The CAM Antisemitism Research Center tracked a total of 191 antisemitic reports worldwide in May 2023, marking a daily average of 6.2 incidents — a 72.2% increase from the previous month.
CAM’s Monthly Antisemitism Report classifies incidents of Jew-hatred (including physical assault, verbal harassment, vandalism, and hate speech) by the ideologies of the perpetrators.
Overall, CAM has tracked 760 antisemitic incidents in the first five months of 2023, an average of 5.0 incidents per day, compared to 873 incidents during the same period in 2022 (5.8 incidents per day). In all of 2022, CAM tallied an average of 5.3 antisemitic incidents daily.
Of May 2023’s incidents, 45.1% (86) had far-right motives (compared to 53.0% of 2022’s yearly total), while 26.1% (50) had Islamist motives (compared to 14.0% of 2022’s yearly total) and 13.6% (26) had far-left motives (compared to 13.5 % of 2022’s yearly total). The remainder — 15.2% (29) — had unidentifiable motives (compared to 19.5% of 2022’s yearly total).
Also in May, CAM monitored 29 physical threats against Jews, as well as 106 incidents of antisemitic vandalism.
In the United States, the White House published the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which was welcomed by CAM. A number of reservations and suggestions were also noted by CAM ahead of the plan’s implementation.
Meanwhile, a new report released by the CAM Antisemitism Research Center and the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) examined the “Israel Apartheid Week” phenomenon and other anti-Zionist manifestations of Jew-hatred at U.S. colleges and universities in 2023.
The study provides an overview of the weaponization of the “apartheid” claim by anti-Zionists, its role in fueling antisemitism on campuses, and the manner in which it negatively impacts Jewish students.
Also, throughout the course of May, 38 governors and 135 mayors across the United States officially recognized Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) — an indication of the growing awareness of the critical importance and timely relevance of this annual opportunity to highlight and celebrate Jewish contributions to American society and educate the general public about Jewish culture, traditions, and history.
There were six new adoptions of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism in May — by the Latin American Parliament; city of Warren, Michigan; Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (Kansas); Supreme Court of Justice of Buenos Aires (Argentina); Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada); and the Catholic University of Santa MarÃa la Antigua (Panama).
The full monthly report can be viewed here.
For more information on CAM’s antisemitism incidents data, which is collected on a weekly basis, visit: combatantisemitism.org/research
