What’s behind anti-Semitism attacks and incidents?

Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas earlier this month latest high-profile incident

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Jeffrey Myers watches the installation of a menorah outside the Tree of Life Synagogue before holding a celebration on the first night of Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. A gunman shot and killed 11 people while they worshipped Saturday, Oct. 27, at the temple.

Airdate: Tuesday, January 25, 2022

The Anti-Defamation League says there were 683 hate crimes against Jews in 2020, more than 2,000 anti-Semitic incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault and 327 cases where synagogues, Jewish community centers and schools were targeted. In late 2021, an American Jewish Committee survey found one in four Jews said they had experienced anti-Semitism in the last year.

The 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh where 11 people were killed was perhaps the most tragic, but just two weeks ago, the Beth Israel Congregation in Colleyville, Texas was attacked and four hostages taken. All four were able to escape.

The number of hate crimes and incidents are actually down, which probably can be attributed to the COVID pandemic, but it still happens way too often.

What’s behind the anti-Semitism and what can be done to stop the violence and incidents?

Tuesday’s Smart Talk features a conversation with Zev Eleff, the president of Gratz College in Philadelphia and a historian of American Jewish life.