Assumption University researcher examining anti-Semitism in Windsor

A new research project at Assumption University is looking the prevalence of anti-Semitism in Windsor.

Professor John Cappucci, who spoke with CBC Radio's Windsor Morning on Tuesday, is looking to hear from members of the Jewish community about their experiences.

Anti-Semitism within the city specifically hasn't been studied, Cappucci said, and heis trying to get a sense of what the current experience is, and how it may, or may not, have evolved from decades ago.

"When I've been talking with people from the Jewish community, people have said, 'John, you know, I've experience anti-Semitismbut it was 50 years ago, 40 years ago, 30 years ago,'"Cappucci told host Tony Doucette.

"We don't know exactly what's going on now."

National research shows incidents of hate against Jewish people are increasing. B'nai BrithCanada,which has been documenting anti-Semitic incidents for nearly four decades, said in its most recent report that there has been an uptick in harassment, vandalism and violence in recent years.

According to itsannual audit, there were more than 2,200 incidents of anti-Semitism recorded in Canada last year. That figure was up 8.1 per cent over 2018.

"While online hatred accounts for most of the antisemitic harassment in Canada, face-to-face harassment almost doubled in 2019 growing from 8.6 per cent to 16.8 per cent," the report stated.

Cappucci, who isprincipal of Assumption University and holds achair in religion and conflict, is conducting two surveys.

The first is open is any adult who is Jewish and lives in Windsor-Essex.

"It essentially looks to find out what people perceive to be the state of anti-Semitism in Windsor ... do they feel safe in living Windsor? What might need to change?"

The second survey is for those who have experienced anti-Semitism in the last five years specifically, he said.