Devorah Halberstam and Rivkie Feiner speak at the ADL summit “Never is Now” about antisemitism in the Orthodox Jewish community. Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Antisemitic incidents in New York state reached troubling historic levels last year, a new report released on Tuesday from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows.
In its annual audit on antisemitic incidents in New York and across the U.S., the anti-hate organization reported a massive 110% surge in antisemitic incidents in the Empire State last year, including episodes of physical violence. In total, there were 1,218 incidents, the highest number ever recorded by ADL in the state and the second highest number recorded in any state across the country last year.
Almost 14% of the nation’s antisemitic incidents last year took place in New York.
ADL has tracked incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism and assault nationwide and in New York since 1979. The latest report comes a year after the ADL reported that New York was at the “epicenter” of the worst antisemitic storm to hit the U.S. in more than four decades, and six months after the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas, which only served to fuel further hateful attacks against New York’s Jewish population.
“ADL’s 2023 audit of antisemitic incidents confirms what Jewish communities across New York state have seen firsthand. Antisemitism is a statewide and national emergency,” said Scott Richman, ADL New York/New Jersey regional director. “New York documented a shocking 1,218 antisemitic incidents last year, more than double the previous record reached in 2022.”
Just last month, for example, Effy’s Cafe, a popular American-Israeli restaurant on NYC’s Upper West Side, was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. And nearby at Riverside Park during the same time period, an array of anti-Israel messages were spray painted on a number of cement road blocks.
The vandalism included messages that read “F— Israel” and “Israel is ethnic cleansing.”
New York isn’t the only state plagued by antisemitism. The nation collectively saw a similar uptick in incidents last year. According to the report, the ADL noted 8,873 antisemitic attacks within the United States, up 140% from 3,698 incidents in 2022.
Disproportionate amount of antisemitism since Oct. 7
Nationwide and locally, antisemitism has been on rise since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which led to the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to the audit, most of last year’s antisemitic incidents in New York occurred in the last quarter. In fact, the number was disproportionate, with 815 incidents taking place in October, November and December.
“We call on all community and government leaders to make fighting antisemitism and supporting the Jewish community a key priority,” Richman said.
Antisemitism in New York: state and city
The ADL’s audit broke down the incidents into three categories: harassment, vandalism and assault — the two latter categories making up the majority of incidents.
“While it was encouraging that reported antisemitic assaults decreased by 25% from 72 reported incidents in 2022 to 54, it is still the second-highest number of antisemitic assaults reported in New York,” the ADL said in a press release. “More antisemitic assaults took place in New York than any other state. Out of the 161 antisemitic assaults nationwide, one-third took place in New York.”
A total of 266 incidents involved the display of a Nazi swastika, representing a 14% increase from 2022 and 22% of the total incidents that took place in 2023.
Among those violent incidents, the ADL explained, people were punched in their faces, sprayed with chemicals, hit by eggs, rocks and chairs, and beaten with an umbrella.
The Big Apple seems to be the hotspot for antisemitic behavior. More than half of the state’s acts of antisemitism took place in the city. This includes 217 incidents of vandalism, 499 incidents of harassment and 51 incidents of assault.
Of the 51 documented antisemitic assaults in NYC last year, orthodox Jews were the targets of more than half, the ADL said.
In Manhattan alone, the ADL reported 429 antisemitic incidents, a 120% increase from the previous year. Brooklyn had the second most incidents with 197, a 34% increase from 2022. Meanwhile, the largest uptick in hate happened in Queens, which had 94 incidents — a 262% jump from 2023.
How ADL gathered data for the audit
According to the ADL, the audit includes both criminal and non-criminal acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats and slurs, as well as vandalism and assault. Information is compiled from victims, law enforcement and community leaders, and then evaluated by staff.
For more information about the ADL’s report, visit adl.org.