ADL: Anti-Semitic Incidents Erupt in Pennsylvania in 2017

  • February 27, 2018

Philadelphia, PA, February 27, 2018 … In a new report, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recorded 96 anti-Semitic incidents across Pennsylvania in 2017, a 43 percent increase over the previous year. This represents the Commonwealth’s largest single-year increase, and the second-highest total number of incidents, over the last decade.

After seeing five straight years of declining reports of anti-Semitism from 2008-2012, Pennsylvania witnessed increasing numbers of incidents in 4 of the last 5 years. This is the second straight year of at least 40% growth, meaning that reported anti-Semitic incidents in the Commonwealth more than doubled from 2015 to 2017. Pennsylvania had the 6th highest number of incidents in the nation this year, after New York (380), California (268), New Jersey (208), Massachusetts (177) and Florida (98).

“We cannot ignore the recent eruption of anti-Semitism in Pennsylvania,” said Nancy K. Baron-Baer, ADL Regional Director. “In two short years, anti-Semitism in the Commonwealth has gone from historic lows to decade-long highs. Bigots feel emboldened to flaunt their hateful attitudes more publicly than ever, as illustrated by a doubling in acts of vandalism. Our children are under assault from twice as many anti-Semitic incidents in our schools. The time is now to act against this growing threat.”

In Pennsylvania in 2017, ADL recorded:

  • 45 incidents of harassment, up 10 percent from 2016;
  • 51 incidents of vandalism, up 104 percent from 2016;
  • 0 physical assaults, consistent with 2016 numbers.

Pennsylvania saw 23 incidents in K-12 schools – nearly twice the total number of school-based incidents recorded in 2016. Colleges and universities were impacted comparably to last year, with nine Pennsylvania campuses witnessing anti-Semitic incidents in both 2017 and 2016.

“Every person is a stakeholder in the fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry,” continued Ms. Baron-Baer. “Law enforcement in the region has pursued hate crimes vigorously, and we must continue to support their efforts. Educators and parents must teach children to be allies to their peers in the face of hate and bullying. Elected officials must pursue policies that promote civil rights and reduce discrimination. The only way to stem the rising tide of bigotry is for every individual to commit to challenging hate.”

SELECTED PENNSYLVANIA INCIDENTS IN 2017

  • Chester County: During a business dispute, a Jewish man was repeatedly referred to as a “f–king Jew,” and had his property vandalized with the same words. (December)
  • Bucks County: An elementary school bathroom was vandalized with swastikas. (December)
  • Monroe County: A swastika and “white power” were spray-painted on a business. (December)
  • Centre County: Students stole and vandalized a menorah that belonged to a Jewish community organization, and left the damaged item on the stairs of a different Jewish institution. (October)
  • Chester County: A photograph featuring individuals standing with jack-o-lanterns carved with swastikas and other hate symbols was distributed widely on social media. (October)
  • Philadelphia County: Employees of a Jewish non-profit discovered swastikas spray-painted outside of their apartment building. (September)
  • Luzerne County: Vandals broke into a Jewish family’s home and painted “Go Away Jews” and a swastika in the garage. (August)
  • Philadelphia County: A man was caught on camera urinating on a synagogue and making an obscene hand gesture in the direction of the synagogue’s security camera. (August)
  • Montgomery County: A Jewish teacher received letters with anti-Semitic content and what appeared to be feces smeared on the letter. (June)
  • Montgomery County: A utility pole on a hiking trail was spray-painted with numerous white supremacist symbols, including a swastika. (May)
  • Berks County: A student called another student a “kike” and sent the victim anti-Semitic messages on Instagram. (April)
  • Lehigh County: A Jewish student received hateful online messages, including her photo superimposed near a pile of ashes and a swastika. (March)
  • Philadelphia County: Over 100 tombstones were overturned at a Jewish cemetery. (February)
  • Philadelphia County: Rocks were thrown through the window of a local synagogue during Friday night services. (January)

Across the country, the number of anti-Semitic incidents was nearly 60 percent higher in 2017 than 2016, the largest single-year national increase on record and the second highest number reported since ADL started tracking incident data in the 1970s. There were 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents reported across the United States in 2017, a 57 percent increase over the 1,267 incidents in 2016. Every part of the country was affected, with an incident reported in all 50 states for the first time in at least a decade.

“A confluence of events in 2017 led to a surge in attacks on our community – from bomb threats, cemetery desecrations, white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, and children harassing children at school,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “These incidents came at a time when we saw a rising climate of incivility, the emboldening of hate groups and widening divisions in society. In reflecting on this time and understanding it better with this new data, we feel even more committed to our century-old mission to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.”

HOW ADL IS RESPONDING

ADL pursues a comprehensive approach to address anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry, including training law enforcement, educating youth and advocating to elected officials. ADL trains 15,000 law enforcement officials per year on extremism, terrorism, hate crime and implicit bias, including every Philadelphia Police recruit since 2008. Over 1.5 million kids are impacted by ADL’s anti-bias and anti-bullying training each year, including nearly 280,000 Pennsylvania youth who participate in ADL’s No Place for Hate® program each year. ADL promotes civil rights in outreach to lawmakers, including giving testimony and policy recommendations on reducing anti-Semitism and other forms of hate to Pennsylvania General Assembly members in November 2017.

ADL has recently announced expansions in its work to counter cyber hate with a new center in Silicon Valley, in recognition of the close connection between the rise in hate online and the rise of hate incidents in our communities.

ABOUT THE AUDIT

The ADL Audit includes both criminal and non-criminal acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats, and slurs. Compiled using information provided by victims, law enforcement, partner organizations and the media, and evaluated by ADL staff, the Audit provides a regular snapshot of one specific aspect of a nationwide problem while identifying possible trends or changes in the types of activity reported. This information assists ADL in developing and enhancing its programs to counter and prevent the spread of anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.

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The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.  Today it is the world’s leading organization combating anti-Semitism, exposing hate groups, training law enforcement on hate crimes, developing anti-bias curricula for students, countering cyber-hate and relentlessly pursuing equal rights for all. Follow us on Twitter: @ADLPhiladelphia

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