New synagogue threats highlight the need for a proactive fight against antisemitism

Antisemitism continues to make headlines in the United States and elsewhere. Jews face physical attacks and verbal harassment on the streets of their communities, in addition to a vitriolic torrent of bigoted online rhetoric, particularly on social media.

From the spray-painting of Nazi symbols on synagogues to violent assaults on Jews who are going about their daily lives, the contemporary landscape on antisemitism in America and worldwide is one of increasing menace. A new report by the Combat Antisemitism Movement’s Antisemitism Research Center, examining the first two months of 2023, found 33 media-reported antisemitic incidents in which Jewish institutions were targeted globally — 12 of them U.S. synagogues.

This marked a 71.4 percent increase from seven such incidents involving U.S. shuls during the corresponding time period the previous year — a concerning statistic that demands serious attention from American policymakers.

The study and examination of antisemitic incidents shows that Orthodox, Conservative and Reform synagogues all were targeted; the perpetrators did not differentiate on the basis of degrees of religious observance. In their eyes, all Jews and Jewish institutions are legitimate targets.

On Feb. 6, a neo-Nazi entered a synagogue in San Francisco, reportedly exclaiming, “Hello my Jewish friends. I want to show you something,” before firing blank rounds into the air. Less than two weeks later, on Feb. 15 and 16, two Jewish men were shot in drive-by attacks as they left synagogues in the Pico-Roberston neighborhood of Los Angeles. The suspect, 28-year-old Jamie Tran, reportedly told officers after his arrest that he had searched for “kosher markets” on Yelp and selected his victims because of their “headgear.” On Feb. 21, surveillance cameras showed a masked individual spray-painting graffiti, including Nazi swastikas, on Temple Israel in Portsmouth, N.H.

These incidents and others have extensive repercussions for U.S. Jews. A recent American Jewish Committee survey found that 41 percent of Jews in America felt their status was less secure in 2022 than the previous year. There were also vast gaps in how Jewish and non-Jewish Americans view contemporary antisemitism; 80 percent of Jews believed it was increasing, compared to 47 percent of the general population.

Yet, regardless of this difference in perception, the reality is that American Jews are experiencing a heightened sense of fear of being targeted because of their identity and consider antisemitism to be a growing problem. From coast to coast, north to south, a multitude of states, both “red” and “blue,” have experienced incidents of antisemitism involving vandalism, physical attacks (including the use of Molotov cocktails and firearms), hate speech (manifested in the display of Nazi flags), Holocaust denial, and the distribution of antisemitic literature.

Antisemitism, similar to other forms of racism, is a culture with its own practices. When it is allowed to fester with impunity, it slowly percolates into mainstream behavior and discourse.

Combating antisemitism, then, cannot be just about denouncing mass-scale incidents after they occur; we also must prioritize the fight against the “practices” that give it life and fuel it. 

Counties across America have begun to take action. For example, an emergency ordinance aiming to crack down on antisemitic acts in Palm Beach County, Fla., declared that anyone who puts an image onto a building, structure or public place without the owner’s permission can face a fine of up to $1,000. In Ohio, following the distribution of antisemitic propaganda (often done by members of the white supremacist Goyim Defense League), the city councils of Bexter and Orange Village passed resolutions condemning antisemitism and highlighting a commitment to combating all forms of Jew-hatred. And at the state level, Maryland’s General Assembly, acknowledging an alarming rise in violent antisemitic incidents, approved a resolution to establish a permanent Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.

Much more remains to be done at the local, state and federal levels. This will require a greater willingness by politicians to prioritize the safety of Jewish communities, even if it means denouncing antisemitism when it appears on their own side of the ideological spectrum.

The phenomenon of antisemitism must be addressed with a nonpartisan, “all hands on deck” approach. When it comes to fighting and ultimately defeating antisemitism in the United States, there is no room for political polarization. This is not a Republican or Democratic cause, but a vital American endeavor.

Some of the first steps policymakers around the country can take are straightforward. Taking greater action to thwart and punish the dissemination of antisemitic propaganda is an ideal start. Improving and funding Holocaust education programs and supporting adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism would go a long way.

Denouncing all iterations of modern-day Jew-hatred is critical for a peaceful civilization, because, as the late Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of the United Kingdom once said, “The hate that starts with the Jews never ends there.” 

Antisemitism is a symptom of a ruptured society and if not carefully treated, other minority communities will become threatened by a culture that has normalized hatred of a specific group of people. Combating antisemitism effectively means transcending the virulent political tribalism of our times, using the valuable lessons of history as a guiding compass.

Yoni Michanie (@YoniMichanie), a former paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, is the Combat Antisemitism Movement’s (CAM) research and data manager. He holds a master’s degree in diplomacy and conflict resolution. Originally from Argentina, he is based in Boston.