Atlanta, GA, July 7, 2022 - In response to increasing levels of antisemitic incidents across South Carolina and the United States, ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and Charleston Jewish Federation (CJF) have created the first Federation/ADL partnership for the reporting of antisemitic incidents.

ADL’s annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents showed a staggering 67% increase in antisemitic incidents in South Carolina in 2021 and a 74% increase across the Southeast Region. Nationwide, ADL found that antisemitic incidents reached a high watermark across virtually every category. Attacks against Jewish institutions, including Jewish community centers (JCCs) and synagogues, were up by 61 percent, incidents at K-12 schools increased 106 percent, and incidents on college campuses rose 21 percent. Assaults – considered the most serious incident type because it involves person-on-person physical violence triggered by antisemitic animus – increased 167 percent, jumping to a total of 88 reports in 2021 from 33 in 2020. Incidents of harassment were up 43 percent, and acts of antisemitic vandalism rose 14 percent.

“The rise in hate against the Jewish community in the United States, the Southeast Region, and South Carolina is very troubling,” said Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, Vice President, ADL Southern Division. “We must work harder than ever to provide anti-bias programming for schools and communities, provide hatecrimes training for law enforcement, advocate for local social justice initiatives, and respond quickly to incidents. Thanks to this groundbreaking partnership, people in the Charleston region can quickly and easily report antisemitic incidents and notify both ADL and the Charleston Jewish Federation together, allowing for a faster, coordinated, multi-agency response.”

Judi Corsaro, CJF’s Chief Executive Officer, encourages anyone who experiences or witnesses an incident of antisemitism to please report it at https://www.jewishcharleston.org/incidentreport. “CJF and ADL will work together to assess the situation and respond as quickly as possible.” She stressed that all personal information provided will be kept strictly confidential. Both Padilla-Goodman and Corsaro added that if the incident is an emergency, please dial 911.

Background on CJF and ADL Partnership

The alarming increase in antisemitism and other incidents motivated by prejudice, intolerance, and hate, was the impetus for the Charleston Jewish Federation and ADL to collaborate and find effective ways to bring ADL educational resources to public and private schools and communities in South Carolina. Charleston Jewish Federation created the position, Director of Educational Initiatives and hired Natanya Miller. Ms. Miller has over a decade of classroom experience teaching at both public and private schools. The ADL formally trained Ms. Miller in their anti-bias, anti-bullying curriculum (A World of Difference/A Classroom of Difference), as well as Words to Action, which empowers students to address antisemitism. Ms. Miller, on behalf of the Charleston Jewish Federation and ADL, is bringing these resources to local schools here in Charleston. She is Charleston’s first boots-on-the-ground, ADL-trained professional responding to incidents of antisemitism in schools and the community.

Eric Ross is the Senior Associate Director for Jewish Community Outreach and Antisemitism for ADL’s Southern Division. In this role, Eric is responsible for all of ADL’s cooperative engagement and relationship building with Jewish Federations, synagogues, JCC’s, JCRC’s, and other Jewish communal organizations throughout the Southern Division. Eric is extremely proud to have worked with the amazing professionals at the Charleston Jewish Federation to bring this joint-reporting system from concept to reality and hopes that it becomes a new model for increased engagement between ADL and Jewish Federations everywhere.

About ADL

ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.

About CJF

The mission of the CJF is to build, secure, and sustain Jewish life in Charleston, in Israel, and around the world.