Report: Arizona meets ADL’s standards of fighting anti-semitism

According to the ADL Desert Region, Arizona is one of nine U.S. states meeting the Anti-Defamation League’s standards in fighting antisemitism. Recently, ADL released a report that looks at all states and their policies.

Hate crimes in the United States last year hit their second-highest total since the FBI started keeping data, the agency said this week. Although overall hate crimes decreased by 1.5% in 2024 from the year prior, advocates say the high numbers show Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans and LGBTQ+ residents are still targets for bias.

The numbers also show that anti-Jewish hate crimes are still near or around record levels. An ADL audit found 122 antisemitic incidents in Arizona last year, compared with 163 in 2023 and 53 in 2022.

Joining “Arizona Horizon” to break down the report, is Sarah Kader who is Deputy Regional Director for the ADL Desert Region.

Kader spoke about the ADL who had just recently released their JPI, also known as the Jewish Policy Index.

“…which is a practical meaningful tool for policymakers, and the community to identify where are states fighting antisemitism in the right way at the state house, and where there are gaps,” Kader explained.

Arizona was on this list and ranked among the top 10 states in the country.

“As someone from Arizona, I’m really proud of that accomplishment,” Kader said, “…and we have been working really hard at ADL and in the Jewish community.”

The JPI is separated into three different categories including prioritizing fighting antisemitism, educating about the Jewish experience, and protecting Jewish communities.

“There are 22 criteria within those three,” Kader explained, “…there are 15 core principals and seven bonus, and we go through each 22 for all the states.”

This is a new tool being utilized due to the increase of antisemitism being seen all across the country. The ADL has an annual audit on antisemitism each calendar year from January to December. Last year being the highest year ever recorded in the United States with 9,354 antisemitism incidents.

“Defining antisemitism is also a statute that Arizona has had for several years,” Kader said. “…one gap that we see in terms of antisemitism is a task force at the state government to combat antisemitism…so that is something that we hope Arizona will create.”