Montgomery County accounts for two-thirds of antisemitism incidents in Maryland: ADL report
by Brad Matthews · The Washington TimesMontgomery County accounted for two-thirds of all antisemitism incidents recorded in Maryland in 2025, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The advocacy group reported Wednesday that Maryland ranked ninth among the states with the most antisemitic incidents with 181. Two of those were assaults, 99 were harassment and 80 were vandalism.
However, Maryland had 49% fewer antisemitic incidents last year, compared to 2024.
Montgomery County accounted for 120 of the state’s antisemitism incidents in 2025, which were “somewhat evenly distributed across multiple cities,” the Anti-Defamation League said.
Maryland stood out for having the highest percentage of incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools — 34% — accounting for 61 of the state’s total antisemitism incidents in 2025.
In addition to the school incidents, Maryland had 41 incidents at Jewish institutions, 34 incidents in public areas, 14 each at businesses and residences, nine at colleges or universities and eight categorized as “other,” the Anti-Defamation League said.
Montgomery County recently had another antisemitic incident occur at a non-Jewish K-12 school: Personnel at Greenwood Elementary School in Brookeville discovered antisemitic graffiti last week.
Greenwood Elementary Principal Jennifer Seidel told families in a letter Saturday that the graffiti, on a wall near the kitchen entrance and on metal near the school’s roofline, included expletives, a Star of David, anti-Israeli sentiment, and references to the country’s leadership, according to local blog The MoCo Show.
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Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, posted Tuesday on social media: “I unequivocally condemn the antisemitic graffiti at Greenwood Elementary School in Olney; such hate has no place in our schools or our state … Our administration is working closely with local authorities to combat this hate and stomp out antisemitism in all its forms.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat representing Maryland’s 8th Congressional district and who is Jewish, said Monday that “this antisemitic graffiti at Greenwood Elementary School in Brookeville is profoundly disturbing. We’re all holding the students and Greenwood community close as authorities continue to investigate another intolerable act of antisemitic vandalism.”
The number of antisemitism incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools remained largely level year-over-year nationwide, falling from 860 in 2024 to 825 in 2025, the Anti-Defamation League said.
The graffiti at Greenwood comes just months after antisemitic phrases and symbols were spray painted onto signs outside Shaare Tefila Synagogue, a Conservative synagogue in Olney, on Feb. 9-10.
The Montgomery County Police Department is offering $250 to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest in the Shaare Tefila case.
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• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.