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Antisemitism Watch - September 3, 2026, 05 AM Eastern · Antisemitism Watch

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We begin
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  Speaker 1: with a sobering look at the scope of antisemitism in
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  Speaker 1: the United States, as detailed by the Anti-Defamation League. The
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  Speaker 1: ADL recorded a record 9,354 antisemitic episodes in 2024, marking
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  Speaker 1: the highest number since their historical series began in 1979.
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  Speaker 1: According to reporting reviewed for this episode, this surge is
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  Speaker 1: amplified by digital platforms and a convergence of far-right and
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  Speaker 1: far-left narratives. Notably, for the first time, more than half
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  Speaker 1: of these incidents involved references to Israel or Zionism. The
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  Speaker 1: ADL has documented a cumulative total of 40,000, 180 antisemitic
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  Speaker 1: incidents in the United States since 2002. Turning to action
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  Speaker 1: taken against hate, a man in North Queensland, Australia, has
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  Speaker 1: been charged under new hate crime laws. According to reporting,
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  Speaker 1: He is accused of making anti-Semitic online threats against a
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  Speaker 1: local Jewish group. This case highlights the emerging legal frameworks
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  Speaker 1: being employed to address online hate speech and threats. In
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  Speaker 1: Howard County, Maryland, investigators are looking into an incident of
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  Speaker 1: vandalism at Phelps Luck Elementary School. Two spray-painted swastikas were
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  Speaker 1: discovered in the entrance to the bus loop. The Jewish
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  Speaker 1: Federation of Howard County issued a statement urging vigilance, particularly
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  Speaker 1: as the high holidays approach. Howard County Police confirmed the
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  Speaker 1: graffiti had been present for some time, likely over the
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  Speaker 1: summer break, and stated that no arrests have been made
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  Speaker 1: to date. School officials have affirmed their commitment to maintaining
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  Speaker 1: a safe and respected environment for all students and staff.
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  Speaker 1: In politics, private remarks made by U.S. Vice President J.D.
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  Speaker 1: Vance have drawn criticism following a speech to Republican Jews.
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  Speaker 1: According to Haaretz, Leaked copies of his private remarks reportedly
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  Speaker 1: revealed a lack of understanding regarding antisemitism and its place
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  Speaker 1: within the conservative movement. These comments have caused concern among
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  Speaker 1: pro-Israel conservatives. Elsewhere in political discourse, reporting reviewed for this
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  Speaker 1: episode indicates a confrontation occurred between Stephanie Benchimol and Zoran
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  Speaker 1: Mamdani in Borough Park. This event is discussed in the
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  Speaker 1: context of tracking antisemitic incidents. with a related mention of
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  Speaker 1: the ADL's extensive dataset documenting over 40,000 cases since 2002. Finally,
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  Speaker 1: a look at positive developments in combating hatred through education.
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  Speaker 1: Amidst rising antisemitism and increasing state mandates for Holocaust education,
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  Speaker 1: an article asserts that effective teaching hinges on sustained investment
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  Speaker 1: in teachers. It argues that adequately trained educators are vital
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  Speaker 1: for developing students' critical thinking skills to evaluate misinformation. The
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  Speaker 1: piece emphasizes that meaningful Holocaust education must go beyond discrete
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  Speaker 1: historical events to explore the centuries-long history of antisemitism, Jewish life,
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  Speaker 1: and civic responsibility, framing it as essential civic education. One
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  Speaker 1: initiative highlighted has supported nearly 100 educators across 41 school
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  Speaker 1: districts in Kentucky, impacting an estimated 100,000 students. I'm Rachel Adler,
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch. This report was
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  Speaker 1: generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify
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  Speaker 1: important details with primary sources.