Across the United States, government officials at the state and local levels on both sides of the political aisle proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM). In doing so, they acknowledged and honored generations of Jewish Americans for their innumerable contributions to U.S. history and culture. This bipartisan effort was a manifestation of a broad recognition that antisemitism is once again on the rise, prompting an increased willingness by policymakers around the country to combat Jew-hatred in all its contemporary forms. 

As JAHM was celebrated across the U.S., shocking antisemitic incidents were reported. In Florida, a man was arrested after police said he physically attacked a Jewish shopper at a Walmart and a Michigan synagogue was vandalized with swastika graffiti late Friday night. In California, individuals were caught hosting a celebration of Hitler’s birthday near the University of Santa Cruz and the distribution of antisemitic propaganda in Louisiana and Pennsylvania was reported.. In Oregon, an Israeli restaurant was also defaced with far-right antisemitic messaging. 

In the UK, The Guardian newspaper faced serious backlash following the publication of an egregiously antisemitic cartoon by Martin Rowson. In it, outgoing BBC chair Richard Sharp is seen carrying a box — with the words “Goldman Sachs” written on it and containing a squid and a puppet head of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. There is also an overturned trash can with the word “Sponsors” written above the crossed-out word “Patrons,” as well as a pig eating off the dirty ground in the background. 

In Germany, activists of the Israeli government-designated terrorist NGO Samidoun chanted antisemitic slogans at the far-left “revolutionary May 1st demonstration,” according to a video taken at the rally published on Twitter by the German Jewish organization Jüdisches Forum (JFDA). This occurred despite a number of bans and limitations announced by the Berlin police before the rally meant to prevent such behavior.

In the Middle East, a Kuwaiti man verbally harassed several children waiting for a flight to Tel Aviv at Dubai International Airport, shouting “Free Palestine” at them. Furthermore, more than100 rockets were fired indiscriminately at Israel from the Gaza Strip by Palestinian terrorist groups. 

This week’s global antisemitism report highlights 29 new reports of antisemitic incidents. The total includes 13 (44.8%) from the far-right, 4 (13.8%) from the far-left, 7 (24.2%) with Islamist motivations, and 5 (17.2%) unidentifiable in nature.