Despite representing merely a tenth of New York City’s population, Jews found themselves the target of more than half of all hate crimes committed in the city during 2024.

Newly released NYPD hate crimes statistics paint a dark picture of rising antisemitism in America’s largest metropolis, with 345 of 641 hate crimes targeting Jews compared to 43 anti-Muslim attacks. To put this into perspective, sexual assault ranked as the second most common category, accounting for just 12 percent.

The surge in antisemitic incidents has been particularly visible in neighborhoods with significant ultra-Orthodox populations, where residents are easily identifiable by their traditional religious attire. Just recently, the Algemeiner reported on two men who spotted a 22-year-old Orthodox student visiting from Israel.

“Are you Jewish?” they asked.

The answer cost him dearly. One attacker drove a screwdriver into him while the other pummeled his face. They didn’t steal a thing. His religion was all they were after.

In November, a 13-year-old Jewish boy’s morning bike ride to school in Crown Heights was interrupted by a stranger’s fist. No words exchanged. No wallet stolen. Just another attack on another Jewish kid in a city where such violence has become routine.

But according to former New York State Representative Dov Hikind, these terrifying atttacks barely scratches the surface of daily Jewish life in New York.

“The numbers don’t lie, but it’s much worse than they show. So many people who are victims of antisemitism are afraid to report it,” Hikind tells Arutz Sheva. “Everyone is very concerned. The numbers don’t lie – the fact is that the incidence of Jew hatred all over the United States and the world is at levels that have never been seen before.”

Unfortunately, he’s right, as New York figures reflect a troubling national trend. FBI data from 2023 revealed 1,832 reported antisemitic crimes across the United States, giving it the unglamorous distinction of being the highest tally since the agency began tracking hate crimes in 1991.”