ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents 2017

The Anti-Defamation League's annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents recorded 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents across the United States in 2017, a 57% year-over-year increase from 2016. This represents the largest yearly percentage increase in anti-Semitic activity since the ADL began keeping track in 1979. The ADL has only once recorded more anti-Semitic incidents in one year: 2,066 incidents in 1994.

The 2017 anti-Semitic incidents included:

1,015 harassment and threat incidents (an increase of 41% over 2016)
952 vandalism incidents (an increase of 86% over 2016)
19 physical assault incidents (a decrease of 46% from 2016)
7 grave/cemetery desecrations

The harassment and threat incidents category included 163 bomb threats made against Jewish institutions during the first quarter of the year.

In the past the largest number of anti-Semitic incidents have taken place in public areas, but in 2017 K-12 schools surpassed public areas as the locations with the most anti-Semitic incidents reported. There were 457 incidents reported at K-12 schools during 2017, a dramatic 94% increase compared to the 235 incidents reported in 2016. Anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses also almost doubled in 2017, with 204 incidents reported compared with 108 the previous year.

Jewish schools, museums, community centers, and Synagogues experienced an increase in anti-Semitic incidents of 101%; 342 in 2017, and 170 in 2016. The majority of these incidents were attributed to one mentally disturbed Israeli teen, so the number is significantly skewed.

For the first time in a decade, the 2017 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents recorded incidents in all 50 states. As usual, the states with the largest Jewish populations, California and New York, topped the list of states with the most anti-Semitic incidents. California experienced 268 incidents of anti-Semitism during 2017, up from 211 in 2016. In New York state, 380 incidents were reported, increasing from 200 in 2016. There were 208 anti-Semitic incidents reported to the ADL from New Jersey in 2017, 177 from Massachusetts, and 98 from Florida.

Source: Anti-Defamation League