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