The Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, opened the floodgates of hatred against Jews, not only in Israel but around the world. Whether used as a cover to unleash deep-seated antisemitism or the driving reason for attacks on Jews, Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza is largely fueling the global onslaught of online hate, defacement of synagogues and violence against Jews.
Only a fraction of the most extreme incidents reach the national consciousness: the murder in May of an American Jew and her Israeli Christian boyfriend in the nation’s capital; the firebombing in June of Jews supporting Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colo., which claimed the life of 82-year-old Holocaust survivor weeks after she was gravely injured; and a destructive arson attack in Pennsylvania in April on the governor’s mansion just hours after his family’s Passover seder.
Other recent attacks:
- Albany: A man yelled slurs and tried to punch an Orthodox Jew outside a laundromat.
- Los Angeles: “F**k Jews,” “Burn” and swastika graffiti on an Israeli-American Council community center.
- St. Louis: “Death to the IDF” graffiti and arson at the home of an American-Israel soldier’s family.
- Brooklyn: Woman encourages attacks on public high school because of “Zionist” students, charged with making “terroristic threat.”
- Baltimore: City schools are being investigated for failing to discipline a teacher and students who reportedly made Nazi salutes.
Attacks against Jews are not abstract crimes; they are direct violations of Jewish safety and dignity. The arson in St. Louis and Harrisburg, Pa., could easily have taken lives. The Jewish students targeted in Baltimore “feel afraid to walk down the hallways alone and are unable to focus on schoolwork.” In Los Angeles, school children were traumatized on their first day back: “Jewish kids are more stressed to go to school than other kids since Oct. 7. Now, they are going through additional trauma.”
The danger does not stop with Jews. Criteria for an incident to be considered antisemitic relate to a “certain perception of Jews directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals.” Recently, at a New York City farmers market, a Catholic student from the University of South Florida was denied service simply for browsing a table with Jewish-themed jewelry. The vendor’s assumption that she was Jewish made her a target.
Crimes against Jews at record high as overall crime hits 60-year low
Overall crime in the United States, including violent crime, has dropped to its lowest level since the 1960s. However, violence against Jewish Americans is moving in the opposite direction, reaching a new record high. The FBI’s most recent report showed that Jews were targeted in 69% of religiously motivated hate crimes and 16% of all hate crimes, despite being just 2% of the U.S. population.
Many states are taking action. The Anti-Defamation League recently launched the U.S. Jewish Policy Index to assess state-level policies crucial to addressing antisemitism. The index evaluates three categories: prioritizing the fight against antisemitism, education about the Jewish experience and protecting Jewish communities. Only nine states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia—received the highest grade.
Leaders in the American Jewish community warn that most attacks against Jews, including violent assaults, are not reported. This means that the actual hate-crime numbers are far higher than what the statistics reveal. Other factors affecting under-reporting include the FBI’s strict definition of what counts as a hate crime, charges must be filed for an attack, and not all police departments file the necessary paperwork.
Middle East violence used as a pretext to target Jews
Military escalations in Gaza and the Middle East frequently serve as excuses to target Jews. Historically, Jews have been scapegoats during times of crisis, no matter how far removed or unassociated from the cause. These recent acts are not just political protests; they are often rooted in the false belief that all Jews are collectively responsible for events abroad.
Deborah Lipstadt, former U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism under the Biden administration, pointed out that “the dual loyalty canard has plagued Jews for centuries.”
Severe antisemitic attacks overseas during the past several weeks reinforce that violence towards Jews is a worldwide crisis:
- United Kingdom: Teenage Jewish girls attacked at a kosher restaurant in London.
- Canada: An Orthodox Jew was beaten in front of his children in Montreal.
- Austria: An American rabbi was hit at an anti-Israel rally in Vienna. Police detained the victim on Shabbat and threatened to arrest him.
A friend of one of the London victims stated that “the attack did not happen at a political protest. It happened in broad daylight, in a kosher restaurant, surrounded by other patrons. The attacker asked my friend if she was Jewish, then attacked her for a ‘Free Palestine.’ ”
In Canada, Jewish leaders condemned failures of political leaders, warning: “Words are not enough. Concrete steps must be taken to ensure the safety of our community.”
In Vienna, American Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who was assaulted at an anti-Israel rally, described the grim reality: “A Jew has three options in Europe: to disappear from the public space, to conceal their identity or to vocally fight the people trying to oppress us.”
New school year brings growing risks, hope for lessons learned
Jewish students, staff and parents are preparing for what many expect to be another stressful year. The Virginia House Education Committee chair recently blamed Zionism for how “evil our society can be.”
He was criticized for “fueling hatred in the language of activism” and setting a poor “example for the young people he is entrusted with.”
Some schools, administrators and educators have taken positive steps—in some cases, only after being forced through legal settlements.
Points to consider:
- Crimes against Jews at record high as U.S. crime hits 60-year low.
While America celebrates its lowest crime rate in 60 years, Jews are facing the opposite. FBI data showed that Jews were the targets in seven out of 10 religious hate crimes, despite being just 2% of the population—the highest proportion since tracking began. This is not just a statistic but a flashing warning light. Safety for Jews is eroding while the rest of the country becomes safer. That should alarm every American who believes hate has no place here.
- The actual number of violent attacks against Jews is far worse.
The official numbers hide a much darker reality. Anti-Jewish assaults, threats and harassment are often not reported. Some victims fear more targeting; others expect no justice or worry that police departments will not take action or even report the incident. For every case heard or read about, many more remain untold. Underreporting masks the depth of the danger and makes it easier for leaders to pretend the crisis is not real or urgent.
- Gaza is no excuse for attacking Jews.
From Brooklyn to Berlin, Jews are being threatened, assaulted and harassed simply for being Jewish or for supporting Israel’s right to exist. The attackers do not care about political nuance. They see a Jew and decide that it’s open season. Blaming Jews everywhere for events in the Middle East is not a protest; it is pure, unbridled hatred. We have seen this pattern before in history and know where it leads.
- When activists chant ‘Globalize the intifada,’ they mean ‘commit violence here.’
Rallies that feature chants of “Globalize the intifada” or “From the river to the sea” are not just slogans but calls to attack Jews around the world and erase Israel from the map. This rhetoric spreads rapidly—online, in classrooms and on the streets—emboldening individuals to vandalize synagogues, firebomb Jewish homes and threaten Jewish lives. Words often morph into physical attacks. When leaders stay silent, they signal that this hate is acceptable.
- The time to act against hate is now.
Hate does not burn out on its own; it spreads until someone stops it. The best time to confront any form of hatred is immediately, before it escalates. We need leaders willing to condemn dangerous slogans, enforce the law and protect Jewish communities—now. Every American has a responsibility to ensure that Jews can live openly and safely. Silence allows hate to grow and action is the only antidote.
