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Dear Friends,
As we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day this past Wednesday, we paused to honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators. We remember the lives lost, the communities destroyed, and the generations forever changed. But remembrance alone is not enough. The solemn memory of the Shoah compels us to also confront our present reality: antisemitism is not a relic of the past—it is rising again with dangerous force and the numbers are staggering.
This week, ADL released its most anticipated report: The 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, which recorded 9,354 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault in the United States—a 5% increase from the year before, a 344% increase over the past five years, and an astonishing 893% increase over the past decade
. It is the highest number since we began tracking in 1979. These figures reflect not just an uptick in hateful acts—they reflect a societal shift that should alarm us all.
This rise is not confined to distant corners of the country. It's happening right here in our region.
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Maryland had the 6th highest number of antisemitic incidents in the country
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Virginia ranked 10th
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North Carolina ranked 15th
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Washington, D.C. ranked 18th
These statistics represent more than data points. They represent our neighbors, our children, our coworkers, and our congregants. From threatening messages scrawled on school walls to targeted harassment at protests, antisemitism is growing bolder and more visible. And increasingly, it's showing up where we should feel safest—on our campuses, in our communities, and in our homes.
In 2024, college campuses in particular saw a troubling surge in antisemitism. Jewish students were subjected to harassment, vandalism, and exclusion, often under the guise of political protest. What’s especially alarming is how anti-Zionist and anti-Israel rhetoric is being used to justify outright antisemitism—creating a hostile environment where Jewish students feel unsafe expressing their identity or supporting Israel’s right to exist.
Jewish students at both K-12 schools and universities are experiencing a climate where their presence is politicized, their safety is questioned, and their dignity is undermined. Without clear, public condemnation from university administrators and school leaders, these environments risk becoming places of exclusion rather than education.
But we are not powerless. ADL’s Campus Report Card
is helping shine a light on these dynamics. Schools across our region have the power—and the responsibility—to confront antisemitism before it takes root on their campuses. With courage, clarity, and conviction, institutions can create and sustain environments where hate has no foothold. It is up to us to keep pushing, to keep advocating, and to ensure that every Jewish student feels safe, seen, and supported. At this moment in history, we are called to more than remembrance. We are called to resilience, resolve, and responsibility
. Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem—it’s a threat to the values we all share: safety, dignity, freedom of belief, and the right to live without fear. It demands a collective response.
As we emerge from the days of Passover, we are reminded of the enduring lessons of liberation, hope, and perseverance. That spirit must carry us forward. We must reject silence. We must reject normalization. And we must stand, visibly and vocally, against the forces of hate—because "Never Again" is only meaningful if we make it so.
Sincerely,
Josh Stevens
ADL D.C. Deputy Regional Director |
ADL D.C. continuously does work on the ground to serve our communities. Through robust educational programs, speaking engagements, and advocacy, we empower the region to challenge hate, bias, bigotry, and extremism.
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ADL Education presented our First Steps to Challenging Antisemitism presentation to educators from Frederick County Public Schools on both April 23 and 24. We are so grateful to the wonderful educators who participated, and their ongoing commitment to fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate in their schools and communities.
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May is Jewish-American Heritage Month! Resources to observe this month with children of all ages can be found below:
Webinars:
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Antisemitic Incidents and Tools to Address Them for K-12 Schools For Educators (April 28, 4 PM): Engage with experts in curriculum development, advocacy and research from ADL and Echoes & Reflections and gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of antisemitism in K-12 schools. Discover research-backed educational interventions for education on antisemitism, the Holocaust and Jewish identity, along with practical tools designed to empower you to effectively address and disrupt antisemitism in your classroom.
Register here.
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Unsettled Heritage: Jewish Life and the Holocaust in Poland For everyone (May 20, 3 PM): Join Chilik Weizman to discuss the afterlives of the thousands of Jewish communal heritage sites in Poland’s postwar landscape, trace the social, political, and cultural history of how Poles have interacted with their presence, and see the extent to which the sites evoke unsettling memories and conflicting perceptions of the Holocaust and Polish-Jewish reactions.
Register here.
May is also Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month! |
Buy your tickets here for the 15th annual installment of The 21%: The Lives of Arab Citizens of Israel, join us to see this powerful series features a screening of EID — the first feature film directed by a Bedouin filmmaker. This gripping drama follows a young playwright from Rahat as he navigates trauma, tradition, and the pursuit of self-expression. EID
stars Shadi Mari (Fauda, Our Boys) and will be followed by a thought-provoking conversation with director Yousef Abo Madegem and Bedouin activist Amal Elsana Alhjooj.
Showtimes:
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Tuesday, May 13 | 7:30 PM – Edlavitch DCJCC
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Sunday, May 11 | 7:30 PM – Bethesda Row Cinema
Explore the Show Page, Festival Brochure, and
Trailer to learn more. Presented by the Greater Washington Forum on Israeli Arab Issues, SHIN D.C., and the
Edlavitch DCJCC. Lead support provided by the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation |
Combating Antisemitism
Protecting Students
Stopping Hate and Extremism
Addressing October 7th |
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