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Baltimore Jewish Council warns of sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in Baltimore County
Summary
Howard, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, told the commission that antisemitic incidents have surged nationally and locally since October 7, 2023, and described vandalism, threats and impacts on students and community behavior in Baltimore County.
Howard, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, told the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission that antisemitic incidents have surged nationally and have a clear local impact, and he urged continued county attention and interagency coordination.
"There's been a nearly 400% spike in incidents nationally since 10/07/2023," Howard said, citing national and Maryland law-enforcement data. He added that "while Jews are only 2% of the population, we are victims of about 70% of all hate crimes motivated by religion," and that many Jewish residents are altering everyday behavior out of fear.
Why it matters: Commission members said the incidents Howard described — including repeated vandalism to a kitchen-design shop that had Israeli flags removed and red paint thrown on it, swastikas in some public-school bathrooms, and graffiti on streets and campus signs — show the county must coordinate schools, police and community outreach to respond to and prevent bias-driven acts.
What Howard reported: he described work the Baltimore Jewish Council does on security, Holocaust education, interfaith relations and youth leadership. He said the council coordinates with county police and school officials in investigations: in one example, county police reviewed hallway camera footage, identified a student and brought charges after a swastika was found in a school bathroom. Howard said the council focuses both on security and on educating "persuadable" people to reduce ignorance-driven antisemitic incidents.
Commission response and resources: commissioners thanked Howard, noted existing police follow-up on some incidents and discussed the commission's role in education and outreach. Howard offered to return or present in person at a future meeting.
The presentation was part of the commission's ongoing speaker series on lived experience and bias; the commission's chair said it will continue inviting community partners to brief the body.
