ADL reports record-high anti-Semitism in US last year

The Anti-Defamation League’s latest report indicates that anti-Semitic incidents last year hit their highest levels since the ADL started tracking the phenomenon in 1979. 

The ADL recorded 3,697 anti-Semitic incidents in the United States during 2022, representing a 36% increase from 2021, which was already a record year for anti-Semitism. 

The ADL report, which does not include online incidents, tracks three main categories; harassment, vandalism and assault. The ADL found significant increases in all three categories over the last three years. 

There were 111 assaults reported last year, including one fatality, which represent a 26% increase in assaults against Jews since 2021. The ADL found that visibly Orthodox Jews made up 53% of all assault incidents. 

There was a 51% spike in incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism in 2022 over the previous year and synagogues were the most targeted Jewish institution, according to the ADL report. 

The escalation in anti-Semitic incidents coincides with an increase in anti-Semitic attitudes. The ADL’s report on anti-Semitic attitudes was released earlier this month, indicating a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic propaganda, which reached an all-time high in 2022. 

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt responded to the findings, saying, “We’re deeply disturbed by this dramatic and completely unacceptable surge in anti-Semitic incidents.” 

While the ADL said it tries not to speculate about the motivation of individuals behind anti-Semitic incidents, it attempts to identify patterns in the data. One pattern demonstrates a clear increase in organized white supremacist activity, according to Aryeh Tuchman, director of the ADL Center on Extremism. 

“The largest and most noteworthy bucket of incidents, which we feel contributed greatly to the increase, is organized white supremacist activity,” Tuchman said. 

They also found a noticeable impact from anti-Semitic comments by rapper Kanye West. The ADL found direct references to West in 59 incidents following the rapper’s release of videos and social media posts with anti-Semitic content. 

The ADL does not yet track online incidents of harassment or online sharing of anti-Semitic propaganda. However, a report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the CASM Technology firm found that anti-Semitic posts increased by 106% on Twitter after Elon Musk took over the social media platform.