Antisemitic incidents in New Jersey remained at historically high levels in 2025, declining only slightly even as more serious forms of hate activity increased, according to a new report released today by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
According to the report, the state recorded 687 incidents last year, a 4% decrease from 719 in 2024, the group said in its annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. The drop was far smaller than the 33% decline reported nationwide, underscoring what officials described as a persistent and deeply rooted problem in New Jersey.
Despite the modest overall decline, assaults and vandalism both rose. The report found 20 assaults in 2025, up from 17 the year before and the highest number ever recorded in the state. Vandalism incidents climbed 11% to 245, while harassment, the most common category, fell 12% to 422.
New Jersey ranked third in the nation overall and led the country in antisemitic incidents at non-Jewish K-12 schools, with 188 reported cases. Incidents in the state remain 86% higher than in 2020 and 68% above levels recorded before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
The report highlighted growing concerns about violence and symbolism associated with hate. Swastikas appeared in 32% of all incidents, a 28% increase from the previous year. Seven of the reported assaults targeted Orthodox or visibly Jewish individuals.
In one incident cited by the report, a man in Brick allegedly shouted antisemitic slurs and physically assaulted a victim outside a store. In another, a group of Jewish youths in Cherry Hill Township was chased and pelted with ice by individuals who shouted “Hey Jews” from a vehicle before exiting and approaching them.
Schools remained a focal point of concern. Incidents at K-12 schools were nearly evenly divided between harassment and vandalism, with four assaults also reported. The ADL noted that New Jersey’s high ranking is partly due to strong reporting requirements but said the figures still point to a need for increased education and prevention efforts.
Nationally, the ADL recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025, averaging about 17 per day. While that total marked a significant decline from 2024, it still represents the third-highest year since tracking began in 1979.
Violence also intensified nationwide. Assaults increased by 4%, and incidents involving a deadly weapon rose 39%, according to the report. Three people were killed in antisemitic attacks in 2025, including two victims in a shooting outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., and one person who died following a firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado.
The ADL said 157 incidents in New Jersey were related to Israel or Zionism, a 31% decrease from 2024. However, when those incidents are excluded from both years, overall antisemitic activity in the state would have increased by 7.5%, suggesting a resurgence of more traditional forms of antisemitism.
The audit includes both criminal and non-criminal acts reported by victims, law enforcement, media and partner organizations, and is one of several tools the ADL uses to track antisemitism nationwide.
With Antisemitic Incidents in NJ Declining Last Year, Antisemitic Groups Are Calling For Their Leaders to Be Fired
Thousands of antisemitic demonstrators gathered throughout NJ Wednesday to protest the “weak leadership” of the state’s antisemitic mobs.
“Clearly, the antisemitic leaders that we anointed to lead the war against the jews are not doing their jobs, as evidenced by the most recent stats,” said Joseph Klansberry, a longtime antisemite and resident of Ocean County. “Hence, we must anoint new leadership that can spew forth the most vile forms of hatred towards the jewish people in a highly productive and extremely efficient manner.”
However, Adolf Pitler, executive vice president of the ‘National Association of Antisemites’, told reporters on Wednesday that “antisemitic trends are not necessarily linear”, and that additional time will be needed “to truly assess the effectiveness – or ineffectiveness – of today’s antisemitic leadership.”
“By this time next year, we should be able to determine whether NJ’s antisemitic leaders are up to the task,” Mr. Pitler said. “We’ll see whether antisemitic stone-throwing incidents or shoving-to-the-ground occurrences are rebounding back to their previous upward trends. If not, then we’ll have no choice but to replace today’s jew-hating leadership with a fresh new batch of jew-haters.”
Josef Bengele, the current head of Ocean County’s ‘Assault The Jews Coalition’ told reporters on Wednesday that he plans to continue to lead his jew-hating coalition “for one more year.”
“If I can hoist a kritallnacht trophy in Ocean County next year, that will be my highest honor.” he said, “However, if I am unable to bring forth a more destructive culture to Ocean County, by creating more opportunities to assault jews, smash their windows and deface their property, then I’ll know once and for all that it’s time for me retire!”