Mamdani's New York: Shocking surge in hate crimes against Jews

Hate crimes in New York City have recorded a worrying increase over the past year, with attacks against Jews remaining at the center of the data. According to new crime statistics released by the New York Police Department, the number of hate crimes in the city rose from 367 cases in 2025 to 425 cases in 2026, an increase of 15.8%.

The data is being released just weeks before the Tishrei holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a period when the city's Jewish communities are already on high alert around synagogues, educational institutions, and community centers.

According to the data, antisemitic hate crimes have risen by approximately 8% over the past year and account for more than half of the confirmed hate crimes in the first eight months of 2026. This is despite the fact that Jews are estimated to make up only about 10% of the city's population.

One of the prominent incidents mentioned against the backdrop of the rise in antisemitism is the stabbing of a Jewish man outside a synagogue on the Upper West Side in July. The incident joined a series of attacks and threats against Jews in New York, which have raised growing concern among the local community.

The data poses a significant challenge for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office at the beginning of the year and is facing criticism from elements within the Jewish community against the backdrop of the rise in antisemitic incidents. Alongside this, the municipality notes the activity of the Office for the Fight Against Antisemitism, including through contact with rabbis and representatives of Jewish communities in the city.

The rise in hate crimes is particularly notable against the backdrop of a different general picture presented by the New York Police Department: according to the NYPD, the past summer was the safest recorded in the city in terms of shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders. Between June 1 and August 31, 195 shooting incidents, 249 shooting victims, and 66 murders were recorded in the city, figures considered a historical low for this period.