The Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit recorded a total of 367 attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions in California in 2021, nearly triple the 2015 number, the organization said in a statement.
The number includes 182 total incidents in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties, a rise of 29% from 2020, including 64 incidents of vandalism of businesses, places of worship, public spaces and schools.
“We’re seeing a new, but unfortunately age-old, kind of epidemic in our city — and it is one of anti-Semitic hatred,” Jeffrey Abrams, regional director of ADL Los Angeles, said in a statement. “While our city reels from an increase in assaults, these heinous acts of harassment, vandalism and propaganda all cause a ripple effect, with the perpetrators seeking to instill fear among not just the Jewish community, but all minority and marginalized communities.”
Incidents took place throughout the country, but the states with the highest number of reports were New York (416), New Jersey (370), California (367), Florida (190), Michigan (112) and Texas (112). Combined, these states account for 58% of the total anti-Semitic incidents reported last year, according to the ADL.
The number of reports rose 34% across the United States last year. The 2021 levels in both the state and the nation represent all-time highs, and are nearly triple the rates of 2015, the ADL said. California saw an overall increase of 27%, with 217 incidents of harassment, 135 incidents of vandalism, and 15 incidents of assault.
“The ADL’s report confirms what so many of us in the Jewish community already felt to be true: that antisemitic and hate incidents are happening around us — to us — at staggering levels beyond that of any time in recent memory,” said David Bocarsly, the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California’s executive director. “We also know we are not alone. Our friends and neighbors in other minority communities are experiencing similar anxiety and fear as this recent tide of hate affects us all. Our legislative agenda supports policies that tackle each stage in the evolution of hatred: education, preventing its spread, physical security, and community response. We call on the legislature to swiftly and urgently enact our anti-hate agenda, to protect Jews and all people in the State of California.
The ADL and JPAC are urging the state Legislature to act immediately to address the increase in anti-Jewish incidents.
“These acts of harassment, vandalism, and propaganda aren’t simply numbers, they’re stories that cause a ripple effect of terror — striking fear in our communities,” said Kendall Kosai, director of policy for the ADL’s Western Division. “We cannot, and will not, tolerate this as our new normal. We look forward to working together with California elected leaders and JPAC on initiatives that fight back against all forms of hate in our communities.”
The 2022 Legislative Agenda includes a record 11 bills and budget requests under consideration by lawmakers intended to combat antisemitism and hate crime. The package “takes a comprehensive approach to rooting out hatred and protecting against hate-motivated violence,” according to the JPAC.
Among those bills is AB 587, which would require social media companies to report their hate content policies as well as how hate continues to proliferate on their platforms.
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Alby says
I find it very difficult to believe that Jews are being discriminated when BLM and the majority of illegals deserve it more.
Tim Scott says
I find it hard to believe that people are discriminated against for skin color, religion, and all these other things when you so obviously deserve it more.
Alby says
I mean think about it. Isn’t this some sort of scapegoat for the real issues not being resolved? The real issues like BLM(BLaMe) fraud, lazy drug addicts choosing to be poverty pimped transients and taking what’s yours when you’re not home because the Meth addict of a neighbor said the coast is clear, illegal immigrants being Corner boys for dealers and gangs of most colors. Many turn a blind eye to those real issues that is deteriorating California, let alone the AV. Take a leisurely walk down 10th street west or east Palmdale if you would like a small idea. Discriminators probably didn’t realize that they were Jewish until after they were bullied for whatever silly reason like wearing a dumb hat, and the 367 incidents compared to these other tens of thousands of incidents were most likely made by Muslim extremists, and guess what? They look like illegals. The real issues are being laid out right before us, and denial and intimidation is the wall that separates a positive solution. Fortunately, the Jewish seem to have way fewer incident though it could be close to none if they didn’t turn the other cheek. Imagine if Jesus came down from the cross with a machine gun in one hand, a rocket launcher in the other and a lit stogey between his teeth?
America's Most Shocked At Alby says
Alby:
That’s flat out racist. I can’t believe you said that. BLM sucks, but they don’t represent Black people. They’re just crooks out for themselves. And the majority of immigrants are good, family-oriented people, even if I wish they came in legally.
I’ve been accused of being racist, but I really hate everybody equally.
Boooooooo.
Alby says
I’m sorry but did my comment include the use of the words “Black people”? Trust me, I know the difference and I have more respect for one over the other. I think certain people want to feel discriminated and oppressed as a poor excuse to unleash their sickle and animal stigma that they already have within themselves while BLaMing everyone else for who they are and using diversions like the handful of Jew and Asian hate crimes that are far outweighed by the real nonsense. So, sorry, not sorry. It’s not like I’m at the top of the Darwinian pecking order otherwise you think I’d be here?.
America's Most Fickle Finger of Fate says
“It’s not like I’m at the top of the Darwinian pecking order otherwise you think I’d be here?”
LMAO. Good one. We’re cool, Alby. I was just funnin ya. You always have interesting things to say.
America's Most Licentious Degenerate says
Alby:
You forgot to denigrate those Asian medical students? You know how much trouble they cause (sarcasm).
Alby says
Oh, c’mon. how could I denigrate them when I have such a good medical plan (sarcasm)? The real nonsense has been laid out clearly before us all. I just walked down tenth street and proved my earlier point once again. Welcome to the jungle baby.
Defamed says
The Khazars are the biggest promoters of anti-White racism.
America's Most Woopin Racist @$$ says
That’s a f__ck!ng racist statement, you lowlife, despicable piece of sh!+. Your ignorance and superstition expose you as a bottom-feeding troglodyte without any honor or value to society. Your street ho of a momma would be so proud.
Beecee says
In 2021, ADL recorded 484 antisemitic incidents attributed to known right-wing extremist groups or individuals inspired by right-wing extremist ideology. This represents 18% of the total number of incidents.
Tim Scott says
Are you trying to make a point here?
If it’s “look, everyone does it so lay off the poor downtrodden right wing extremists” I can see why you wouldn’t have spelled it out.
Beecee says
Make what you will of it, it’s pretty self explanatory,
You fools would believe that right wing extremism and white supremacist must be the leading antisemitist.
Here we see that’s not the case, not even close.
The left is BY FAR leading the antisemitism charge.
Tim Scott says
The fallacy in your argument is that 18% being traceable to right wing militias and their ilk does not mean that the other 82% are traceable to your mysterious “the left.” But of course you are immune to argument once the propagandists tell you what to think so that will no doubt be ignored.
Beecee says
Go on to the Berkeley campus and wave an Isrrael flag for me and tell me how well that turns out.
Also you guys have 2 active antisemites as congress members currently.
Pat yourselves on the back.
Tim Scott says
The equating of the state of Israel with Judaism is gross, but not unexpected from a propaganda devouring dingbat. I’m no anti-Semite, but I certainly think that the US policy of using our veto in the UN to prevent the totalitarian state of Israel from suffering any consequences from their international murder sprees and internal abuses of human rights is a bad thing that has gone on far too long.
Hind me an ACTUAL anti-Semite and we’ll talk. Until then, bigotry is mostly under the GOP’s “big tent.” That is, historically, what the GOP’s “big tent” was made for.
Beecee says
See what I mean folks…
Thanks for making my case for me.
Tim Scott says
Your case is predicated on “the nation of Israel represents Judaism, so telling them they have to follow the same behavioral standards as other nations is anti-Semitic.” In short, your case is ignorant. There are a whole lot of Jewish people in the world that recognize that mass slaughter of humans a country deems “lesser” is an atrocity, even when Israel does it. The fact that you don’t is because that whole bigotry justifies mass slaughter thing is apparently part of your world view.