CHICAGO, ILL (WTAQ-WLUK) – Even though the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East is happening thousands of miles away, its impacts have extended around the globe.
On Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray said anti-Semitism in the United States is reaching historic levels. Even right here in Wisconsin, the war has had effects on the Jewish community.
“The American Jewish community — we are scared and we are tired,” said Trent Spoolstra, the associate regional director for the Midwest branch of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
“A vast majority of American Jews have an affinity, have a connection to Israel. There are American Jews here who had family members who were murdered.”
In 2022, the ADL recorded their highest-ever levels of anti-Semitic crime.
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, the ADL is now reporting even more heightened levels of harassment, vandalism and assault against the Jewish community.
“Between Oct. 7 and Oct. 23, so roughly a two-week period this year, ADL recorded over 300 anti-Semitic acts,” Spoolstra said. “To compare the data, when you look at Oct. 7 through Oct. 23 of last year, there were just over 60.”
Spoolstra said those numbers account for the entire country, though they’re consistent in Wisconsin.
“Any time there’s a credible fear of terror or horror or violence, we have to do things to protect ourselves,” Rabbi Moishe Steigmann said.
As a result, it has become commonplace for synagogues to ask that services be open only to members, or those who make arrangements head of time.
For local Jewish leaders like Steigmann, the next step is creating a safe emotional environment.
“Checking in with how they’re feeling and how they’re doing, because we know that sometimes there’s a disconnect between logic and between emotion,” Steigmann said. “Even if logically you feel safe, emotionally you might be scared, you might feel triggered.”
Steigmann said this applies to all affected by the war.
“Everyone needs to find space for self care first, because the more that I engage with someone else out of anger or resentment or fear, the less capacity I have to create relationships and building blocks for conversation and dialogue,” Steigmann said.
Steigmann says he’s been thankful for partnerships with local law enforcement and FBI to make places of worship more safe.
