New York Leads the Nation in Antisemitism, Again, Even as Incidents Fall Nearly 20% in 2025

New York, NY, May 6, 2026... According to new data released today by ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), there were 1,160 reported antisemitic incidents in New York in 2025, marking a 19% decline compared to the previous year. This nearly 20% drop in antisemitic incidents is the first improvement since 2020, breaking a five-year streak of rising rates. But with 1,160 cases documented in 2025, double the 2022 count, the numbers make clear that too many New Yorkers are living with the reality of antisemitism.

Across the nation, there were 6,274 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment and vandalism in 2025, an average of 17 incidents per day. While this total represents a 33-percent decrease from 2024, it remains considerably higher than the total in years prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel, and ranks as the third-highest year for antisemitic incidents (after 2023 and 2024), since ADL began tracking in 1979.

Harassment (716), verbal and written, and vandalism (354) both decreased by about 20%, but New York State still leads the nation in these categories. Assaults increased by a disturbing 10% from 82 in 2024 to 90 in 2025, the highest number of antisemitic assaults ever reported in New York. New York State accounted for 44% of the 203 antisemitic assaults recorded in the U.S. in 2025, with 90 incidents; this is more than three times the next highest state, California, with a count of 29. New Jersey (20) and Florida (10) followed.

85 of the 90 antisemitic assaults were documented in New York City in 2025 (up 23% from 69 in 2024), and Orthodox Jews were targeted in 50 of these attacks, an increase of 39% since 2024. 56% (50) of all antisemitic assaults in New York State, and nearly one-quarter of the 203 assaults documented nationwide, took place in Brooklyn.

“While it is encouraging that reported antisemitic incidents in New York fell by nearly 20% in 2025, the 1,160 cases to which we tracked and responded remain more than double the number before the massive spike post 10/7, and I know firsthand that too many New Yorkers lived in fear in 2025 of targeted by antisemitism,” said Regional Director Scott Richman. “This decline does mark the first reversal of an upward trend that has persisted every year since 2021, but the numbers make clear that much work remains.”

Major New York Findings

The Audit classifies incidents into three categories: harassment, vandalism and assault. In total, ADL recorded the following number of antisemitic incidents in New York in 2025:

• Harassment: 716 incidents (down by 21%)
• Vandalism: 354 incidents (down by 20%)
• Assaults: 90 incidents (up by 10%) 

The data on incidents by location tells a complex story. Some trends reflect the troubling normalization of antisemitism across the spaces where New Yorkers live, work and gather. Others point to meaningful tapering that demonstrate the impact of ADL’s approach to tracking and disrupting threats to the Jewish and broader community, advancing policies, activating communities and educating about antisemitism and extremism.

• Public Areas: 410 (a decrease of 26%)
• Jewish Institutions: 227 (a decrease of 11%)
• Non-Jewish K-12 Schools: 141 (an increase of 19%)
• Colleges and Universities down by 64% (105)
• Homes/Housing: 50 (a decrease of 26%)
• Businesses: 137 (an increase of 12%)

The Nazi swastika continued to appear with alarming frequency. Of the 1,160 incidents recorded in 2025, 294 included a swastika, an increase of 10% from 2024. They appeared in 81% of K-12 school incidents (114) and 19% of business establishment incidents (26), demonstrating how normalized this symbol of hate has become in the places New Yorkers work, shop and learn.

Of the 1,160 antisemitic incidents recorded in New York State in 2025, less than 50% (555) were related to Israel or Zionism (and antisemitic). This was a 33% improvement from the 832 explicit references to Israel or Zionism (coupled with antisemitism) that besieged Jewish communities in 2024. This indicates how many incidents, while unacceptable, are apolitical and simply anti-Jewish at this stage after the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. 

Geographic Data

New York City (NYC): 860 incidents were documented in NYC, representing 74% of all incidents in New York State and marking a 12% decline compared to 2024. This included:

• 514 incidents of harassment
• 261 incidents of vandalism  
• 85 assaults
  • 94% of the 90 reported antisemitic assaults in New York State took place in the five boroughs of New York City.

Antisemitic incidents decreased in all of New York City’s boroughs except Brooklyn. New York County (Manhattan) led the five boroughs in incidents.

• Manhattan: 465 (down by 21%)
• Brooklyn: 278 (up by 10%). More on Brooklyn below.
• Queens: 84 (down by 1%)  
• Bronx: 17 (down by 37%)  
• Staten Island: 16 (down by 33%)  

Westchester County, north of New York City, experienced a decrease of about 30% in reported antisemitic incidents (50). Other counties in the metropolitan region experienced mainly downward trends:

• Long Island: 118 (down by 3%)
  • Nassau County: 50 (down by 17% from 60)
  • Suffolk County: 68 (up by 10% from 62)  
• Rockland County: 15 (down by 54%)  

There were 117 reported incidents in the remaining New York counties north of the metropolitan region, representing a 50% decrease in reported antisemitic cases in these "upstate" counties. During 2025, ADL tracked or responded to antisemitic incidents in only 29 of the 62 counties in New York State; it is important to acknowledge the reality of underreporting, and that the data may not reflect all antisemitic experiences in 2025. 

Incident Locations

Public Areas

Public areas, including subway stations, public buildings, parks, playgrounds, sidewalks and bus stops, were the sites of 410 total reported incidents across New York State, contributing to 35% of the 1,160 statewide incidents. 339 of the 410 incidents (82%) happened in New York City’s public areas, including 166 in Manhattan. Within public transportation alone, New Yorkers encountered at least 27 examples of antisemitic graffiti on the MTA system. While it’s unsettling at best to confront hate against Jews on our byways, highways and in other public spaces, there is encouragement. Antisemitism in public areas in New York State dropped 26% in 2025.  

Unfortunately, assaults in public areas increased, including with weapons. There were 73 antisemitic assaults in public spaces in New York State in 2025, compared to 61 in 2024. All but two took place in New York City. Frequently, there was a troubling pattern of verbal harassment before the physical violence.

K-12 Non-Jewish Schools

A total of 141 antisemitic incidents were recorded in New York's K-12 schools in 2025 (excluding Jewish schools). This marks a 19% increase from 118 in 2024 and remains below the 2023 peak of 173. It is concerning that there has not been a more dramatic reduction in the number of school-based antisemitic incidents since the surge following October 7, 2023. The majority of reported incidents in K-12 schools involved acts of vandalism (101) with swastikas present in 81% of incidents (114), reflecting the symbol's troubling proliferation across New York. There were 39 incidents of harassment, including:

• A school bus driver in Brooklyn ranting to his young passengers that Jews killed Jesus.
• A threatening email sent to a charter school during the summer recess, stating “All of you Jews, Israelis will die, im [sic] a Palestinian full of rage, I'll make sure to kill every single one of them in your school...” This is one of seven cases that was Israel-related.

As in 2024, there remained a single school-based assault, when a student who was called a “dirty Jew” was pushed by a peer.

Only seven K-12 incidents were related to Israel or Zionism, indicating the more traditional anti-Jewish nature of most school-based incidents reflect the broader declining trend of Israel-related incidents. While war still rages in the Middle East, this retreat in Israel-based antisemitism speaks to the work of ADL and educators to stop disinformation and identify balanced sources of educational content culminating in a 2026 ADL resource, “Decode & Disrupt: A Toolkit to Recognizing and Combating Problematic Messages.”

Campus

New York led the nation in documented incidents on college campuses with 105 incidents, representing almost 20% of the 583 total incidents on college campuses nationwide. This marks a 64% decrease in incidents from 2024 but a 200% increase from 2022, which demonstrates that campus incidents are still well above pre-10/7 levels. Harassment accounts for 80% (84) of antisemitic incidents documented on campuses. 72% (76) of the 105 incidents were related to Israel or Zionism.

Another significant change that ADL observed in 2025 was the number of rallies and protests on campus. ADL recorded 37 anti-Israel rallies that had antisemitic elements - a significant decrease from 2024, when ADL documented 160 protests. This can be attributed to factors including the fact that many schools updated their time, place and manner restrictions to allow students to exercise their freedom of speech without violating their codes of conduct.

Columbia University and Barnard College, which had 67 incidents on campus in 2024 making up almost 25% of all campus incidents in New York, were down to 18 incidents, an astounding 73% decrease from 2024. Clearly, when schools make a meaningful effort to foster a more inclusive environment and hold those accountable who violate their code of conduct, positive outcomes can result.

Some examples of incidents on college campuses in 2025 include:

• In September, a visibly Jewish student at Syracuse University was harassed by an individual who rolled down the window of his car and yelled, "Free Palestine, you F'ing Jew."
• In November, during an interfaith program, an Imam interrupted the event and singled out the Baruch College Hillel Director, stating he never would have agreed to be on the panel had he known a Zionist would be present, and encouraged students to leave the discussion (and many did).
• In May, students at Columbia University took over a library, pushing past security, chanting slogans such as "globalize the intifada" and vandalizing the library.

Jewish Institutions

ADL recorded 227 incidents of antisemitism at Jewish institutions in 2025, an 11% decrease from 2024. This represents a notable 170% increase from 2022, a sharp increase from pre-10/7 numbers. Of these 227 incidents, 133 took place at synagogues. 56% (128) included references to Israel or Zionism. It is important to note that this is the second year in a row where the majority of incidents were Israel or Zionism related, indicating how antisemitism has shifted over the past three years. Almost 90% (204) of all incidents that took place at Jewish institutions were incidents of harassment.

Some significant incidents ADL responded to included:

• In January, a total of 39 synagogues, yeshivas and day schools received targeted antisemitic emails.
• In November, a group of protesters gathered outside of Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, which was hosting an event by Nefesh B'Nefesh. The protesters blocked and harassed individuals who tried to enter the synagogue, displayed signs reading "Zionism is a death cult" and led chants to globalize the intifada.
• In December, four synagogues received bomb threats in a single day.

Business Establishments

There was a troubling 12% rise in antisemitic incidents at New York’s businesses, increasing from 122 in 2024 to 137 in 2025. Almost one-fifth (26) of the 137 incidents involved swastikas. 68% of cases involved harassment (93), 26% involved vandalism (35), and 7% involved assault (9). Two-thirds (91) of the incidents took place in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  

Examples include:

• In April, a man with a knife threatened a visibly Jewish individual at a kosher bagel shop in Brooklyn and said, "Heil Hitler, f**k you, I'll kill all you Jews,” an example of Holocaust glorification.  
• In October, a rock was thrown at the door of Eshel Persian Restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Sadly, the owners claim this was a weekly occurrence.

Assaults

There were 90 antisemitic assaults in New York in 2025 accounting for 44% of all assaults nationwide (203). Assaults throughout the state increased 10% from 82 in 2024, marking a second year of record-breaking violence. New York led the nation in antisemitic assaults with more than three times the next highest state, California, with a count of 29. New Jersey (20) and Florida (10) followed.

Orthodox Jews were targeted in 60% of antisemitic assaults statewide (54), including 37 in Brooklyn. The data are a sobering reminder that being visibly Jewish can make someone vulnerable, particularly in Brooklyn's walkable, urban neighborhoods. These include:

• In Brooklyn in February, a visibly Jewish girl was physically assaulted, dragged to the ground by her hair, and thrown into a pile of trash.  
• In Brooklyn in December, an Orthodox Jew was stabbed by an assailant who said, "F*** these Jews. If the Holocaust happened, it wouldn't be a problem."

Brooklyn

In 2025, Brooklyn experienced a 10% increase in antisemitic incidents, totaling 278 incidents, compared to 253 incidents in 2024. Alarmingly, Brooklyn saw a 56% increase in physical assaults, rising to 50 from 32 assaults in 2024. Assaults in Brooklyn represented a quarter of all antisemitic assaults documented across the country. Relatedly, incidents targeting Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn increased in 2025 to 53, up 39% from 38 in 2024. 37 of these 53 (70%) were assaults. This represents a fundamental shift in the threat profile that Brooklyn Jews, and particularly Orthodox Jews, are facing.

In 2025, harassment incidents represented 52% of total antisemitic incidents in Brooklyn (144), comprising the largest category of incidents in the borough.  

Incidents at Brooklyn business establishments jumped by 74%, to 40 incidents in 2025, compared to 23 in 2024. The 2025 figure was driven largely by anti-Israel protests at businesses: 20 of the 40 incidents at a Brooklyn business were gatherings or protests, primarily organized by groups including PAL-Awda, Within Our Lifetime, Students for Justice in Palestine, and others targeting restaurants, shops and commercial establishments with antisemitic messaging.

Interestingly, one metric that dramatically decreased was bomb threats - down 96% from 2024. This is reflected statewide, where there was a decrease from 100 to 16 (84%).

Some examples of incidents targeting Brooklyn residents in 2025 include:

• In April, a Brooklyn resident knocked on a Jewish neighbor’s door and said "We didn't kill enough of you Jews."
• In June, an individual harassed a Jewish man and his two children who were walking home from synagogue and physically attacked another Jewish person who attempted to intervene.
• In June, a Jewish family was attacked by a stranger, who grabbed their stroller that      held their baby, and said "You guys move [out] of the neighborhood."

Orthodox Jews

In 2025, 90 recorded incidents targeted Orthodox or visibly Jewish individuals, down from 93 in 2024. In New York State, only 8% of antisemitic incidents were assaults, but among Orthodox Jews, that rose to 60% (54 of 90) - eight times the statewide average.  Five of these assaults included a deadly weapon, clearly demonstrating that those who are easily identifiable as Jews are more susceptible to physical attacks. All other incidents targeting Orthodox/visibly Jewish individuals in New York State were harassment - 36 in total.

The majority of Orthodox-related incidents occurred in Brooklyn – 53 incidents, or 59%. Another notable trend - only 15 out of 90 total antisemitic incidents had an element of Israel or Zionism-related rhetoric, indicating the vast majority of incidents targeting visible Jews in New York State were not motivated by anti-Israel attitudes. Strikingly, this number is down significantly from 2024, when 35 of the 93 Orthodox-related incidents in the state included some form of rhetoric referencing Israel or Zionism. This indicates that, while the number of antisemitic incidents targeting the Orthodox/visibly Jewish remains similar to 2024, the alleged motive has shifted away from the conflict overseas.

Some examples of incidents targeting Orthodox Jews in New York in 2025 include:

• In July, a Hatzolah paramedic was physically assaulted by a patient he was treating after a traffic accident and subjected to antisemitic slurs. (Sullivan County)
• In August, a man wielding a metal pipe chased a visibly Jewish woman and her child, shouting antisemitic threats. (Queens)
• In October, a man snatched a kippah off of a visibly Jewish man’s head, stomped and spit on it, and then repeatedly punched him. (Manhattan)

Underreporting

Underreporting continues to be a challenge in many communities, as victims of bias crimes and antisemitic incidents – particularly those in marginalized communities – face significant barriers to reporting from the outset. ADL continues to work with elected officials, law enforcement leaders and community members across New York to tackle these problems head-on. In 2025, ADL documented incidents in only 29 of 62 counties across New York State. ADL encourages all members of the public to report incidents of antisemitism directly to ADL: https://www.adl.org/report-incident.

Take Action

The sacred spaces where we pray, celebrate, and find community have become targets of intimidation and harassment. Last year, New York synagogues faced more than 140 antisemitic incidents, according to ADL's 2025 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.

State lawmakers are close to making a deal to create a buffer zone around houses of worship, shielding worshippers from intimidation and harassment while protecting free speech and peaceful protest. Governor Hochul supports these protections, but time is running out to get them passed. Urge New York legislators to protect safe access to houses of Worship by clicking here. 

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 2016-2025 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. As an example, slightly fewer than half of anti-Israel rallies assessed by ADL contained antisemitic content that qualified to be counted within this 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.