ADL Logs 'Numbers That Would Have Shocked Us 5 Years Ago'

Physical attacks on Jewish Americans are moving in the opposite direction of other antisemitic incidents. New data from the Anti-Defamation League shows overall antisemitic incidents in the US dropped by a third in 2025, but assaults climbed to 203—the highest level since 1979—with 32 involving deadly weapons and three people killed, reports Axios. It was the first year since 2019 with antisemitism-tied fatalities. Major metro areas were behind the numbers, with New York City alone claiming 860 incidents. The ADL recorded an average of 17 antisemitic incidents a day nationwide, including assaults, threats, and harassment.

"Numbers that would have shocked us five years ago are now our floor," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said, per the Times of Israel. Globally, antisemitism has surged in step with conflicts involving Gaza and Iran, with reports of stabbings, arson, and synagogue attacks in Europe, per Axios. One bright spot: US college campuses, long a flash point, saw incidents fall 66%, and cases linked to anti-Israel protests dropped 83%. ADL official Oren Segal cautioned that a lower tally doesn't equal real progress, saying antisemitism remains embedded in public discourse and online. Relationship-focused efforts, from campus "unity dinners" to cross-community coalitions, are being credited with helping dial down tensions in some settings.