The Recent Surge of Antisemitism in America (SHANNONDELL Valley Forge)

The rise in hate speech and hate crimes against Jews, especially since 2023, is alarming. We will discuss antisemitism, from several perspectives:

• Who are the perpetrators?
• Who are the victims?
• Why are university students protesting on U.S. campuses?
• How does the ongoing war in Gaza contribute to antisemitism?
• How does anger against Israel and Israeli politics get redirected to anger against all Jews?
• How have current and past U.S. policies under Biden and Trump affected antisemitism?

We will discuss the rapid growth of violence and threats against Jews – the number of incidents reported and the impacts on victims and the Jewish community, drawing from several sources:

• Watch a short CBS video news clip about the Anti-Defamation League report, “ADL reports record number of antisemitic incidents in 2024” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgY-X8uY2RU&list=RDNSxgY-X8uY2RU&start_radio=1.
• Read about the experiences and fears of American Jews, as reported by the American Jewish Committee, “AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report: Behind the Numbers” at https://www.ajc.org/news/ajcs-state-of-antisemitism-in-america-2024-report-behind-the-numbers.
• Watch a short NBC video clip of an ADL spokesman connecting the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack to an immediate rise in American antisemitic activities online and on campuses, including acceleration of pro-Palestine and anti-Israel protests on campuses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaJCqS0ElN8
• Read a New York Times guest opinion essay by Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University. He discusses political implications of campus antisemitism from the perspective of a Jewish university president of a traditionally Christian univerisity. Here is a free gift link for “Trump Is Selling Jews a Dangerous Lie” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/opinion/trump-jewish-antisemitism-wesleyan.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DU8.pV0d.GQPXHjK1OcpA&smid=url-share