Antisemitism in the United States surged to record-breaking levels in 2024, marking the fourth straight year of increasing incidents, according to data released Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League.
The ADL documented 9,354 incidents of harassment, vandalism, and physical attacks—more than any year since the organization started monitoring such acts in 1979. That total represents a five percent jump over 2023, the previous record-setting year.
This figure averages out to over 25 antisemitic acts per day—more than one each hour—across the country. The highest numbers came from New York, with 1,437 incidents, and California, with 1,344. Every state reported at least some cases.
“This horrifying level of antisemitism should never be accepted, and yet, as our data shows, it has become a persistent and grim reality for American Jewish communities,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “Jewish Americans continue to be harassed, assaulted and targeted for who they are on a daily basis and everywhere they go. But let’s be clear: we will remain proud of our Jewish culture, religion and identities, and we will not be intimidated by bigots.”
Following the October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre by Hamas in Israel, antisemitic actions sharply escalated both domestically and abroad. The ADL has closely monitored this trend, publishing in-depth analyses on topics like bias in artificial intelligence, false narratives on Wikipedia, and initiatives to counter campus hatred.
For the first time, more than half—58 percent—of all recorded antisemitic acts in the U.S. were tied to Israel or Zionism, with 5,452 such incidents reported. Nearly half of those stemmed from anti-Israel demonstrations, where protesters employed antisemitic rhetoric, signs, chants, or slogans.
Groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) played prominent roles in organizing these demonstrations and were linked to more than half of them, according to the ADL.
In its methodology, the ADL explained that each rally was logged as a single event, regardless of how many antisemitic episodes took place during it.
“These incidents… serve as a clear reminder that silence is not an option,” said Oren Segal, ADL’s senior vice president for counter-extremism and intelligence. “Good people must stand up, push back, and confront antisemitism wherever it appears.”
The report highlighted a troubling 21 percent spike in antisemitic assaults, totaling 196 attacks that affected at least 250 individuals—none fatally. Notably, Orthodox Jews were the targets in about 30 percent of those cases.
Jewish institutions saw more than double the number of assaults compared to the previous year, and acts of vandalism climbed by 39 percent. Authorities also recorded 647 bomb threats throughout the year.
College campuses experienced a dramatic rise in incidents, with a record 1,694 cases—a staggering 84 percent increase from the year before. Much of the spike came from anti-Israel protests that veered into explicit antisemitism.
The report also revealed 2,606 incidents of vandalism, 37 percent of which included swastikas. Harassment made up the majority of the total, with 6,552 cases—many occurring during antisemitic demonstrations.
In addition, 962 incidents involved antisemitic propaganda disseminated by white supremacist organizations. Three groups—Patriot Front, Goyim Defense League, and White Lives Matter—were behind 94 percent of those cases.
The ADL clarified that their report included both criminal and non-criminal acts, sourced from victims, law enforcement, media outlets, and partner groups, and vetted by the organization’s analysts. They also cautioned that the real number of incidents is likely higher, particularly in primary and secondary schools, where underreporting is common.
{Matzav.com}