Antisemitism is a form of prejudice and hostility towards the Jewish community and people. It’s been a long-standing problem throughout history and unfortunately, in recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in antisemitism globally. Anti-Semitic acts include vandalism, slander, and primarily hate speech and violence toward Jewish people. 

With the current Israeli-Hamas War, antisemitism has been at an all-time high. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported over 2,000 new cases of antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023, a reported 30 cases a day. That is a 337% increase in cases on a year-to-year scale in comparison to 2022. A lot of these cases take place on social media, where people can spout hatred anonymously. However, that doesn’t mean that there also haven’t been cases involving physical violence. There’s been an estimated 40 cases caused directly by physical violence.   

There have been roughly 250 cases of antisemitism surrounding Jewish institutions and places such as synagogues. A reported 400 cases surround colleges and universities compared to 33 cases at the same time last year. 

This alarmingly rising rate of antisemitism around the globe, and specifically in the U.S., is cause for concern. That’s why it’s important to promote religious tolerance and understanding and properly educating people to combat harmful stereotypes and prejudice. We need to spread love, understanding, and acceptance in all of our communities, both at home and worldwide.