The Anti-Defamation League has released a new report stating that the number of antisemitic incidents in Illinois almost doubled last year. These incidents included harassment, vandalism, and assault. The increase in incidents is believed to be related to the tensions surrounding the war between Israel and Hamas.
The ADL, a nonprofit organization that monitors antisemitism and white supremacy in the United States, released new data on Tuesday. According to the data, there were 8,873 reported incidents of antisemitism in the country in 2023.
The number represents a 140 percent increase compared to the 3,698 incidents recorded in 2022. It is the highest number ever recorded since the ADL started keeping track of antisemitic incidents in 1979.
According to the report, California had the highest number of incidents in 2023 with 1,266. It was followed by New York with 1,218, New Jersey with 830, Florida with 463, and Massachusetts with 440. Together, these five states made up 48 percent of all the incidents.
In 2023, there were 211 incidents of antisemitism in Illinois. This is an increase from 121 incidents in 2022 and 53 incidents in 2021. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported these numbers and categorized the incidents in the state last year.
- Harassment: 155
- Vandalism: 54
- Assault: 2
Reports of antisemitic activity on college campuses increased by more than three times in 2023. According to the ADL, there was a 321 percent increase in incidents from 2022.
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A report stated that in August, a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago got into an argument with a Jewish student. During the argument, the student spat at the Jewish student, used a swear word, and called them a Zionist. In K-12 schools that are not specifically for Jewish students, there were 1,162 reported incidents, which is a 135 percent increase.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that there were 1,987 incidents targeting Jewish institutions like synagogues, Jewish community centers, and Jewish schools across the country. This number is 237 percent higher than the 589 incidents recorded in 2022. The increase was partly because there were many more bomb threats that were antisemitic. Most of these threats were aimed at synagogues during the autumn. In 2023, synagogues were affected by 73 percent of all incidents that targeted Jewish institutions.
The number of bomb threats made against Jewish institutions increased significantly. There were a total of 1,009 bomb threats, which is the highest number ever recorded. This is an increase of over 1,000 percent from the 91 threats reported in 2022, according to the data.
The ADL data is created by using information from law enforcement, faith leaders, and community members. Analysts then verify this information.
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