Tangled Threads Visualizing the conflation of antisemitism and anti-Zionism statistics through embroidery

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Data
3. Data Grounding and Details
4. My Process
5. Positionality

Introduction

When I heard that there was an antisemitism awareness commercial during the 2024 Super Bowl, I was skeptical. Since October 7, public outcries against antisemitism are often grounded in defending and protecting Israel. When antisemitism is only considered in the context of anti-Zionism, the two are conflated. I researched the commercial, created by the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism (FCAS) to learn more about their origin and goals. In doing so, I became interested in a claim on their website that “Jewish hate is up 388%” and their blue square logo. Looking into this statistic led me to examine the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and their statistical methods. Important to me was analyzing whether the ADL includes anti-Zionism in their statistics on antisemitism.

My embroidery project represents a set of statistics on antisemitic incidents collected by the ADL from October 7 to January 7, 2024. I found that, in many cases, the ADL does include anti-Zionism in their understanding of antisemitism. In Tangled Threads, I represent the breakdown of types of incidents, as provided in the ADL press release, in the shape of a blue square, the symbol of the FCAS. The category of rallies especially conflates anti-Zionism as antisemitism, which I represent through my stitches leaving the confines of the square. The various stitches and colors complicate the simplicity and solidity of the blue square, suggesting the complexity inherent in the statistics.

The Data:

I became interested in Stand Up to Jewish Hate's call to action grounded in the idea that "Jewish hate is up 388% in the United States." (See below.)

This 388% increase comes from an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) press release from October 24, 2024. The ADL reports “312 antisemitic incidents between Oct. 7-23, 2023, 190 of which were directly linked to the war in Israel and Gaza,” and 109 of which were anti-Israel rallies. This represents a 388% increase in antisemitic incidents compared to the same time period last year.

An updated press release from January 17, 2024 reported a 360% increase, and this breakdown of their data:

Data Grounding and Details

On Stand Up to Jewish Hate

Stand Up to Jewish Hate is a public awareness campaign run by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS). Their mission is to “win the hearts and minds of non-Jews and Jews through powerful positive messaging and partnerships, motivating and equipping them to be defenders of and upstanders for the Jewish community.” Founded by Robert Kraft, billionaire and owner of the New England Patriots, in 2019, FCAS produces ads to raise awareness of antisemitism. According to the links on their website, their statistics come from other organizations including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

On Antisemitic Incidents

What does the Anti-Defamation League consider an antisemitic incident?

Criminal and noncriminal acts including vandalism, harassment, and others, collected by the ADL based on reports by law enforcement, the media, and their regional offices.

"Incidents are defined as vandalism of property, or as harassment or assault on individuals or groups, where either 1) circumstances indicate anti-Jewish animus on the part of the perpetrator, or 2) a person or group of people has been victimized due to their Jewish identity. Vandalism of Jewish cultural, educational, or religious institutions is generally included as an incident. Cases of robbery or theft are generally not included."

Furthermore, since October 7, 2023 the ADL believes that "anti-Zionism is impossible to separate from the Hamas attacks." Rallies with anti-Zionist rhetoric are therefore included in their counts of antisemitic incidents.

On Anti-Zionism

What is anti-Zionism? Anti-Zionism is opposition to the modern state of Israel and its displacement, colonialism, and violence against Palestinian people.

Is anti-Zionism antisemitism?

Depends who you ask.

According to the ADL, anti-Zionism is antisemitic when it “denies or questions Israel’s right to exist.” According to the ADL, the boycott, divest, sanction (BDS) movement is also antisemitic, and, as noted above, anti-Zionist rhetoric at a rally post-October 7 is antisemitic.

According to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” is an example of antisemitism.

According to anti-Zionist Jewish organizations Jewish Voices for Peace and If Not Now, anti-Zionism is not antisemitism.

Why is it important to separate antisemitism from anti-Zionism?

Separating antisemitism and anti-Zionism protects Jewish people in and outside of anti-Zionist movements from harm and potential harm. Conflating the two concepts protects the state of Israel from critique.

• People in anti-Zionist movements who encounter antisemitism are harmed when their experiences are subsumed by the idea that all anti-Zionism is antisemitism.
• People in anti-Zionist movements are harmed when they are wrongfully accused of antisemitism when validly critiquing the state of Israel.
• People who are working to understand antisemitism and its prevalence in the United States do not have access to accurate statistics.
• People who experience antisemitism do not see data that reflects their experience accurately.

My Process

Positionality