Anti-Semitic Incidents Surge in 2017

NM Again Near Bottom of List: ICYMI: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today announced that

the number of anti-Semitic incidents remain significantly higher in 2017 compared to 2016. 

In addition to the significant bump in the first quarter of this year, there was also a distinct increase after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va., in August.

In fact, says the ADL -

Compared to 2016, each of the first three quarters of 2017 had a higher number of incidents year over year. 

These incidents peaked during the first quarter of 2017, and the pace slowed somewhat in the second and third quarters. 

Of all 1,299 anti-Semitic incidents so far in 2017, a majority (667) occurred in the first quarter of the year. 

An additional 632 anti-Semitic incidents were reported in the second and third quarters of the year, surpassing the 488 incidents reported during the same period in 2016.

From January through Sept. 30, according to ADL, there were:

• 703 incidents of harassment, including 162 bomb threats against Jewish institutions;
• 584 incidents of vandalism, including 52 against Jewish institutions;
• 12 physical assaults.

These incidents took place across the country, but consistent with prior reports, the states with the highest number of incidents tend to be those with the largest Jewish populations.  

These include New York State (267 incidents); California (197); Massachusetts (117); Florida (69) and Pennsylvania (58). 

New Mexico came in with

Vandalism 1 - Harassment 6 - Assault 0 - Total 7

Which is far fewer than New Jersey (52) or Virginia (22).

But which is way more than Oklahoma (2) or Utah (4).

Here is what the JTA says about the ADL report -

On the current pace, the number of incidents will nearly double the figure from 2015. 

Anti-Semitic assaults, however, have fallen 60 percent: There were 12 assaults in the first nine months of 2017, as opposed to 29 over the same period last year. 

Thursday’s report by the ADL, which fights anti-Semitism and bigotry, said that in addition to the waves of bomb threats against Jewish institutions at the beginning of the year, the main driver of anti-Semitic incidents was the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August. 

Most of the 162 bomb threats are suspected of coming from an American-Israeli Jewish man living in Ashdod, Israel. 

Even discounting those threats, there was still a 46 percent increase in incidents. The seven weeks following the Charlottesville rally saw 221 incidents of anti-Semitism.

ICYMI: The Albuquerque / New Mexico office of the ADL is no more. As Jeremy Shaver, Associate Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Mountain States Region announced in an email on September 14 -

On Sept. 1, responsibility for New Mexico moved to ADL’s Mountain States Regional Office (headquartered in Denver). Our region now covers Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. 

I am the member of our regional staff who works with Jewish institutions on safety and security. I hope to be able to meet many of you when I am able to travel to New Mexico. 

Jeremy Shaver, Associate Regional Director for the ADL’s Mountain States Region

The ADL Denver website announced on September 18 -

The Anti-Defamation League is pleased to welcome New Mexico back into the Mountain States Region.  The region now includes Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.  New Mexico has been a standalone ADL region since 1989; before that, it was part of the Mountain States Region, based in Denver.  

The Mountain States ADL staff is poised to deliver many different types of educational programs to New Mexico schools, law enforcement and religious institutions. In addition, ADL will continue to provide effective responses to incidents of anti-Semitism and hate that may arise anywhere in the region. 

“We are very grateful to Suki Halevi, who as the New Mexico ADL Regional Director had led our work in the state over the last three years.  Suki has been a strong community presence and has played a key role in elevating ADL in the region,” says Scott Levin, Mountain States Regional Director. “We look forward to working with the New Mexico community.”

In other words -

Suki Halevi has left the building.

But back to New Mexico's ADL hate results. In an email sent out today, Mr Shaver reported -

A new report released today by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows that the number of anti-Semitic incidents remain significantly higher nationwide in 2017 compared to 2016. 

ADL’s Mountain States Region, which includes Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, experienced a steep increase as whole, although New Mexico posted only a slight increase. 

ADL’s latest Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents reports that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2017 there were 7 incidents in New Mexico compared to 5 for the same time frame last year. 

ADL Mountain States Regional Director Scott L. Levin issued the following statement: 

“Any increase in anti-Semitism is concerning, especially since this is the second year in a row that the number of incidents has increased. It is deeply disturbing that some individuals feel emboldened and empowered to act upon their anti-Semitic beliefs by targeting Jewish individuals and institutions with vandalism, harassment and even assault. 

Anti-Semitism is often a bellwether for hate in a community. We know that the Jewish community is not alone in experiencing a significant increase in hate incidents and hate crimes. Refugees, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals, Latinos and African Americans are also experiencing increased incidents of hate.” 

The Q1-Q3 2017 ADL Audit identified:

• 6 cases of harassment and threats in New Mexico
• 1 cases of vandalism in New Mexico

 The audit includes these specific incidents:

• Albuquerque, N.M.:  The Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque received two bomb threats. (January and February 2017) 

• Albuquerque, N.M.:  A Jewish blogger received anti-Semitic threats of violence. (January 2017)

Yes, Abq Jew was the Jewish blogger cited.
His story was in The New York Times!

For those of you, his loyal readers, who have perchance forgotten the hate mail Abq Jew received,

which is not to mention the bomb threats the Albuquerque JCC received, you can read about them all over again (O Joy!) by clicking

• You've Got Hate Mail! (February 1)
• Documenting Hate (February 9)
• Love Trumps Hate: 24 Hours   (February 15)
• ABQ JCC: No More Bomb Threats (February 23)

There are some things Abq Jew will never forget.