Pascrell Sounds the Alarm on Despicable Rise in Antisemitism in America

ADL reports from record-setting anti-Jewish hate in the U.S.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today commented on a new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) identifying a massive 36 percent spike in antisemitic incidents across the United States.

“The findings that antisemitic incidents in America have exploded over one-third in just a year should chill the spine and soul of every single American,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Last year saw 10 anti-Jewish bias incidents every single day in this country. There can be no mistaking it and no sugarcoating it: antisemitism continues to metastasize in our nation. Anti-Jewish hate is a plague on humanity and it impacts all of us. Every leader in this country should condemn antisemitism wherever they see it. Congress must continue to increase support to protect Jewish communities and houses of worship from violence and intimidation through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. And we must do more to address the growth of rightwing domestic terrorism from where so much antisemitism originates. Antisemitism will not disappear on its own and we must defeat it together.”

According to the ADL, antisemitic incidents surged to historic levels in 2022, with a total of 3,697 incidents reported across the United States in 2022 – an increase of 36 percent compared to 2021, itself also a record setting year. This is the highest level of antisemitic activity since ADL started keeping records in 1979. The ADL findings mark the third time in the past five years that the year-end total of antisemitic incidents has been the highest number ever recorded.

According to the ADL, there were increases in each of the following categories:

• Incidents of harassment rose 29 percent compared to 2021

• Acts of vandalism surged 51 percent
• Physical assaults jumped 26 percent
• Activity by organized white supremacist groups doubled

Rep. Pascrell has been a consistent opponent of Antisemitism and has been the foremost advocate in Congress for greater scrutiny of right-wing and other domestic extremist groups who often place Jews at the center of their deranged conspiracy theories. Pascrell has also been a longtime champion of increased funding for the federal Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which protects synagogues and houses of worship from attacks. Pascrell led a bipartisan effort to double the NSGP to $360 million in FY22.