Antisemitic incidents in the United States declined significantly in 2025, but physical assaults — including deadly attacks — increased, highlighting a shift towards more violent forms of antisemitism, according to the latest annual audit by the Anti-Defamation League, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The report recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025, a 33% drop from 9,354 in 2024. Despite this decline, last year still ranks as the third-highest on record since tracking began in 1979, following the peaks of 2023 and 2024.
While harassment and vandalism both fell from 6,552 to 4,003 incidents and from 2,606 to 2,068, respectively, assaults rose slightly from 196 to 203 cases. More significantly, attacks involving deadly weapons increased by 39%, with 32 such incidents recorded in 2025.
The report also confirmed that 2025 saw the first antisemitic murders in the US since 2019. Among the most serious incidents were the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington, DC, and the death of a victim following a firebomb attack at a demonstration in Boulder.
Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the ADL, warned that the data reflects a dangerous shift in the nature of antisemitism. He said that levels of violence now seen would have been unthinkable just a few years ago and stressed that antisemitism is continuing to pose a direct threat to life.
“People are being murdered because of antisemitism on American soil, and thousands more are threatened,” he said.
The audit also found that at least 300 individuals were directly targeted in assault incidents during the year. ADL official Oren Segal described 2025 as one of the most violent years for American Jews in recent memory.
In contrast to the rise in violence, incidents on university campuses dropped sharply, falling by 66% from 1,694 cases in 2024 to 583 in 2025. Incidents linked to anti-Israel protests on campuses declined even more steeply, decreasing by 83% following stricter university policies on demonstrations.
Attacks on Jewish institutions also decreased, dropping from 1,702 incidents in 2024 to 1,129 in 2025. Bomb threats saw a particularly dramatic fall, from 627 in 2024 and 996 in 2023 to just 59 in 2025.
In schools, incidents remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease from 860 to 825 cases, most involving peer-to-peer harassment or vandalism such as swastika graffiti.
The report also noted a nearly 50% reduction in the distribution of white supremacist propaganda.
However, the ADL highlighted ongoing debate over how antisemitism is defined, particularly in relation to anti-Israel rhetoric. In 2025, 45% of recorded incidents were linked to Israel or Zionism, down from 58% the previous year. The organisation said it excludes legitimate political criticism but includes cases involving support for violence against Jews or extremist groups.
Experts note that, despite disagreements over classification, the audit remains one of the most comprehensive datasets on antisemitism in the United States.
Overall, the findings suggest that while the total number of incidents has decreased, antisemitism in the US is becoming more dangerous, with fewer but more severe attacks posing a growing threat to Jewish communities.
Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN / AFP
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