The Jewish Federation of Howard County recently announced the creation of an online reporting mechanism to report incidents of antisemitic bias and hate.
The reporting form is now available on the federation’s website at JewishHowardCounty.org/antisemitism.
“We are launching this tool in response to community feedback to provide another measure of support to our Jewish residents,” said Joel Frankel, the federation’s executive director. “We believe that by reporting and accurately counting incidents of bias, we help both the person directly affected and the community at large.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League, there were 2,717 antisemitic incidents reported in the United States last year. That figure is a 34 percent rise from 2020 and averages out to more than seven antisemitic incidents daily.
Developing the reporting system became a priority for the Howard County federation’s outreach arm, the Jewish Community Relations Council, after conducting research into the types of antisemitic incidents occurring in the county.
According to the JCRC, in 2020 there were eight reported antisemitic incidents in Howard, which has an estimated Jewish population of nearly 20,000 out of a general population of approximately 330,000.
At the same time, the organization’s research indicated there are occasions in which Jewish residents are bullied and targeted in less overt ways. The JCRC consulted with community leadership from Jewish and secular organizations to develop the resource.
“We know that there is not a one-size-fits-all response to these incidents,” said Betsy Singer Marcus, co-chair of JCRC. “The alliances that we have built over the past few years with government entities and with other minority community organizations will enable us to respond to each reported incident appropriately. We are prepared to act as a mediator, a connector, a problem-solver or simply a compassionate listener.
“This response system is not just a reporting tool,” she said. “It is an opportunity to begin two-way conversations with individuals affected by bigotry and hate.”
The initiative falls under the federation’s objective of sustaining and enriching Jewish life in Howard County.
“Gathering information in a single place will allow us to learn about what is occurring in a systematic manner.” said Laura Salganik, JCRC’s co-chair. “Having this big picture will make it possible to more effectively help individuals in need of support, to work with local law enforcement, and to advocate with government officials about what is needed to prevent incidents in the future.”
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