In 2025, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a significant decline in antisemitic incidents in the United States, marking the first decrease in five years. The total number of incidents fell from a record high of 9,354 in 2024 to 6,274 in 2025, a reduction of 33%. This decrease was largely attributed to a dramatic decline in antisemitic events on college campuses, which saw a staggering 66% drop from 1,694 incidents in 2024 to just 583 incidents in 2025. Many colleges took proactive measures to mitigate protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, prompted in part by pressure from the Trump administration.
The states with the highest number of antisemitic incidents in 2025 were New York (1,160), California (817), and New Jersey (687). Despite the overall decrease in incidents, the ADL noted a rise in violence against Jews, reporting a record 203 physical assaults during the year. This spike in violent incidents included three killings, notably a shooting that claimed the lives of two Jewish individuals outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and the fatal firebombing of an event in Boulder, Colorado, aimed at raising awareness of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
In 2024, the ADL highlighted that incidents linked to Israel or Zionism accounted for 58% of all antisemitic occurrences, largely due to heightened tensions following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. By 2025, this percentage decreased to 45%, coinciding with a decline in anti-Israel rallies that employed rhetoric deemed antisemitic. The ADL's methodology has sparked debate among American Jews regarding the boundaries between legitimate criticism of Israeli policies and antisemitism, with some critics labeling the ADL's definitions as overly broad.
In an effort to address antisemitism on college campuses, the ADL introduced a Campus Antisemitism Report Card which grades universities based on their responses to antisemitism and adherence to ADL-recommended policies. This initiative was part of a broader strategy that included legal actions and settlements with institutions such as Pomona College. ADL's national director, Jonathan Greenblatt, acknowledged the 66% reduction in campus incidents as a positive development but warned that antisemitic incidents on campuses remain nearly four times higher than in 2021, indicating a need for sustained vigilance.
The ADL, while advocating for clarity in distinguishing between criticism of Israel and antisemitism, recognizes the complexities in this area. Experts emphasize the necessity of accommodating various perspectives, particularly as some Jewish individuals critique both Zionism and the ADL's interpretations. Concurrently, groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) launched the "Unhostile Campus Campaign," aimed at protecting the rights of pro-Palestinian students and ensuring their freedom of speech is not compromised.
Concerns regarding antisemitism extend beyond the United States. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for more stringent measures against antisemitic behavior at pro-Palestinian protests following alarming incidents involving violence against Jewish individuals. Similarly, in Australia, a commission is examining the rise of antisemitism amid growing hostility toward Jewish communities, which has been aggravated since the outbreak of conflict on October 7, 2023. A recent study revealed that 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks in Australia, Britain, and the United States, with 20 recorded deaths, making it the worst such year since 1994.
