrated by vandals who defaced graves with anti-Semitic symbols. The Algemeiner report explained that this act of desecration was part of a series of similar incidents across the country targeting Jewish burial sites. These hate crimes not only defile the memory of those buried but also send a message of fear and intimidation to Jewish communities.
Perhaps most shocking was an incident at Harvard University, where a faculty group shared an anti-Semitic cartoon depicting a left hand, tattooed with a Star of David, hanging two men of color from a noose. The sharing of such imagery, especially at one of America’s most prestigious academic institutions, shocked both the Jewish and broader academic communities. According to The Algemeiner report, the cartoon’s spread highlighted the increasingly toxic environment that has developed on many college campuses, where expressions of anti-Semitism are often cloaked under the guise of political criticism of Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recently published a report, “Anti-Israel Activism on US Campuses, 2023-2024,” which underscores the severity of these developments. The report highlights a “staggering” 477% increase in anti-Zionist activity on college campuses, with incidents involving vandalism, harassment, and assault rising sharply. As The Algemeiner report details, the ADL’s findings paint a troubling picture of political extremism infecting higher education, with Jewish students and organizations frequently coming under attack for their real or perceived connections to Israel or Zionism.
The report outlines how anti-Israel activism has morphed into overt anti-Semitism, with Jewish students facing unrelenting scrutiny and harassment. “As the year progressed, Jewish students and Jewish groups on campus came under unrelenting scrutiny for any association, actual or perceived, with Israel or Zionism,” the ADL report states, as was indicated in The Algemeiner report. This targeting often led to the vandalism of Jewish institutions and, in more severe cases, physical assaults. The ADL identified a growing trend in anti-Israel activists expressing open support for US-designated terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), adding another layer of danger to the already volatile situation on campuses.
These findings reveal the precarious position of Jewish students in many American universities, where political activism has turned into hostility and violence. With anti-Semitism becoming more blatant and pervasive, the ADL has warned that more action is needed to combat this disturbing trend. The increase in anti-Semitic incidents, particularly in the context of anti-Israel rhetoric, shines a proverbial spotlight on the importance of protecting Jewish students and communities from further harm.
As the American Jewish community continues to face these challenges, the ADL’s report serves as a clarion call for stronger measures to address and curb the rise of anti-Semitism in all its forms.
