Antisemitism in New York: 70% of Hate Crimes Targeted Jews

Hate crimes against Jews in New York continue to soar: new data released by the city's police indicate a 53.3% increase in the number of antisemitic incidents in July compared to the same month last year. Although Jews make up only about 10% of New York's population, they were the target of nearly 70% of all verified hate crimes in the city last month.

According to police data, 33 hate crimes were verified across the city in July, 23 of which were against Jews — compared to 15 antisemitic incidents verified in July 2025. Additionally, out of 50 other incidents reported to the police that have not yet completed their investigation, 29 were directed against Jews.

For comparison, five hate crimes against Muslims were verified in the city last month.

Since the beginning of the year, the New York Police Department has verified 360 hate crimes — an increase of 9.4% compared to the same period in 2025. Of the total incidents, 205, representing about 57%, were against Jews — compared to 189 in the first seven months of last year, an increase of 8.5%.

The data is particularly striking against the backdrop of an opposite trend in most major crime categories in the city, as New York recorded a decrease in the number of serious violent incidents and even a historic low in the number of murders and shootings.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the first Jewish woman to hold the position, addressed the data and wrote on X: "I remain deeply concerned and troubled by the unacceptable spike in overall hate crimes, and in particular those directed against Jewish New Yorkers." According to her, "We will not be deterred in the fight to protect our communities from hate."

The rise in incidents occurs against the backdrop of growing tension between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and large parts of the city's Jewish community. The tension intensified after Mamdani called on the federal government to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called him a "war criminal," and distributed a video on the subject that garnered more than 100 million views.

Shortly thereafter, a Jewish man was stabbed in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan by a suspect who, according to police, shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the incident.

Mamdani rejected the allegations against him and said following the publication of the data that antisemitism "will never be tolerated and will never be accepted." According to him, the city has increased the budget for the city's Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes.

However, Jewish leaders and elected officials argued that the mayor's policies and statements contribute to an atmosphere that allows for the continued rise in incidents.

Avi Posnick, Northeast Regional Director of StandWithUs, said that "it is unfortunate, but not at all surprising, that since Mamdani took office, hate crimes, and especially antisemitic crimes, continue to soar." According to him, "Mamdani's dangerous lies about Israel and the destructive agendas he promotes fuel the continued surge."

State Assemblyman Sam Berger, a Democrat and Orthodox Jew, also attacked the mayor and said: "This is a mayor who has spent his career using divisive rhetoric, aimed specifically at the Jewish community. Instead of backing away from his rhetoric, he has only intensified it."

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, warned that "Mayor Mamdani's obsession with attacking Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu further endangers Jewish New Yorkers in the face of those who are encouraged by his demonizing rhetoric."