28 | APRIL 6 • 2023
OUR COMMUNITY
T
he 2022 Audit of Anti-
semitic Incidents issued
March 23 by the Anti-
Defamation League (ADL) shows
antisemitic incidents in Michigan
remaining at an alarming number,
mirroring even more troubling
nationwide figures.
Antisemitic incidents once
again reached an all-time high
in the United States in 2022,
with a total of 3,697 incidents of
assault, harassment and vandalism
reported to the ADL. The 36%
year-over-year increase represents
the largest number of incidents on
record since ADL began tracking
antisemitic incidents in 1979.
In Michigan, the numbers were
flat (one fewer incident reported
than last year), but as has been the
case for several years, Michigan
is in the group of states ranking
highest in the nation for incidents
of antisemitism — ranking ninth
overall with 111 incidents in 2022.
Michigan data contained some
worrisome trends, such as more
incidents of vandalism than last
year and one assault. Of course,
a great many incidents are not
reported at all.
Antisemitic incidents were
slightly more widespread in the
state in 2022. Incidents were
reported from 34 cities in 16
Michigan counties across the state,
which is two additional cities and
one additional county involved
in 2022 over 2021. There were no
incidents reported from the Upper
Peninsula in 2022.
Witness for Peace, an
antisemitic and anti-Israel
group, continued its activities
in 2022, holding weekly protests
outside Ann Arbor’s Beth Israel
Congregation. Eleven incidents
involved Jewish schools or
institutions (not including the 52
weekly incidents at Beth Israel
Congregation); 16 incidents
happened in non-Jewish schools
or universities.
Earlier this month, ADL’s
White Supremacy Propaganda
Report indicated Michigan is
fourth in the nation in terms of
hateful propaganda. While there
were 354 incidents of this type of
propaganda listed in that report,
a fraction (17) were identified
in this year’s Audit, generally
because those incidents had
other connections to the Jewish
community (such as distribution
at a Jewish school or Jewish
building).
The ADL has released its 2022 Audit
of Antisemitic Incidents.
ADL: 2022
Antisemitic
Incident Numbers
Continue
Troubling Trend
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER