While the number of recorded anti-Semitic incidents declined nationwide in 2008, the number of recorded occurrences in California rose 21 percent, with 67 incidents in Northern California, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit released June 2.
Though that number was higher than the 52 incidents recorded in 2007, the Central Pacific Region of the ADL is focusing less on the figures and more on the incidents themselves.
“What’s important for us is to look at trends,” ADL Regional Director Jonathan Bernstein said. “Where are the instances? What’s motivating perpetrators? Answering these questions can give us guidance as to what we can do better.”
The audit reported a nationwide total of 1,352 anti-Semitic incidents in 2008, down 7 percent from 2007. In California, reported incidents were up from 186 to 226.
Included are criminal and non-criminal acts of verbal and physical harassment, discrimination, property damage and anti-Semitic leafleting.
The ADL used official crime statistics, as well as information provided to and evaluated by its staff from victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders to develop its report.
Bernstein noted that in the last several years, more and more local incidents seem to be motivated by the “new anti-Semitism” rooted in “extreme criticism toward Israel.”
“We are seeing that a great percentage [of the 67 incidents] is essentially coming from the far left,” he said. “Sometimes it just goes too far and ends up targeting Jews in general.”
Among the reports of anti-Semitic incidents last year was the defacement of San Francisco’s Holocaust Memorial. In November, vandals scrawled swastika-laden Stars of David on the memorial, which cost nearly $6,000 to repair. In a separate incident, the words, “Israel, their blood is on your hands,” were written with red spray paint.
Several acts against Jewish students also were reported, a trend Bernstein said he’s increasingly hearing about in middle and high schools, and on college campuses.
“Students are using the term ‘Jew’ when someone does something stupid or bad,” he said. “These instances are hard to confront because they often come up in conversation, similar to how students use the term ‘gay.’ ”
To promote tolerance on Bay Area campuses at the college level and below, Bernstein said the ADL wants to incorporate more programming for administrators, presidents and chancellors, in addition to what’s already in place.
“What it boils down to is even when small incidents occur on a campus, it’s important for people in positions of power and authority to send a strong message to the student body, parents and others that this behavior is not acceptable,” he said.