ADL Regional Board Chair Eric Kingsley and Associate Regional Director Matthew Friedman took part in a three-part series sponsored by Shomrei Torah Synagogue entitled Hatred, Bigotry and Anti-Semitism. Their January 27 presentation was on Anti-Semitism in Los Angeles, the US and Around the World.
The presentation included results of Global 100, the groundbreaking ADL survey of attitudes towards Jews around the world. Kingsley explained details of various countries including those with the highest and lowest index of anti-Semitism and those with highest rates of ignorance or misinformation about the Holocaust.
While the recent tragedy in France is still on everyone’s mind, Friedman reminded the audience that this is not 1939 – French government officials have strongly condemned the violence.
Key anti-Semitic incidents from the past year were discussed, including the rise in anti-Semitic incidents during the Gaza war in summer 2014. Friedman reminded the audience, “What happens in Israel doesn’t stay in Israel. We see the ramifications around the world and in our own backyard.” Friedman showed pictures of anti-Semitic vandalism and posters that were seen in LA at the time of the war including vandalism on the 10 freeway.
He also discussed anti-Semitic crimes around the US including the tragic murders in Kansas.
On the local level, he explained about ADL’s annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents and the LA County Hate Crime report that consistently shows that anti-Jewish hate crimes are the vast majority of religion-based hate crimes.