ADL National Director Abraham Foxman. Photo: Justin Hoch.

JNS.org – The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, published Monday, shows that the total number of anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. went down by 14 percent in 2012, marking the continuation of a three-year trend of the decline of such incidents.

The report looks at criminal and non-criminal incidents reported to ADL in 35 states and Washington, DC. In 2012, according to the report, there were 927 anti-Semitic incidents across the U.S. Among those incidents,  17 were physical assaults, 470 were cases of harassment and threats, and 440 involved vandalism.

“While we cannot point to any single explanation for the fluctuations from year to year, the declines of the past several years occur within the context of the continued proliferation of hatred online,” said Barry Curtiss-Lusher, ADL national chair. “Unlike years ago, when racists handed out pamphlets on street corners or sent them through the mail, the Internet provides racists and bigots with an outlet to reach a potential audience of millions.”

“While these numbers only provide one snapshot of anti-Semitism in America, to the extent that they serve as a barometer the decline shows that we have made progress as a society in confronting anti-Jewish hatred,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL national director.