By Pesach Benson • May 6, 2026
Jerusalem, 6 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The year 2025 was one of the most violent on record for Jewish communities in the United States, with antisemitic assaults reaching historic highs and deadly attacks resulting in fatalities, according to an antisemitism watchdog’s report released on Wednesday.
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism across the country — an average of 17 incidents per day.
While this marked a 33% decline compared to 2024, it remains significantly higher than levels recorded before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, making 2025 the third-highest year since the ADL began tracking in 1979.
“Our 2025 Audit, which shows it was one of the most violent years for American Jews on record, is a reminder of how dramatically the threat landscape has shifted. Numbers that would have shocked us five years ago are now our floor,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “People are being murdered because of antisemitism on American soil, and thousands more are threatened. ADL will not stop until that baseline changes.”
Despite the overall decrease in incidents, the data showed a troubling rise in violence.
Physical assaults increased by 4%, while assaults involving a deadly weapon surged by 39%, rising from 23 incidents in 2024 to 32 in 2025.
At least 300 individuals were victims of assault, and three people were killed in antisemitic attacks in the United States during the year — the First such fatalities since 2022.
Among the deadly incidents noted were the May 21, 2025 shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., which killed Yaron Lischinsky and his fiancée, Sarah Milgram — two members of Israel’s diplomatic staff. Also noted was the June 1 firebombing of a Boulder, Colorado, event in solidarity with Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Thirteen people were injured and 82-year-old Karen Diamond died of her injuries three weeks later.
“Behind every one of these incidents is a real person: a family threatened at their synagogue, a rabbi attacked on the street, a student harassed on campus,” said Oren Segal, ADL Senior Vice President for Counter-Extremism and Intelligence. “2025 brought some of the most violent antisemitic attacks in recent memory. Even as overall incidents declined, the surge in physical assaults is a stark reminder that a historically high level of antisemitism puts Jewish lives at risk.”
The report also found 2,068 incidents of vandalism, a 21% decrease, and 4,003 harassment incidents, down 39%.
Antisemitic activity was reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the highest totals in New York, California, and New Jersey.
Educational settings showed mixed trends. Incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools remained relatively stable at 825 cases.
In contrast, antisemitic incidents on college campuses dropped sharply to 583, a 66% decline from 2024, though still nearly three times higher than in 2021.
According to ADL, 45% of all incidents in 2025 were related to Israel or Zionism, down from 58% the previous year.
The organization also reported a near 50% decline in white supremacist propaganda distribution.
The ADL emphasized that its audit includes both criminal and non-criminal incidents reported by victims, law enforcement, and partner organizations.
