ADL Revamps Its Guidelines on Anti-Semitism; Says Swastikas No Longer Seen as Anti-Semitic

The Jewish Week website reports today (August 3, 2010) that the painting of a swastika is no longer considered an act of anti-Semitism under new guidelines for recording attacks against Jews -- a decision that was made by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) last week.

The most prominent Jewish defense agency in the United States -- and perhaps in the world -- announced on July 27, 2010 that it has revamped its guidelines for recording anti-Semitic incidents in its annual survey for the first time in 30 years, taking a more conservative approach.

"We know that the swastika has, for some, lost its meaning as the primary symbol of Nazism and instead become a more generalized symbol of hate," said Abraham Foxman, the ADL's national director, who was a hidden child during the Holocaust in a statement.

There were 1,211 anti-Semitic incidents across the U.S. in 2009, including 209 in New York State, according to the latest ADL audit. California saw the most incidents, 275, while New Jersey had 132, followed by Florida with 90.