Kentucky Jewish Council warns of rise in antisemitic incidents in Lexington and state; asks for attention

Rabbi Litvin, representing the Kentucky Jewish Council, told the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council on Jan. 16 that antisemitic incidents and threats in 2024 rose significantly across the Commonwealth, including multiple incidents in Lexington.

Litvin said the council published an annual report that documents episodes ranging from torn flyers and threats on the University of Kentucky campus to rallies that included calls for violence and threats against Jewish centers and individuals. He told council the state adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in 2021 and that the Jewish community is urging continued attention and action.

Litvin listed incidents reported in Lexington last year, including torn flyers for a Holocaust lecture that required police presence, threats against Jewish students and organizations, multiple rallies that included violent slogans, reported threats against synagogues and Jewish centers, and a death threat received by a Jewish community leader in late December. He told council that campus incidents and public rallies created a climate of fear and that platforming hate speech in local media and public spaces is harmful.

“Having a panopticon in a public space would limit the free will of the people and treat us like criminals,” Litvin said earlier in public remarks (referring to a separate public‑surveillance concern raised before his remarks). He argued the “greatest disinfectant is light” and urged officials to take the report seriously.

Litvin told the council the report was shared with the legislature and other state bodies and that he would answer questions from council members. He said the rise of antisemitic incidents is part of a wider pattern seen nationwide and urged local leaders to be attentive to student safety and threats to community institutions.

Speakers quoted: Rabbi Litvin (Kentucky Jewish Council).