BEACHWOOD, Ohio — As the CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt is on the front lines of today’s fight against rising antisemitism.
Greenblatt was in Northeast Ohio on Monday for ADL Cleveland's Annual Meeting - where he joined Regional Director James Pasch and ADL Vice President of National Affairs George Selim, a Westlake native, for a conversation on the organization's work in fighting hate in all forms.
"We're living in a moment today when we seem more polarized than ever, when people are pitted against one another, that's deeply problematic for all of us," Greenblatt told 3News' Russ Mitchell in an exclusive broadcast interview.
The group's annual meeting was held the same day the FBI released new data, revealing more than seven thousand hate crimes were reported nationwide in 2021 – a figure experts, including ADL say, is just a fraction of the true number due to lack of reporting from several major US cities and states.
"Extremists feel emboldened. We see them running for office, we see them showing up in public places, and we've seen that all over the country, Greenblatt said. "In a moment where hate is on the rise, extremists feel emboldened which increases the problem."
Of major concern, Greenblatt said – the ever-widening reach of social media.
"Social media is a super spreader of intolerance in hate and a world in which conspiracy theories are the coin of the realm. Antisemitism, which you might call the oldest conspiracy theory, has gained new ground."
Yet Greenblatt has also used those very platforms to respond to number of recent incidents involving public figures, including former Cavs star and current Nets player Kyrie Irving, who made headlines last month after sharing the link to an antisemitic film. The ADL worked with Irving after the incident.
"[The film] quoted Hitler and Henry Ford among others. We found this really problematic," Greenblatt said. "And through a process of engagement, we reached out to his team, to the league, to his family and friends. And I'll be honest, it wasn't easy, it was a bit uneven...but I don't believe in cancel culture. I believe in council culture. Even when people make mistakes, we need to embrace them and help them understand how they can do better. That's what we try to do with Kyrie. And I'm glad he's gotten to a better place."
On Ye or Kanye West’s disturbing comments and posts about the Jewish community, Greenblatt says, possible mental illness is not an excuse for intolerance.
"All it takes is for one deranged person to do a lot of damage to a community. We've seen that in Buffalo, we've seen it in El Paso, we saw it in Pittsburgh...That's why we take it so seriously."
Greenblatt says, despite these troubling incidents and trends, he still has hope for a more inclusive and tolerant future.
"I am optimistic that hope will beat hate. I am optimistic that this country, America, for all of its flaws is still the greatest democracy in the world. And the next generation is more diverse, more educated, more tolerant than any of that came before....All of us, all of us have the potential to push back on hate."