Incidents of anti-Semitism in state drop nearly half in '08

The ADL counted 52 incidents in 2008, compared with 95 in 2007 and 96 in 2006. There were 128 reported anti-Semitic incidents in the state in 2004.

No figures were available for 2005. The ADL identifies anti-Semitism as criminal acts, such as vandalism, violence, and threats of violence, as well as non-criminal incidents of harassment and intimidation, including hate propaganda, leafleting, and verbal slurs.

In Maine, the number of anti-Semitic incidents fell from nine to two between 2008 and 2007; and there were just two incidents in Rhode Island in 2008, one less than the year before.

There was a small uptick in New Hampshire, with eight reported incidents in 2008, up one from 2007. In Vermont, the incidents rose to five, two more than the previous year and the highest number recorded in six years.

"The smaller number of anti-Semitic incidents in New England and nationally is encouraging, but the disturbing volume and nature of incidents that were reported serves as notice that we have a long way to go," Derrek L. Shulman, the ADL's regional director, said in a statement.

Nationally, there were 1,352 incidents of vandalism, harassment, and physical assaults against Jews, their property, and their institutions in 2008, representing a 7 percent decline from the 1,460 incidents reported in '07, according to the league, which used crime statistics from 44 states and the District of Columbia as well as information provided to its regional offices by victims, law enforcement officers, and community leaders.

It was the fourth year in a row of a decline in the number of anti-Semitic reported incidents around the country.

The ADL last year identified 37 physical assaults, 702 cases of vandalism, and 613 cases of harassment. They included the vandalism of Temple Shalom in Newton and an alleged effort to kill Jews, blacks, and Hispanics by a Brockton man.

David Abel can be reached at dabel@globe.com.