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By: Fern Sidman
A deeply troubling portrait of rising antisemitism in the Garden State has emerged from newly released data, revealing that New Jersey recorded the highest number of physically violent antisemitic assaults in its history during 2025. The findings, reported on Thursday by the New Jersey 101.5 radio station, have intensified concerns among community leaders, policymakers, and law enforcement officials who warn that the state—and the nation—may be confronting a sustained and dangerous escalation in anti-Jewish hostility.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, which compiled the data, 20 antisemitic physical assaults were documented in New Jersey during 2025. That figure represents a significant proportion of the national total, with 203 such assaults recorded across the United States. In effect, nearly 10% of all violent antisemitic attacks nationwide occurred within New Jersey’s borders.
As New Jersey 101.5 repeatedly emphasized in its coverage, these figures do not include general crimes involving Jewish victims. Rather, the ADL’s methodology requires clear evidence that the attacker’s motivation was explicitly tied to the victim’s Jewish identity.
Scott Richman, regional director for the ADL in New York and New Jersey, underscored this distinction in remarks cited by New Jersey 101.5. “To make the ADL audit, the attacker’s motivation must be based on the victim’s Jewish identity,” Richman explained, highlighting the stringent criteria used to classify incidents.
The record number of violent assaults forms part of a broader and deeply entrenched trend. Antisemitic incidents in New Jersey surged dramatically in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 massacre carried out by Hamas in Israel, an attack that claimed more than 1,200 lives, including 46 Americans.
According to the information provided in the New Jersey 101.5 report, the number of reported antisemitic incidents in the state more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, marking a turning point in what had already been a growing problem.
While there was a modest decline in 2025, the overall level of antisemitic activity remains significantly elevated. The ADL recorded 687 incidents statewide last year, representing only a 4% decrease from the previous year—an adjustment that experts characterize as statistically marginal rather than indicative of meaningful progress.
“For the most part, the war in Gaza has ended, yet we’re seeing that incidents are not going back to anywhere near where they were pre-10/7,” Richman told New Jersey 101.5. “So, our concern is that this is a new normal.”
That phrase—“a new normal”—has emerged as a central theme in discussions surrounding antisemitism in New Jersey. It reflects a growing apprehension that the surge in hostility may not be a temporary reaction to geopolitical events but rather a more permanent shift in societal attitudes.
While physical assaults have garnered particular attention due to their severity, the majority of antisemitic incidents in New Jersey fall into other categories. According to data cited in the New Jersey 101.5 report, most incidents involve harassment, with approximately one-third classified as acts of vandalism.
These incidents range from verbal abuse and threats to the defacement of property with antisemitic symbols and messages. Although less physically destructive than assaults, such acts contribute to a climate of fear and insecurity within affected communities.
New Jersey now ranks third in the nation for the total number of antisemitic incidents, a statistic that underscores the scale of the challenge facing the state.
One of the most alarming aspects of the report, as highlighted in the New Jersey 101.5 report, is the prevalence of antisemitic incidents within educational institutions.
Approximately 27% of all reported incidents in 2025 occurred in non-Jewish schools. These included numerous cases of swastika graffiti found in bathrooms, on desks, and in other areas of school property.
The ADL recorded 188 antisemitic incidents in New Jersey schools last year, a figure that exceeds that of any other state.
The report noted that this high number may partly reflect the state’s robust reporting mechanisms. According to Richman, New Jersey’s systems for documenting antisemitic activity are among the most comprehensive in the country. “New Jersey has the most robust reporting system in the nation,” Richman told New Jersey 101.5, adding that other states may be underreporting similar incidents.
Nevertheless, the concentration of antisemitic activity in schools raises serious concerns about the social environment in which young people are being educated. Experts warn that early exposure to hate-based behavior can have lasting consequences, both for victims and for those who perpetrate such acts.
The distribution of antisemitic incidents across New Jersey is uneven, with certain counties experiencing disproportionately high levels of activity.
As was reported by New Jersey 101.5, Bergen County recorded the highest number of incidents, with 139 cases reported in 2025. Communities such as Teaneck and Englewood, which have significant Jewish populations, have been particularly affected.
Richman suggested that the higher numbers in these areas may be partly attributable to demographic factors. “Communities like Teaneck and Englewood have seen more than their share of hate simply because they have a larger Jewish population,” he explained.
Ocean County also emerged as a significant hotspot, ranking fifth statewide with 50 reported incidents. These figures illustrate the extent to which antisemitism has permeated diverse regions of the state.
The report has prompted strong reactions from political leaders, who have called for decisive action to address what they describe as an escalating crisis.
U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer issued a stark warning in response to the findings. “This is beyond unacceptable for Jersey and our nation. We must fight this scourge of hate,” Gottheimer said, as quoted by New Jersey 101.5.
Such statements reflect a growing recognition among policymakers that antisemitism is not merely a social issue but a matter of public safety and national concern.
While New Jersey’s figures are particularly striking, they form part of a broader national trend. The 203 antisemitic assaults recorded across the United States in 2025 represent a significant escalation in violent incidents, underscoring the widespread nature of the problem.
The New Jersey 101.5 report emphasized that the state’s experience cannot be viewed in isolation. Rather, it is indicative of a larger pattern of rising antisemitism that has been observed across the country in recent years.
The data presented by the ADL paints a sobering picture of the current state of antisemitism in New Jersey. Despite a slight decline in overall incidents, the persistence of elevated levels—and the record number of violent assaults—suggest that the problem is far from abating.
The emergence of schools as a focal point for antisemitic activity, combined with the geographic concentration of incidents in key counties, highlights the multifaceted nature of the challenge.
Perhaps most concerning is the growing sense that the current situation may represent a lasting shift rather than a temporary spike.
As Richman’s warning of a “new normal” suggests, the task ahead is not merely to respond to isolated incidents but to address the underlying forces driving this surge in hostility.
For New Jersey, and for the nation as a whole, the imperative is clear: to confront antisemitism with sustained vigilance, coordinated action, and an unwavering commitment to the principles of tolerance and inclusion.
