Statistics show that antisemitic-related incidents increased by over 12% in the United States in 2019; Different occurrences include harassment, vandalism, and even physical assault; Greenblatt: This was a year of unprecedented antisemitic activity.
According to data from the Anti-Defamation League’s annual report, which produces information on discriminatory actions towards Jewish people, antisemitic acts reached an all-time high in the United States in 2019.
With a 12% increase over 2018, there were 2,107 incidences reported in the US in 2019. Some of these attacks include the shooting that targeted Ultra-Orthodox Jews in New Jersey and a shooting at a synagogue in San Diego. There were well over 400 reports of activity from New York alone. Assault cases were nearly doubled from 2018.
CEO of the ADL, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, responded to the report, stating, “This was a year of unprecedented antisemitic activity, a time when many Jewish communities across the country had direct encounters with hate. This contributed to a rising climate of anxiety and fear in our communities. We are committed to fighting back against this rising tide of hate and will double down on our work with elected leaders, schools and communities to end the cycle of hatred.”
Near the end of 2019, US President Donald Trump put American college campuses on notice when he threatened to defund public universities that don’t condemn the boycott, divest, and sanctions (BDS) movement. This movement calls on nations and international bodies to boycott, divest, and sanction the state of Israel.
He would state, “We have also taken a firm stance against the so-called Divestment and Sanctions Movement, or BDS. If you want to accept the tremendous amount of federal dollars that you get every year, you must reject anti-Semitism. It’s very simple.”
2019 was the sixth year in a row to show an increase in such attacks.
