ADL warns antisemitic incidents in Chicago are rising amid October 7 observances

“Being Jewish is dangerous, and we have to decide whether it s more important to lean into our identities than it is to keep ourselves physically safe as we live our normal day,” said Rebecca Weininger, Midwest director of the Anti-Defamation League. Weininger says the ADL has tracked a spike in antisemitic incidents in the last two weeks, and says they expect to see multiple reports of violence stemming from today’s commemoration. Yonah Sturmwind was one of those victims, saying he was attacked by a stranger outside the Ogilvy train station in mid-September. “Up until now I never thought twice about wearing my yarmulke out,” he said. “Someone starts kind of calling to me, asks me if I m Jewish. I ignore the person. I kind of look up for a second, turn around, keep heading towards the train. They continue calling after me. They start screaming, ‘ you a zionist?’ Again, I just keep walking away from them. Next thing I know, the person s standing next to me and they punch me right in the mouth over here. The person then runs away screaming, ‘free Palestine!’” Sturmwind says he required stitches and immediately filed a police report. The Chicago police department confirmed to NBC 5 they are investigating the incident. “I was just in complete shock and surprise in that moment,” he said. Johnson has received criticism from Jewish leaders that he has not done enough to address the rising tide of antisemitism. On Wednesday he was at an observance of the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, and said he’s worked with the police department to increase safety measures for the Jewish community. “The attack on the Jewish community and all forms of antisemitism, I condemn it wholeheartedly,” the mayor said at a news conference. “I m going to continue to do my part to make sure that the Jewish community is supported, and that they are seen and loved and protected in this city.” The Chicago City Council’s lone Jewish representative, 50th Ward Ald. Debra Silverstein – says her recommendations have fallen on deaf ears. “The Jewish community feels alienated they do not feel like anybody here in government in the City Hall has their back and we re afraid we re always on high alert,” she said. Silverstein says Jewish leaders asked for a new hate crimes division in the Chicago Police Department and antisemitism awareness education in Chicago Public Schools. “We wanted CPS to come up with a curriculum that taught not just Holocaust education, but modern-day antisemitism. And none of that has been implemented. None of that is being done right now,” she said. The reported rise in antisemitic incidents comes as Muslim groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations says attacks on their community have increased in the last five years as well. CAIR representatives say they believe the actual number is underreported because Muslims often fear coming forward. CAIR reports that there was at least one significant injury during protests outside a Little Palestine festival in suburban Bridgeview last weekend, when a man protesting far-right provocateur Jake Lang had a rock thrown at his face.