UPDATE: Monday, Nov 7, 2022 · 5:41:29 PM +00:00
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April Siese
The FBI’s Newark office posted an update on Twitter on Friday that “the source of the threat” has been identified and “no longer poses a danger to the community.”
Though this particular person may now be on the FBI’s radar, that does not negate the fact that anti-semitism is on the rise. The agency advises the public to “remain vigilant.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Thursday that it had received “credible information of a broad threat to synagogues in New Jersey.” Few details were made available by the agency, though the FBI promised to keep residents informed of any new developments. Officials like New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy are aware of the potential threats. “We ask at this time that you take all security precautions to protect your community and facility,” the FBI tweeted.
New Jersey boasts a robust Jewish community, with 2017 figures showing more than half a million residents identifying as Jewish. It’s unclear if any other states or regions face similar threats, though antisemitism unfortunately appears to still be on the rise. According to CNN, recent antisemitic incidents have been reported around the country, from Florida to California. Some of that bigotry coincides with recent hate speech from Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, as well as with Elon Musk’s recent acquisition of Twitter.
According to a report from the Anti-Defamation League, last year saw a record amount of antisemitic incidents. More than 2,700 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism were logged by the ADL, representing the highest number of incidents since the nonprofit began keeping records in 1979. Writing in The Atlantic earlier this year, author Yair Rosenberg believes that the uptick in incidents may correlate with a general lack of understanding of antisemitism.
“The fevered fantasy of Jewish domination is incredibly malleable, which makes it incredibly attractive,” Rosenberg writes. “At the same time, because this expression of anti-Jewish prejudice is so different from other forms of bigotry, many people don’t recognize it... It has disastrous consequences for non-Jews as well. This is because people who embrace conspiracy theories to explain their problems lose the ability to rationally solve them.”