Anti-Defamation League reports record number of antisemitic incidents in Pennsylvania, New Jersey

PHILDAELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has been tracking incidents of hate directed at Jewish people since 1979.

Its newest statistics from 2022 show that incidents of reported antisemitism rose to a record high across the U.S. as a whole.

Reported antisemitism also rose in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with New Jersey ranking among the top three states for antisemitic incidents.

According to the ADL data released Thursday morning, there were 114 antisemitic incidents last year in Pennsylvania.

What happened Monday in the city's Port Richmond section will likely be a part of next year's report, as residents found dozens of white supremacist fliers and stickers with racist and antisemitic messages.

"Obviously it was shocking," said Tim Golden of Port Richmond. "I don't want to see anything like that around this neighborhood, or any neighborhood in Philly, or anywhere else."

"This is a tactic of white supremacist groups to be able to, one, intimidate minority communities, but also try to recruit people," said Andrew Goretsky, Regional Director of ADL Philadelphia, which encompasses eastern Pennsylvanian, southern New Jersey and Delaware.

The Anti-Defamation League just released new data showing antisemitic incidents in the U.S. rose 36% last year to hit an all-time high. There were 3,697 incidents of harassment, vandalism, or assaults against Jewish people reported across the country.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey also reached all-time highs with antisemitic incidents rising 65% in Pennsylvania to 114 incidents (compared to 69 incidents in 2021).

The number of incidents rose 10% in New Jersey to 408 incidents, compared to 370 in 2021.

In Delaware, there were only 11 reported antisemitic incidents. That is still an increase compared to the three incidents the state had the year before.

New Jersey ranked third in the country for the most antisemitic incidents, topped only by New York and California.

Goretsky says many incidents happened in areas closer to New York state.

The increasing incidents are spurred, in part, by hate groups that have gotten more organized.

"Pennsylvania has some of the largest chapters of some of the white supremacist groups that exist nationally," said Goretsky, who added that public officials should speak out against hate.

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, the areas with the most antisemitic incidents were Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Bucks counties.

"What's particularly alarming to me... is the increase of K-12 incidents of harassment," said Goretsky.

Educating against hate, he says, is key to stopping it. Another key is allyship.

"When we start to see a rise in antisemitism, we see a rise in hate in all forms," he said. "Speaking up for each other and with each other is vitally important."

One mystery resident took a stand in Port Richmond when the racist and antisemitic flyers were placed in the neighborhood. Golden heard about what the person did to get rid of the hateful messages.

"Somebody volunteered to go around with a box cutter and cut everything down," he said. "He said he must have cut down 100 of them."

The ADL encourages anyone who is a victim to report it to police and the Anti-Defamation League.

To read the entire ADL report, click here: https://www.adl.org/resources/report/audit-antisemitic-incidents-2022