New York, NY, April 22, 2025… According to new data released by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today, reported antisemitic incidents in 2024 declined by 13% in New Jersey, totaling 719 incidents, the third highest total across the nation. While this represents a decrease from 2023’s record high of 830 incidents, it is still the second highest annual figure recorded in the state since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.  

Nationally, reported antisemitic incidents in the United States reached a new all-time high of 9,354 incidents in 2024, marking a 5% increase from the previous record of 8,873 incidents in 2023. Although New Jersey’s share of the national total decreased from 9.35% in 2023 to 7.69% in 2024, New Jersey still experienced a 76% increase in antisemitic incidents from 2022, which was already a record-breaking year. 

“We are entering an alarming new normal, in New Jersey and across the nation of reported antisemitic incidents at triple the rate of where they were just a few years ago. We cannot allow this level of antisemitic incidents to become normalized,” said Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey Regional Director. 

 

Major New Jersey Findings 

In total, ADL recorded the following number of antisemitic incidents in New Jersey in 2024: 

• 482 incidents of harassment 
• 220 incidents of vandalism 
• 17 incidents of assault (one with a weapon) 

Incidents occurred primarily in public areas (221), followed by non-Jewish K-12 schools (166). 

Despite decreases in reported antisemitic incidents in New Jersey, numbers are still at historic highs and the first three quarters of 2024 showed substantial increases compared to the first three quarters of 2023; all four quarters of 2024 show drastic increases compared to 2022. The 482 incidents of antisemitic harassment documented in 2024 represent a 16% decrease relative to 2023 (but 98% higher than 2022). The 220 incidents of antisemitic vandalism recorded in 2024 represent a 9% decrease relative to 2023 (but 42% higher than 2022). ADL recorded 17 incidents of antisemitic assault in both 2023 and 2024, a deeply concerning 89% increase above the number recorded in 2022. 

Although incidents involving swastikas declined by 23% in 2024 (but still up 7% from 2022), 24% of all incidents in New Jersey involved the display of a Nazi swastika, which serves as the most significant and notorious symbol of both antisemitism and white supremacy. 

“Antisemitic incidents in New Jersey fell by 13% in 2024, however, we are extremely concerned that they remain significantly elevated above pre-October 7 levels,” said Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey Regional Director. “We cannot become complacent and allow this ‘new normal’ to continue. ADL is working closely with victims, schools, law enforcement, elected officials, and community leaders to combat these record levels of antisemitism.” 

Geographic Data 

ADL’s 2024 Audit recorded antisemitic incidents in all 21 New Jersey counties and documented the highest number of antisemitic incidents in the following five counties: 

• Bergen (162) had a 2% decrease 
• Middlesex (93) had a 2% increase 
• Monmouth (73) had a 20% decrease 
• Essex (78) had a 1% increase 
• Ocean (51) had a 32% decrease 

Bergen County led for the second year in a row as the New Jersey county with the highest number of incidents. When compared to 2022, a year in which Bergen County reported 45 incidents, 2024 showed a 260% increase. In 2024, Teaneck and neighboring Bergenfield (two towns in Bergen County home to a significant Orthodox population) accounted for a staggering 56 incidents. If Teaneck and Bergenfield were its own county, they would have the 5th highest number of incidents of any of the 21 New Jersey counties. By the end of the first quarter of 2024, Bergen County had already reported 60 antisemitic incidents – more than Bergen County reported in all of 2022.  Some of the reasons for this surge are explained below (in the section discussing Orthodox-related incidents). 

Middlesex County (home to Rutgers University) was the second highest county with 93 overall incidents (a 2% increase relative to 2023) and recorded 45 of its incidents at New Jersey’s flagship state university – Rutgers University.   

Assaults

New Jersey recorded 17 antisemitic assaults in 2024 (the same number as in 2023) – one was with a weapon, seven were directed towards Orthodox Jews, and 7 were Israel- or Zionism- related. Three assaults occurred in public K-12 schools, and 8 occurred in public places. The remainder occurred at synagogues, homes, and business establishments. Bergen County had the highest number of assaults with 6 reported. 

These assaults included: 

• Middle school students asked about a Jewish classmate’s identity. When the Jewish student stated that he is Israeli, his classmate physically assaulted him. 
• An individual illegally entered a Jewish school during Purim, attacked a security guard and made antisemitic remarks.  
• An individual poked a Jewish person in the arm with a machete and stated, “Hey Jew boy.” 

Incident Locations 

Of the 719 antisemitic incidents recorded in New Jersey in 2024, 221 took place in public areas (a 24% decrease relative to 2023), 166 in non-Jewish K-12 schools (a 22% decrease relative to 2023), 83 at Jewish institutions (a 33% decrease relative to 2023), 78 at colleges/universities (a 53% increase relative to 2023), 69 at private residences (a 21% increase relative to 2023), and 41 at business establishments (a 24% decrease compared to 2023). The remaining incidents occurred online (46), at Jewish-owned businesses (12), at non-Jewish places of worship (2) and at a cemetery (1). 

Public Areas 

221 reported antisemitic incidents took place in a public area in New Jersey in 2024, a 24% decrease from 2023. There were 145 reported incidents of harassment, 68 incidents of vandalism, and 8 assaults. 33% were Israel-related, and 21% included swastikas.  

Non-Jewish K-12 Schools 

Of particular concern were the 166 antisemitic incidents that took place at non-Jewish K-12 schools in 2024 – a 22% decrease over 2023 but 37% higher than in 2022. 87 were incidents of harassment, 76 were incidents of vandalism and 3 were assaults. Among these, 93 incidents (56%) involved the use or display of a swastika, with several schools experiencing multiple swastika-related incidents. Only 16 (10%) of the antisemitic incidents in non-Jewish K-12 schools were Israel/Zionism related.  

 Examples of antisemitic incidents that took place at non-Jewish K-12 schools include: 

• A student yelled, “kill all the Jews” during class. 
• Three students harassed a Jewish classmate at school, calling him “Jew boy” and made antisemitic remarks, including, “we should have wiped out all of you guys.” 

“Students should feel safe and be able to attend school without experiencing hate. Unfortunately, antisemitic incidents in New Jersey non-Jewish schools remain at extremely high levels,” said Scott Richman, ADL’s Regional Director for New York and New Jersey. “Teachers and school administrators need to recognize the need to identify hate without hesitance, communicate pro-actively with parents and teachers and provide age-appropriate education for students. ADL is their partner in this, and we hope more schools will work more closely with us in the coming year to address incidents where Jewish students are harassed or discriminated against.” 

Campus 

On campuses in New Jersey, ADL documented 78 incidents, a 53% increase from 51 incidents in 2023. Forty-seven of these incidents (60%) occurred on the Rutgers, New Brunswick campus. Broken down by incident type, there were 57 incidents of harassment and 21 incidents of vandalism. 

Some notable incidents reported to ADL over the past year included a protest at Rutgers which used the following very problematic rhetoric: “Resistance is Justified when people are colonized,” and “We don’t want 2 states, we want all of it.” This type of language can create a hostile and unsafe environment for Jewish and Israeli students. Another notable incident occurred at Montclair State University, wherein the school cancelled an event by an outside organization called New Jersey Students for Justice in Palestine, due to their mission statement calling to “eliminate Zionism from our campuses and our communities.”  

There were several encampments at Princeton and Rutgers in spring 2024. Some of these encampments included explicit support for terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah, and caused finals to be postponed, rescheduled, and relocated.  

Jewish Institutions 

The 83 reported incidents at Jewish institutions in 2024 represent a 33% decrease relative to the number recorded in 2023 (124) but up 80% from 2022’s then record-high. These incidents included 68 incidents of harassment, 13 incidents of vandalism, and 2 incidents of assault. Specifically, there were six bomb threats at Jewish institutions in 2024. 

Geographic Hotbed – Bergen County  

There are 21 Counties in New Jersey; however, nearly a quarter (23%) of all reported incidents in New Jersey were in Bergen County.  Although there was a negligible 2% decrease in antisemitic incidents in Bergen County in 2024, there was still a staggering 260% increase in antisemitic incidents compared to 2022.  

Two towns in Bergen County, home to a significant Orthodox population — Teaneck and neighboring Bergenfield — accounted for 35% of Bergen county’s incidents in 2024. As noted above, if these two towns were their own county, they would have the 5th highest number of incidents of any of the 21 New Jersey counties. 

Several protests in Bergen County targeted Jewish institutions, reflecting a troubling trend of antisemitic sentiment. For example, on March 10, 2024, a notable protest occurred in front of Congregation Keter Torah, where thousands of demonstrators organized by groups such as Teaneck for Palestine, the AUCC (Al’Ummah Community Center) and Jewish Voice for Peace protested a real estate event, creating an extremely tense atmosphere and significant disruptions for the local Jewish community. During this protest, demonstrators yelled, “go back to Europe” and “baby killers,” and sprayed red paint at counter protestors and arriving guests. 

Another large protest took place just a few weeks later against a scheduled speaker from ZAKA, an Israeli emergency response organization that prepares bodies for Jewish burial, at another Teaneck synagogue, B’nai Yeshurun. This protest was marked by chants and signs that criticized the organization’s ties to Israel, further contributing to the climate of hostility faced by Jewish institutions in the area. 

Bergen County, and specifically the modern Orthodox community of Teaneck, became the target of ongoing car rallies and other protests that involved numerous vehicles and disrupted both local communities and commuters. For example, in April 2024, a car rally shut down a minor highway running from the George Washington Bridge through Bergen County.   

Later in the year, in November 2024, protesters from organizations including American Muslims for Palestine-New Jersey and NJ Cars for Palestine targeted a private home in Bergenfield. The event led to street closures and disruptions for local residents. These protests not only disrupt daily life but also tear apart local communities, creating an environment of distrust and fear.    

Some examples of reported antisemitic harassment in Bergen County during 2024 include:   

• A Jewish senior living facility received a threatening antisemitic and anti-Zionist letter that read, in part: “You and anyone who supports this genocide . . . should be tried for crimes against humanity and hung by the neck until dead.”  
• An individual left a threatening antisemitic post on a Jewish day school’s Facebook page that read: “Great place to bomb.” 
• An individual approached a visibly Jewish person outside of their home and stated, “Your people are committing genocide” and “You and your people will be wiped off the map.” 
• An individual yelled “dirty Jews” from their car while driving by a Jewish pedestrian. 
• A group of individuals driving by a synagogue yelled “fuck you Jews, free Palestine” out their window at congregants. 
• An individual yelled, “Kikes” at a group of Jewish people walking home from synagogue. 
• A Jewish individual received a Facebook message from a former friend that read: “Fucking Nazi c*nt,” Hope your entire family is exterminated” and “Blood of Palestinians on your families’ hands.” 

Orthodox-Related Incidents 

New Jersey recorded 35 antisemitic incidents specifically directed at Orthodox Jews in 2024 compared to 29 in 2023, an increase of 21%. 

The vast majority of these (32 out of 35) were incidents of harassment. Here are some examples: 

• At a children’s play center, another parent approached a visibly Jewish parent and said, “Jew, watch yourself.” 
• A driver yelled “Heil Hitler” and performed a Nazi salute out the window of their car while driving by visibly Jewish pedestrians. 
• Two individuals entered a conference room before an event hosted by an Orthodox Jewish organization and wrote messages on the notepads that read: “Free Palestine,” and “Dumb Israeli f***s”. 
• A group of teens chanted, “Jew” and threw eggs at an Orthodox rabbi. 

As noted above, Bergen County, home to a large Orthodox Jewish population, continues to be a hotbed of antisemitic activity. Forty percent of reported incidents targeting Orthodox Jews in New Jersey in 2024 took place in Bergen County. 

An incident in Howell, NJ, where a homeowner stated to a visibly Jewish realtor and clients, “Go back to Lakewood” and “you Jews don’t belong here” points to a larger trend that we have been tracking in the suburbs surrounding Lakewood, NJ, which is home to a significant ultra-Orthodox community. As the community grows and expands outward, there has been a noticeable increase in hateful rhetoric and antisemitic activity targeting the visibly Jewish individuals who have chosen to move into new neighborhoods. 

Israel and Zionism-Related Incidents 

Of the 719 antisemitic incidents recorded in New Jersey in 2024, 226 involved explicit references to Israel or Zionism (31%). References to Israel and Zionism were found across all three categories tracked by ADL’s Audit of Antisemitic Incidents: harassment, vandalism and assault. 

Extremism and White Supremacist Activity 

In 2024, New Jersey saw a 50% decrease in reported extremist-related antisemitic incidents compared to 2023, with 11 reported incidents, down from 22 in 2023. This indicates a reduction in the reported activities of extremist groups in New Jersey, although they continue to maintain a presence and use propaganda to communicate their hateful messages and recruit new members. There were 8 antisemitic white supremacist propaganda incidents in 2024. Groups responsible for reported incidents include the New Jersey European Heritage Association (NJEHA), Goyim Defense League (GDL), Black Hebrew Israelites, Storm Division 14, and Embrace Struggle Active Club. ADL is concerned about a new extremist group active in New Jersey known as the Atlantic Nationalist Club (ANC). 

Methodology 

The ADL Audit includes both criminal and non-criminal acts of harassment, vandalism and assault against individuals and groups as reported to ADL by victims, law enforcement, the media and partner organizations and evaluated by ADL’s experts.  

The complete dataset for antisemitic incidents for 2016-2024 is available on ADL’s H.E.A.T. Map, an interactive online tool that allows users to geographically chart antisemitic incidents and extremist activity. The full dataset can also be downloaded by anyone who would like to take a closer look at individual incidents. 

ADL is careful to not conflate general criticism of Israel or anti-Israel activism with antisemitism. Legitimate political protest, support for Palestinian rights or expressions of opposition to Israeli policies is not included in the Audit. ADL’s approach to Israel-related expressions comports with the IHRA definition of antisemitism.  

The complete Audit methodology is included in the report on our website. 

The Audit offers a snapshot of one of the ways American Jews encounter antisemitism, but a full understanding of antisemitism in the U.S. requires other forms of analysis as well, including public opinion polling, assessments of online antisemitism and examinations of extremist activity, all of which ADL offers in other reports, such as: ADL Survey of Antisemitic Attitudes in America 2024, Campus Antisemitism One Year After the Hamas Terrorist Attacks, the ADL Global 100: Index of Antisemitism, Online Hate and Harassment: The American Experience and White Supremacist Propaganda Assessment Focused on Jews and Immigrants in 2024. 

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org. 

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