ADL: Anti-Semitic incidents in US decline in 2006
New York, New Jersey and California recorded the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents last year. ‘While it is good that the numbers are going down, every anti-Semitic attack is one too many,’ ADL’s national chairperson says
Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States fell for the second consecutive year in 2006, according to newly issued statistics from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which tracks incidents against Jewish individuals, synagogues and community institutions.
The League’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, issued Wednesday, counted a total of 1,546 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States in 2006, representing a 12 percent decline from 1,757 reported in 2005.
The decline came in a year marked by several violent attacks, including the shooting at the Greater Seattle Jewish Federation in July by an Islamic extremist, in which staffer Pamela Waechter was killed and three others were seriously wounded.
Tensions from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and last summer’s war in southern Lebanon simmered over on to US college campuses and into anti-war protests.
“While any decline in the number of incidents is encouraging, the fact that a Jewish community institution was targeted by a gunman was a sobering reminder that anti-Semitism in America is not just history, but a current event,” said ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman.
“The audit is just one measure of anti-Semitism in the United States. There is also an onslaught of anti-Semitism out there in blogs, e-mails and websites – and most significantly in conspiracy theories about alleged Jewish power which have even penetrated the mainstream – that simply cannot be quantified.”
193 anti-Semitic acts at middle, high schools
Glen S. Lewy, ADL national chairperson, added that “while it is good that the numbers are going down, every anti-Semitic attack is one too many. It is disturbing that there is still an average of about four anti-Semitic attacks per day in America.
“Greater security awareness at Jewish community institutions, where the installation of security cameras, round-the-clock surveillance, secure doors and other enhancements serve as a deterrent to vandalism and other acts of hate, may be having an impact on the numbers,” added Mr. Lewy.
According to ADL’s audit, the states with the most incidents were New York (284, down from 381 in 2005); New Jersey (244, down from 266); California (204, down from 247); Florida (179, down from 199); Massachusetts (96, up from 93 in 2005; Pennsylvania, (94, down from 95 in 2005); and Connecticut (77, up from 57).
A total of 193 anti-Semitic acts were reported at middle and high schools nationwide. In the eight states with the highest incident totals, 15 percent of all incidents were school based – compared to 13 percent in 2005. These incidents took the form of swastikas and hate graffiti painted or written on desks, walls and other school property, as well as name-calling, slurs, mockery, bullying and assault.
On campuses across the country, 88 anti-Semitic incidents were reported in 2006, a decrease of 10 percent from the 98 incidents reported in 2005.
In 2006, there were a total of 77 incidents related to extremist group activity, compared to 112 in 2005 – a significant decline possibly related to factional in-fighting among certain groups. The national discussion over illegal immigration energized some Klan and neo-Nazi groups, causing them to refocus much of their energies on targeting Hispanics as immigration rallies and protests took center stage across the nation, according to the ADL audit.
Harassment in the form of leafleting and distribution of hate propaganda around neighborhoods and in public areas, as well as at rallies and via the internet (including the posting of videos and other materials) were the main source of incidents by organized anti-Semitic groups reported in the audit.
