Email from Zionist Organization of America   ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA IN THE MEDIA     Anti-Jewish Hate Crimes ‘Surge’ 58%, Now More Than 37% Of All Chicago Hate Crimes, Per City Stats Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America, told JNS that Johnson “only legitimizes, mainstreams and promotes antisemitism and Israel-bashing” by having “insensitively” worn a keffiyeh, which “symbolizes hatred of the Jewish state, alongside a Council on American-Islamic Relations official.” (July 20, 2025 / JNS) Earlier this month, Massachusetts reported a “troubling” 20.5% increase in antisemitic hate crimes in 2024 in the state amid an overall decline in hate crimes. Chicago stated on Friday hate crimes in the city “fell by 25% in 2024, with substantial declines across nearly every category.” One of the categories that didn’t see a decline is anti-Jewish hate crimes, which Chicago said was “of particular alarm” and which “surged” by 58% and accounts for 37.6% of all reported hate crimes in the city. “This is part of a national increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes but is especially troubling given that Jewish residents represent just 3% of Chicago’s population,” according to the office of Brandon Johnson, the city mayor. The mayor’s office also said that hate crimes against gay men were up, but the press release didn’t say how much. The Chicago Commission on Human Relations 2024 report on hate crimes and incidents, which was filed to the mayor on Friday, states that there were 79 anti-Jewish hate crimes in Chicago in 2024, up from 50 the prior year. Of the 79, 8% were assaults, 5% battery and 47% were criminal damage. In 2024, Jews were the main target of hate crimes in Chicago (79), followed by black people (33 incidents, down from 76 the prior year) and gay people (45, up from 36). There were six anti-Muslim hate crimes, down from 16 the prior year, and five anti-Arab incidents, the same number as the prior year. (...) Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America, told JNS that Johnson “only legitimizes, mainstreams and promotes antisemitism and Israel-bashing” by having “insensitively” worn a keffiyeh, which “symbolizes hatred of the Jewish state, alongside a Council on American-Islamic Relations official.” The Chicago mayor’s decision to highlight anti-gay attacks “before the more prevalent and serious antisemitic attacks makes it clear that this mayor is not only not protecting Jews but is motivating hostility and anger and verbal and physical violence against Jews.” “He is clearly a frightening, heartless menace to the Jewish people,” Klein told JNS. Continue Reading   Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email   DONATE   www.zoa.org   Copyright © Zionist Organization of America 2025. All rights reserved. Zionist Organization of America | 633 Third Ave 31 B | New York, NY 10017 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice