A new report from the Anti-Defamation League shows that there were 408 antisemitic incidents recorded in New Jersey, representing a worrying rise in hate against Jews in the Garden State.
The ADL said the 408 incidents – which include harassment, vandalism, and assaults – were higher than 2021, when 370 incidents were recorded, as well as more than in years before that. In 2020 and 2019 there were 295 and 345 incidents recorded, respectively.
There were two high profile antisemitic incidents in New Jersey in 2022. The first happened in Lakewood and Jackson last April, when a deranged antisemite, Dion Marsh, went on a murderous spree against Jews on a Friday afternoon, severely injuring several people. Marsh is sitting in jail awaiting trial on charges of terrorism and other offenses.
A second incident occurred more recently, when a teenager implied that he was planning to kill Jews, prompting the FBI to issue an alert to Jewish residents warning them of a “credible” threat.
More than 590,000 Jews call New Jersey home.
Overall, the ADL tabulated 3,697 antisemitic incidents throughout the United States – a 36% increase from the 2,717 incidents recorded in 2021 and the highest amount of antisemitic incidents since the ADL began tracking them in 1979.
Antisemitic incidents increased in each of the major categories: antisemitic harassments increased 29%; antisemitic vandalism increased 51%; antisemitic assaults increased by 26%.
53% of the assault incidents targeted visibly Orthodox Jews.