Escalating Violence Against Jews Highlighted in New ADL Audit

A recently released audit from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) indicates that violence targeting Jewish individuals is on the rise, even as many other forms of violent incidents in the U.S. are declining.

The ADL’s annual report notes that, in 2025, there were 203 reported anti-Semitic assaults, which marks a 4% increase from the 196 incidents recorded in 2024. This represents the highest number of such cases documented since the ADL began keeping records in 1979.

Specifically, the report details a significant increase in assaults involving deadly weapons—up 39% from 23 to 32 incidents from the previous year. In total, at least 300 individuals fell victim to violent acts against Jews.

Tragically, three people were killed in anti-Semitic attacks in 2025, marking the first fatalities from such incidents in the United States since 2019.

The fatalities included two Jewish individuals shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., last May, and two others who succumbed to injuries from a bombing targeting a “Run for Your Life” event for Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado.

Other notable violent acts against Jewish individuals include the firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s mansion and the stabbing of an Orthodox Jewish man as he left a synagogue in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood.

ADL’s CEO Greenblatt stated, “The audit reveals that 2025 was one of the most violent years for American Jews, highlighting the alarming shift in the threat landscape.” He pointed out that figures that would have been shocking five years ago seem almost commonplace now.

He emphasized, “People are being killed and countless others are being threatened on American soil due to anti-Semitism.”

In total, the ADL documented 6,274 incidents of anti-Semitic assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2025. While this reflects a 33% decline from the previous record of 9,354 incidents in 2024, it still ranks as the third highest number in the organization’s history.

This averages to about 17 anti-Semitic incidents occurring daily across the nation.

The report breaks down the numbers further, showing 4,003 harassment incidents, which is a 39% decrease from 2024, and 2,068 instances of vandalism, a 21% drop.

Geographically, New York state led the count with 1,160 incidents, followed by California with 817, New Jersey with 687, Florida with 319, and Pennsylvania with 281.

New York accounted for a significant portion of assaults at 90, and Orthodox Jews represented 38% of the anti-Semitic assaults reported nationally.

The decrease in incidents appears largely tied to a sharp fall in campus-related incidents, which plummeted by 66% from 1,694 in 2024 to 583 in 2025. This shift may be due to diminishing anti-Israel movements on campuses and growing scrutiny on universities to address anti-Semitism.

Notably, incidents connected to anti-Israel protests have decreased by 83%, and issues related to Israel or Zionism represented 45% of all anti-Semitic incidents in 2025, down from 58% the previous year.

This decline followed intensified actions from the Trump administration aimed at schools perceived as neglecting to protect Jewish students. Last May, World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder commended Trump for cutting federal funding to universities accused of allowing anti-Semitism, asserting that Trump was uniquely courageous in this respect.

Months later, Greenblatt remarked that the Trump administration was making strides in addressing anti-Semitism issues in educational institutions, claiming federal pressure spurred universities into action.

The Trump administration has continued to scrutinize schools over anti-Semitism allegations. Recently, the Department of Education launched an inquiry into New York City schools regarding complaints of anti-Jewish discrimination and the actions of “Palestinian Educators in New York City.”

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Kimberly Ritchie, underlined, “No child should be taught to hate their peers,” while asserting the administration’s commitment to not overlook anti-Semitic harassment.

The latest ADL audit coincided with President Trump’s announcement of a Jewish American Heritage Month proclamation, claiming his administration is effectively tackling violence against Jewish Americans, including efforts to eradicate anti-Semitism on campuses.

Oren Segal, ADL’s senior vice president for counterextremism, cautioned that the overall drop in incidents should not distract from the rising threat of violent anti-Semitism.

He said, “There are real people behind these incidents, whether it’s a family threatened in a synagogue, a rabbi assaulted, or a student harassed.”

“2025 has seen the most violent anti-Semitic attacks in recent history,” he added, underscoring that even with a decrease in overall incidents, the rise in physical assaults serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by persistent anti-Semitism.