From Josh Stevens - ADL Washington, D.C. Deputy Regional Director <[email protected]>
Subject May Newsletter
Date May 30, 2025 3:03 PM
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Dear Friends,


As we gathered at the end of April to observe Yom HaShoah&mdash;Holocaust Remembrance Day&mdash;we honored the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. We remembered lives lost, communities destroyed, and generations forever changed. Yet remembrance alone is not enough. The legacy of the Shoah calls on us not only to reflect&mdash;but to confront the antisemitism that continues to rise around us.

That urgency feels especially profound right now.


Just over a week ago, our community was shaken by the heartbreaking murder of Sarah Lynn Milgrim z&rdquo;l and Yaron Lischinsky z&rdquo;l, a beloved couple working at the Israeli Embassy, who were gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum after attending an American Jewish Committee event. What should have been a night of celebration and connection ended in unimaginable tragedy. Their loss is a communal wound that underscores the devastating consequences of unchecked hate.
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Please read ADL Washington, D.C.'s statement .


This act of antisemitic violence happened on our doorstep. And it reflects a broader and deeply troubling trend. Last month, ADL released the
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2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents , our most comprehensive annual snapshot of antisemitism in the United States. The findings are staggering:
- 9,354 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault recorded nationwide
- A 5% increase from 2023
- A 344% increase over the past five years
- An 893% increase over the past decade&mdash;the highest total since ADL began tracking in 1979.These are not just statistics&mdash;they are lived realities. In our own region:
- Maryland ranked 6th in the nation
- Virginia ranked 10th
- North Carolina ranked 15th
- Washington, D.C. ranked 18thThese incidents represent our neighbors, our synagogues, our schools, and our sense of safety. Increasingly, antisemitism is showing up where we should feel most secure&mdash;in our homes, communities, campuses and museums.


But in the midst of heartbreak, we also saw a glimmer of hope.


On May 12, 2025, we rejoiced as
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Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli held hostage by Hamas since October 7, was finally welcomed home . His return brought immense relief and renewed hope&mdash;not only for his family and friends, but for all of us who have prayed, fought, and advocated for the freedom of every hostage.


Still, Edan&rsquo;s return reminds us of the painful truth: many others remain in captivity. Their families continue to live in uncertainty and heartbreak. The work is far from over. Now is the time to speak louder, act bolder, and push harder. We must continue to educate, advocate, and mobilize until every hostage is brought home. Hope came home with Edan. Let&rsquo;s not stop until it comes home for them all.


At ADL, we believe that education is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against antisemitism and extremism. By understanding the scope, patterns, and drivers of hate, we empower ourselves&mdash;and our communities&mdash;to respond with clarity, courage, and action. That&rsquo;s why we invite you to join us for a critical upcoming program:
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State of Hate in the D.C. Region &ndash; A Community Briefing

&#128197; June 25, 2025 | 5:00&ndash;6:00 PM

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Register here


This virtual briefing will take a deep dive into the disturbing findings from our latest Audit. Our local expert will examine what these trends tell us about the broader state of hate and share what we can do&mdash;together&mdash;to push back against it.


In this moment of rising threat and painful loss, we want you to know:

ADL Washington, D.C. is here for you.


We are in close contact with law enforcement, elected officials, and Jewish communal partners to ensure our community feels protected, supported, and heard. Whether you are navigating fear, grief, or seeking ways to act&mdash;you are not alone.


As we move forward, may we carry with us the enduring lessons of Yom HaShoah: liberation, perseverance, and hope. &ldquo;Never Again&rdquo; is not just a phrase&mdash;it is a promise. And that promise must guide us to speak out, show up, and stand strong against hate.

Your voice matters. Your advocacy makes a difference.


Together, let us honor the memories of Sarah and Yaron, celebrate the return of Edan, and recommit ourselves to building a future where Jewish life is safe, visible, proud, and thriving.
With resolve and solidarity,

Josh Stevens

ADL D.C. Deputy Regional Director

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Your annual gift to adl


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make your gift here

As we near the end of June, we&rsquo;re sending a warm reminder to those who haven&rsquo;t yet made their annual gift to ADL: there&rsquo;s still time to be part of this year&rsquo;s impact. Your support fuels everything we do&mdash;from standing up to antisemitism and hate, to building safer, more inclusive communities.

If ADL&rsquo;s mission has meant something to you this year, we hope you&rsquo;ll consider making your end-of-year gift before the campaign wraps.

A quick note: Our fiscal year has changed and will now begin on July 1st, 2025. That means your gift today helps close this chapter strong&mdash;and sets the stage for what&rsquo;s ahead.


Thank you for being in this with us. We couldn&rsquo;t do it without you.

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incident spotlight


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ADL Washington, D.C. is Disturbed by Assault of a Rabbi in Baltimore
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ADL Washington, D.C. is Heartbroken by the Murder of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky
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ADL Washington, D.C. Commends George Washington University&rsquo;s President Ellen Granberg for Her Decisive Action Suspending GWU's SJP Chapter
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ADL Washington, D.C., Welcomes Georgetown University's Swift Response to the Passage of the BDS Referendum by the Student Body

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impact in the community

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.
- On Tuesday, May 6, D.C. Regional Education staff presented to a group of over 30 North Carolina Educators on our current audit data, contemporary antisemitism, and ADL resources to combat antisemitism in schools. These educators will travel to Poland this June to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust. We are grateful for their commitment to learning about Judaism, the Jewish people, and the enduring impact of antisemitism&mdash;both past and present.
- Members of the D.C. Region&rsquo;s Operations and Education teams, in partnership with the Virginia Holocaust Museum, provided the workshop Educators Challenging Antisemitism to a group of Virginia middle and high school educators at the museum in Richmond on May 15. We thank the educators for their time, insightful questions and engaging dialogue.
- On May 19, the D.C. Region&rsquo;s Operations team hosted a riveting Zoom webinar on left-wing vs. right-wing antisemitism. The conversation featured
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ADL&rsquo;s Vice President of Counter-Extremism and Intelligence, Oren Segal , and was moderated by D.C. Deputy Regional Director Josh Stevens. The discussion offered powerful insights into how antisemitism shows up across the political spectrum and how it has impacted our region, based on the data from the
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2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.

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resources

May is Jewish-American Heritage Month! ​​​​​​Resources to observe this month with children of all ages can be found below:
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Educators&rsquo; Guide: Jewish American Heritage Lesson Plans
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Why Do We Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month?
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Picture and Chapter Books to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month May is also Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month!
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10 Great Books to Read for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
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9 Ideas for Teaching Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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national reports


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Private Online Spaces Pose Serious Content Moderation Challenges
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JLens and ADL Announce Proxy Advisors' Support for Meta Shareholder Proposal to Strengthen Controls on Hateful Content
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Swaths of Anti-Zionist Movement Legitimize Killings of Israeli Embassy Staff at D.C. Jewish Museum
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Extremists and Conspiracy Theorists Deny the Capital Jewish Museum Shooting With &lsquo;False Flag&rsquo; Narrative
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In Latest Attack on Jewish Community, Suspect in Museum Shooting Posted Manifesto Calling to 'Bring the War Home'
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ADL Welcomes Return of Israeli-American Edan Alexander from Hamas Captivity
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ADL and JLens Urge Shareholders of Alphabet Inc. to Vote AGAINST Anti-Israel Shareholder Proposal
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Under the Radar: Militias Use New Terminology to Hide in Plain Sight
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Meta's Hate Policy Rollback Linked to Increased Antisemitism
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Masar Badil: What You Need to Know
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White Supremacists Help Raise Hundreds of Thousands for Woman Who Hurled Slur at Black Child

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upcoming events


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&#128204;June 25th, 5 &ndash; 6 PM - State of Hate in the D.C. Region: A Community Briefing. ADL&rsquo;s annual
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Audit of Antisemitic Incidents , issued last month, recorded a total of 9,354 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2024 - more than 10% of those incidents (948) - occurred in the D.C. Region (covering D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia).

This is the fifth year in a row that antisemitic incidents increased and broke previous records.


In this special community briefing, local ADL experts will take a deep dive into the alarming trends impacting the Jewish community, what it can tell us about the state of hate in the U.S. and in the D.C. Region, and actions that you can take to strengthen the fight against antisemitism in your communities and beyond.
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Register by clicking here.

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JLIS Online Sessions for june

Last week, ADL released our new report, Antisemitism in Independent K-12 Schools Post-October 7, as well as a Parent Advocacy Hub with our research, new resources, legal help, and our "Six Asks for School Administrators" to better protect Jewish students. Watch our launch webinar by
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clicking here and visit the parent advocacy hub by
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clicking here .


Join us for our next virtual event, Change Your School: A Blueprint for Parent Leaders in Independent K-12 Schools by the Founders of Jewish Leaders in School (JLIS). Find out what JLIS offers parent leaders in independent K-12 schools to help them address antisemitism and promote Jewish inclusion in their schools.​​​​​​ Register for one of these sessions:
- Wednesday, June 4th at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT -
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REGISTER HERE
- Thursday, June 5th at 7 pm /4 pm PT -
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REGISTER HERE If you have questions about parent advocacy, need legal help or simply want to learn more about our K-12 efforts, contact us at
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Parent%20Advocacy
[email protected].

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Webinars


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&#128204; June 5 at 4 PM: The Girl Who Fought Back&mdash;The Vladka Meed Story (for educators). The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is one of the most famous acts of Jewish resistance against Nazi tyranny. One of the ghetto&rsquo;s survivors was Vladka Meed, a girl who fought against overwhelming odds, and whose true story of resilience is used today to teach students about the Holocaust and inspire them to stand up against hate. Join author Joshua M. Greene to learn about his book how you can use the inspiring legacy of Vladka Meed in your classroom.
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Register by clicking here.


&#128204; June 9 at 3 PM: The First Escape of the Holocaust: The Survivors from the First Nazi Death Camp Who Warned the World. Before Auschwitz, before Treblinka, there was Chelmno&mdash;the Nazis&rsquo; first extermination "camp" and the testing ground for mass murder. Though designed to leave no witnesses, against all odds two men escaped on January 19, 1942, and were the first to bear testimony to the world. Join filmmaker Lior Geller for a gripping exploration of this little-known yet pivotal chapter of Holocaust history, his decade of research into Chelmno and the courageous men who risked everything to expose its horrors, and the journey behind his new film The World Will Tremble.
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Register by clicking here.

&#128204; June 17 at 4 PM: Memory and Justice: Persecuted Communities Under the Nazi Regime. When Hitler came to power in 1933, he sparked a wave of terror and oppression that would ultimately claim the lives of millions, including six million Jews and millions of other persecuted individuals, including ethnic and religious minorities. Who were these people, and why were they targeted by Nazi oppression? Join Echoes & Reflections' Director, Holocaust Content and Pedagogy, Jesse Tannetta, to learn more about the diverse victims of Nazi tyranny and honor their memory through thoughtful classroom practice.
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Register by clicking here.


&#128204; June 24 at 3 PM: Holocaust Memory and Memorialization in the United States. How do we choose to remember the Holocaust in the United States? Join Dr. Tyler J. Goldberger to explore the questions and issues behind remembrance of this genocide. This interactive webinar will focus on the importance of memorialization and present strategies to read and engage with prominent memorials throughout the United States. The webinar will empower educators to teach about the role and interpretation of memorials in remembering the past.
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Register by clicking here.

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are you interested in having adl washington, d.c. speak at your congregation, workplace, school or community gathering?


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request a speaker

Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding, spark meaningful dialogue, or equip your audience with tools to combat hate, our team offers impactful presentations and interactive trainings tailored to your needs. We cover a range of topics including antisemitism, extremism, hate crimes, allyship, and strategies for building inclusive and respectful communities. Our speakers bring both expertise and passion, creating an engaging and thought-provoking experience for participants of all ages and backgrounds.


To request a speaker,
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please fill out our Speaker Request Form , and a member of our team will follow up with you promptly to discuss the details and next steps. We look forward to partnering with you to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all.

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get involved


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Combating Antisemitism
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Tell Congress to Protect Houses of Worship
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Urge President Trump to Unfreeze Funds to Protect Jewish Communities
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Tell Congress to Support Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism
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Call On International Sports Federations to Stand Against Hate
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Demand an Accurate Entry on Zionism from Wikipedia
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Tell Amazon to Stop Profiting off Antisemitism Protecting Students
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Tell NAIS to Protect Jewish Students
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Urge Your School District to Fight Antisemitism
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Tell Your State&rsquo;s Department of Education to Combat Antisemitism in Schools
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National Independent Schools Must Eradicate Antisemitism Stopping Hate and Extremism
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Expose and End Masked Hate
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Whole-of-Internet Approach to Fighting Hate and Extremism
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Urge Social Media Platforms to Improve Content Moderation
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Keep Hate Off Facebook and Instagram
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Make Online Gaming Safe Addressing October 7th
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Demand the UN and ICRC Work to Release the Hostages
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Call for Responsible Journalism Around the Crisis in Israel
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​​​​​​​Tell Associated Press to Label Hamas as a Terrorist Group





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