Antisemitism in the United States reached record highs in 2023 in large part to the Gaza war that broke out on October 7, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
The ADL study, released on Tuesday, shows a 140% overall increase in antisemitic incidents from 2022, with 8,873 reported cases—making it the highest number recorded since the ADL began tracking in 1979. Physical assaults reportedly increased by 45%, with 161 incidents in 2023, while harassment saw a more substantial rise of 184%, totaling 6,535 incidents. Incidents of vandalism also increased by 69%, with 2,177 cases reported; 1,117 of these featured swastikas, marking a 41% increase from the previous year.
A significant increase in antisemitic activity by white supremacist groups was recorded, with 1,160 propaganda distributions in 2023, up from 852 in 2022. Additionally, bomb threats against Jewish institutions surged dramatically, totaling 1,009 in 2023—an increase of over 1,000% from the previous year.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt called on state governments to adopt comprehensive strategies to combat antisemitism, in response to what he describes as a national emergency requiring immediate and widespread action across all sectors of society. “Jewish Americans are being targeted for who they are at school, at work, on the street, in Jewish institutions, and even at home. This crisis demands immediate action from every sector of society and every state in the union,” he said.
