Report: More Than Half of Jewish Americans Experienced Antisemitism Last Year

13 Oct, 2025

By Eli Sachs

More than half of Jewish Americans experienced antisemitism in the past year, and a majority now view such hostility as an ordinary part of Jewish life in America, according to a major new study released Monday by the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America.​

The comprehensive report, titled "Portrait of Antisemitic Experiences in the U.S., 2024–2025," found that 55 percent of Jewish Americans reported experiencing at least one form of antisemitism over the past 12 months, with 57 percent saying antisemitism has become "a normal Jewish experience". The findings come nearly two years after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which triggered a record wave of antisemitic incidents across the United States.​

Violence and Harassment

Nearly one in five respondents—18 percent—reported being physically assaulted, threatened with physical attack, or verbally harassed because of their Jewish identity in the past year. More than one-third of those surveyed, 36 percent, witnessed actual or threatened antisemitic violence.​

The study, conducted in partnership with researchers from Teachers College at Columbia University, drew on two nationally representative surveys of Jewish Americans conducted earlier this year. The ADL surveyed 2,982 Jewish American registered voters between May 27 and July 6, 2025, while the JFNA study included 1,877 Jewish Americans surveyed between March 5 and March 25, 2025.​

Where Antisemitism Occurs

Jewish Americans encountered antisemitism most frequently online, with 41 percent reporting such experiences. Other common contexts included public spaces (21 percent), educational institutions (13 percent), near Jewish institutions (9 percent), and the workplace (9 percent).​

The survey also identified a specific category of antisemitic behavior: 44 percent of respondents experienced "exclusion or minimization"—acts or communications that minimize or discredit Jewish lived experience—in the past 12 months. Additionally, 22 percent said they had been blamed for the actions of the State of Israel.​

Safety Concerns and Responses

The psychological toll has been substantial, with 79 percent of Jewish Americans expressing concern about antisemitism. Nearly half—48 percent—have taken actions to increase their personal security.​

Among the most striking findings: 33 percent of respondents said they have discussed worst-case scenarios with others, and 14 percent have developed plans to flee the country should antisemitism worsen. Nine percent reported purchasing guns for protection.​

"It is so profoundly sad that Jewish Americans are now discussing worst-case scenarios. When American Jews – who have built lives, careers and families here for generations – are making contingency plans to flee, we must recognize this as a five-alarm fire for our entire country."

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of the ADL, emphasized in a statement that the phenomenon represents a national crisis. Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, noted that the situation demands immediate action from leaders at every level.​

Mental Health Impacts

The study found significant psychological effects among those who experienced or witnessed antisemitic incidents. Nearly one-third of respondents who experienced or witnessed antisemitism in the past year exhibited signs of anxiety, while 21 percent showed signs of depression.​

One visible consequence: 20 percent of Jews who wore something distinctively Jewish before October 7, 2023, have since stopped doing so.​

Underreporting and Lack of Support

The study revealed significant gaps in incident documentation, with 74 percent of those who experienced anti-Jewish discrimination not reporting their experience to any institution or organization. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they did not report their antisemitic experience, with half citing concerns about expressing "politics" in public as the reason.​

Trust in non-Jewish allies has also declined. Half of Jewish Americans now believe most people in the broader non-Jewish community would not stand with Jews in the event of antisemitic threats and violence—a 6 percentage point increase from a similar survey conducted last year.​

Community Resilience

Despite the troubling findings, the report also documented what Jewish Federations term "the Surge"—a marked increase in Jewish engagement and connection to community. Nearly one-third of Jews reported increased participation in Jewish life, and 84 percent of those who were directly harmed in the past year made some positive change because of the antisemitism they experienced.​

"Rather than retreating in fear, American Jews are choosing to stand together, strengthen their bonds and affirm their identity. This surge in Jewish engagement represents hope and determination in the face of hate."

Fingerhut emphasized the community's resilience, noting that nearly two-thirds of those who directly experienced antisemitism responded by deepening their Jewish involvement.​

The study also found that 68 percent of Jews feel comfortable speaking up against antisemitism in public, and only 30 percent believe there is nothing that can be done to change the state of antisemitism in America.​

Context of Rising Hate

The findings align with broader trends documented by the ADL's annual audits. The organization reported more than 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the year following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks—the highest number ever recorded since the ADL began tracking such incidents in 1979.​

FBI data released earlier this year showed that antisemitic crimes have reached record levels, with nearly 70 percent of religion-based hate crimes in 2024 targeting Jewish Americans. Black Americans remain the most targeted group overall for hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity, followed by Jewish Americans, then gay men.​

Previous Next

Subscribe to Stateline Press

#antisemetism #human rights #israel #us #world