Texas had fourth-highest number of U.S. antisemitic incidents last year as nation hit a new record

Reported antisemitic assaults, harassment and vandalism in the United States hit an all-time high last year, and Texas was among the states with the highest number of those incidents, according to a recent Anti-Defamation League report.

The nationwide total of 2,717 incidents represents a 34% increase over last year and the highest number of reported incidents on record since ADL began tracking them in 1979.

Incidents were reported in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, and Texas was tied with Michigan for having the fourth-highest number at 112. Only New York (416), New Jersey (370), California (367) and Florida (190) reported higher numbers. Including Texas and Michigan, the top five states accounted for 58% of the total reports.

The new ADL data arrives on the heels of multiple reports of antisemitic propaganda being distributed in San Antonio neighborhoods. In February, Alamo Heights residents were targeted by a nationwide flyer campaign claiming Jews are behind “every aspect of the Covid agenda.” TV station KSAT has reported on antisemitic flyer campaigns in Northside neighborhoods in April and last October.

ADL’s nationwide numbers show a surge of reported incidents last May during hostilities between the state of Israel and Hamas. However, the organization noted that it was just one of several spikes and that “anti-Israel sentiment did not account for the lion’s share of incidents in 2021.” Nearly 18% of the incidents last year — at least 484 — were attributable to actions by domestic extremists, according to the ADL.

“When it comes to antisemitic activity in America, you cannot point to any single ideology or belief system, and in many cases, we simply don’t know the motivation,” ADL National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt said in a written statement. “But we do know that Jews are experiencing more antisemitic incidents than we have in this country in at least 40 years, and that’s a deeply troubling indicator of larger societal fissures.”

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This article appears in Apr 20 – May 3, 2022.