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New England has seen a ‘stunning’ increase in antisemitic incidents, says ADL

Assault, harassment, and vandalism targetting New England's Jewish community soared by 205 percent in 2023, according to a new report.

April 20, 2024

2 minutes to read

New England saw an alarming spike in antisemitic incidents last year that outpaced a national surge, according to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

In 2023, there were 623 antisemitic incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism across New England, according to the ADL’s annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents released Tuesday. The number is a record high for the region and reflects a 205 percent increase over the previous year.

The regional surge outpaced the 140 percent increase reported nationwide in 2023. Across the U.S., the ADL noted 8,873 antisemitic incidents last year, which is the highest total on record.

Massachusetts led the way with, by far, the most recorded antisemitic incidents in New England. The state saw a total of 440 anti-Jewish incidents last year, equating to an 189 percent increase from 2022. Antisemitic vandalism statewide grew by 70 percent, harassment grew by 444 percent, and the number of assaults doubled to eight.

Last year, New Hampshire had 35 incidents, Maine had 53, Vermont had 43, and Rhode Island had 52.

The Bay State also recorded the fifth-highest number of anti-Jewish incidents per state in the U.S., coming in after California (1,266), New York (1,218), New Jersey (830), and Florida (463). At least 127 Massachusetts cities and towns experienced at least one antisemitic incident last year, according to the report.

ADL New England Interim Regional Director Rabbi Ron Fish said the organization has tracked antisemitic incidents for 45 years and called last year’s numbers “simply stunning.”

“We have observed a significant rise of incidents, followed by a surge, followed now by a tsunami,” said Fish. “Behind each tracked data point is a family, a synagogue, a school, or a child who has been targeted for hate, simply because of their Jewish identity.”

The total number of antisemitic incidents in 2023 surpassed the totals of all the past three years combined, according to the audit, and averaged 24 incidents in the U.S. per day.

The audit reported a “dramatic spike” of 5,204 antisemitic acts nationally in 2023 following Oct. 7, which aligns with trends seen across the globe in response to the Israel-Hamas war. Since then, bomb threats have gone up tenfold across the nation, according to the ADL.

“This is intolerable in New England as it is anywhere in the country,” said Fish. “We call upon everyone who cares about living in a decent society to unite and stop this rise in anti-Jewish hate. Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem. It is a societal problem. We can only solve it together.”