FBI Reports Show Jews Face Higher Rates of Targeting Compared to Muslims This Year

Hate crime data released by the FBI this week reveals that Jewish Americans have been disproportionately targeted compared to Muslims over the past year. Between January and December 2023, the FBI reported 1,951 anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared to 266 anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic hate crimes. These numbers underscore the significant rise in anti-Semitic attacks, which have increased in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

The American Jewish Coalition has noted that since that attack, many Jewish Americans have been targeted based on their religion. Reports of anti-Jewish demonstrations on college campuses and other public spaces have also surged, painting a troubling picture of the current climate.

Despite these alarming trends, the White House has faced criticism for its handling of the issue. In the days following the Oct. 7 attack, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed the administration had not seen "any credible threats" of anti-Semitism, instead focusing on the hate crimes faced by Muslim Americans. Jean-Pierre later walked back those remarks, stating that she had misheard the question.

The FBI data provides a closer look at the nature of these hate crimes. Of the anti-Jewish incidents, 51% involved destruction, damage, or vandalism of property, while 34% were intimidation, and 6% were simple assault. Anti-Muslim crimes, by comparison, were largely acts of intimidation (48%) and simple assault (20%), with a smaller portion involving property damage (18%).

The rise in anti-Semitic violence has been described as “earth-shattering” by Ted Deutch of the American Jewish Committee, who expressed particular concern for young Jewish Americans. “It’s unacceptable that in America of all places there are nearly five anti-Semitic hate crimes on average per day,” Deutch said.

FBI statistics also show a troubling trend of increasing violence. In 2022, the agency recorded 1,257 anti-Jewish hate crimes and 176 anti-Muslim crimes, a significant jump from the previous year’s figures.

As Jewish Americans continue to face unprecedented levels of hate, organizations like the American Defamation League (ADL) have been tracking this rise in anti-Semitism. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the FBI’s numbers are “unfortunately entirely consistent” with what the Jewish community has experienced in recent years, especially after the Hamas massacre in Israel.

With the U.S. grappling with an overall rise in hate crimes, the Jewish community finds itself particularly vulnerable. As these troubling figures continue to climb, community leaders are calling for swift action to combat the growing wave of anti-Semitic violence.

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