A newly released report from the California government shows that Jewish residents were the victims of nearly 300 hate crimes in the state last year. That figure represents roughly 75 percent of the approximately 400 total hate crimes recorded in California — a striking statistic given that Jewish people make up only about three percent of the state’s population.
Daniel Mariaschin of B’nai B’rith International spoke to the Jewish News Service about the troubling trend. “Whether in California or elsewhere, elected officials, law enforcement, the media, educators and community leaders all have an obligation to address this spiral — now,” he said. Anti-Semitism has been climbing across the globe in recent years, and the United States has not escaped that trend.
On a separate note, a new survey from the Barna Group, a Christian research organization, finds that prayer remains a widespread practice even as traditional church membership and attendance continue to fall. According to the poll, 73 percent of American adults say they pray at least once a week, with Christians reporting even higher rates of prayer.
The Barna report summarizes the finding this way: “Spiritual longing remains active even when institutional participation wavers.” The survey also found that older Americans across all backgrounds are more likely to pray regularly than younger people, and that women tend to pray more frequently than men.
