The Anti-Defamation League found a massive spike in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. in its annual audit that was released this week.. The ADL reported a total of 8,873 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism, with the majority of incidents, more than 5,000, occurring after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel and the resulting Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. This total is the highest in the ADL's recorded history and is a 140% increase from 2022's number of incidents.
There were almost 2,000 incidents targeting Jewish institutions such as synagogues, Jewish Community Centers and Jewish schools, such as antisemitic bomb treats.
The audit found Ohio had 237 antisemitic incidents in 2023, compared to 61 in 2022. This includes at Ohio State University, when two Jewish students were punched by assailants who asked if they were Jewish and made antisemitic comments.
We're going to start Thursday's "Sound of Ideas" by talking about the audit and how these incidents are impacting the local Jewish community and others.
Later in this hour, Crain's Cleveland Business this month named outstanding older adults with incredible lives and careers who are continuing to make an impact in their community in its annual Eight over 80 awards. On Tuesday, we met 81-year-old philanthropist, Ron Harrington, who discussed his career funding medical discoveries around the world.
Next we'll meet another member on the list, 83-year-old Betty Smith, who co-founded the nonprofit En-Rich-Ment, that offers music- and arts-based classes, as well as life skills classes to children in Stark County.
And, we'll hear another installment of our music podcast Shuffle.
Guests:
-Kelly Fishman, Regional Director, ADL Cleveland
-Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Mishkan Or
-Betty Smith, Founder, En-Rich-Ment
-Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "All Things Considered" and "Shuffle"
-Aidan Plank, Member, Third Law Collective
-Bryan Kennard, Member, Third Law Collective
