New York, NY, March 30, 2023… ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) announced today the opening of a new satellite office in Brooklyn, New York to serve the widening needs of the local Jewish community in that borough, which has experienced a significant increase in antisemitic attacks in recent years.

“As we examined the incident data for 2022 and for previous years, we came to the conclusion that Brooklyn requires a stronger ADL presence on the ground so that we can better address the needs of a community that unfortunately is one of the epicenters for antisemitism in this country,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “The Brooklyn community has been burdened with an outsized number of hateful attacks. The new office will be tasked to respond directly to antisemitic incidents in Brooklyn, and to work directly with law enforcement and community leaders in responding to acts of hate and tend bridges of understanding and acceptance.”

ADL’s recent Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, found that there were a total of 580 antisemitic incidents statewide, making New York State the highest in the country with a 39 percent spike over 2021. Of the 395 total incidents in the five boroughs in New York City, 147 occurred in Brooklyn alone.

Nationwide, reported antisemitic incidents in 2022 reached an all-time high of 3,697, which represents a 36 percent increase.

Among the incidents reported in Brooklyn in 2022:

• A Jewish student who had their kippah (skullcap) grabbed off their head by an individual when exiting their school bus (April).
• A Hassidic Jewish school bus driver shot with a BB gun by a group of teenagers (May).
• Another Jewish individual was shot with a BB gun in front of a synagogue by an assailant in a passing car (May).
• A Jewish teenager who was standing in front of the Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn was approached by a woman and slapped in an unprovoked attack. (October)

“Brooklyn is the most Jewish place in the United States with over 600,000 Jews who call the borough home,” said Scott Richman, ADL Regional Director for New York and New Jersey. “We look forward to deepening our work in the Jewish community with our allies and partners to counter the rising tide of antisemitism and all forms of hate.”

The office will serve as a satellite of the ADL New York/New Jersey Regional Office and will be staffed by both a senior member of the Regional Operations team and a new staff person for which the agency is now interviewing candidates. The official office opening is planned for the end of April.

 

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.

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