Anti-Semitism on the rise after decade of decline

WASHINGTON — Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States spiked 21 percent in 2014 according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

ADL reported that for the past nearly 10 years there were fewer incidents targeting American Jews. That downward trend contrasted sharply to the rising tide of anti-Semitism in Europe — recently witnessed in the January killings of four Jews at a kosher supermarket in Paris. ADL counted 912 incidents in 2014, up from 751 in 2013.

The report includes assaults, vandalism and harassment targeting Jews, Jewish property and institutions that were reported to ADL’s 27 regional offices and to law enforcement. It shows 36 assaults, up from 31 in 2013; 363 incidents of vandalism in 2014, compared with 315 in 2013; and 513 incidents of threats and harassment in 2014, contrasted with 405 in 2013. (RNS)