Anti-Semitic hate crimes in the US have skyrocketed, and the government isn’t doing enough to stop it. 

In January of 2023 alone, there were over 25 reported incidents of violence and hate related to anti-semitism, yet only a few have been brought to the public eye. In 2021, the ADL reported 2,717 Anti-Semitic incidents, and in January of 2022, there was a terrorist attack where 4 people were held hostage in a Coneyville Synagogue. The news isn’t doing its due diligence to report on these events, which is incredibly harmful, as these incidents are the stepping stones to larger and more fatal acts, like the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting in October, 2018. 

  Unlike certain news stations, there is one prominent figure who is bringing this crisis to view, but not in the way you might think. The rapper Ye, formally known as Kanye West, has been making hateful Anti-Semitic remarks, and it has become an alarming issue with the use of social media. Nearing the end of 2022, Ye appeared on the Alex Jones show, and according to The Rolling Stones, he stated “I like Hitler”, seemingly not batting an eye. Within the past year, Ye has taken to the Twitter hate train and tweeted that he would, “go Death con [Defcon] 3 on Jewish people ”, as well as posting a picture of the Star of David mixed with a swastika. Thankfully, his many brand deals cut their ties with the performer, and Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, recently ended up suspending his Twitter account after posting the photo. 

Despite the hate, positive and beneficial pages on social media have been raising awareness, which is especially important. The more people who see these crimes and the negative impact they have, the more we may be able to do to stop it. 

Some things you can do is donate to your local synagogues, donate to anti-violence organizations like the American Jewish Committee, and help smaller social media pages by sharing their informational posts. 

Jew Belong, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to “help you make your Judaism your own,” is another fantastic source to help combat antisemitism if you’re looking for some facts and resources- as well as a place to safely donate. Additionally, you can support Pennsylvania’s Governor, Josh Shapiro, who has Jewish heritage and speaks strongly on his fight to combat this terrifying issue. With enough political noise, we will be able to get more of the public eye on this issue and grant the protections that are long overdue.