New York led the nation in anti-Semitic incidents over the past year, according to a new report.

The Anti-Defamation League say new data shows there were 416 documented incidents in the state, representing a 24% increase relative to incidents reported in 2020, when ADL recorded 336 incidents in the state. The incidents accounted for 15% of the total reported anti-Semitic incidents across the country.

Also in the data were 51 incidents of anti-Semitic assault – the highest number of antisemitic assaults ever recorded by ADL in New York – representing a staggering 325% increase relative to the 12 assaults recorded in 2020 and a significant 46% increase relative to the 35 assaults recorded in 2019, and accounting for 57% of antisemitic assaults recorded nationwide.

There were 109 antisemitic incidents reported in Manhattan, 84 in Brooklyn and 69 in Long Island, 23 in Westchester, 22 in the Bronx and eight in Rockland County.

In addition, ADL saw notable increases in incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and incidents involving swastika symbols in New York last year. Taken together, these incidents increased by 20% in 2021, from 153 in 2020 to 183 in 2021. Nationally, reported antisemitic incidents in 2021 reached an all-time high of 2,717 incidents, a 34% increase in incidents since 2020, and a 29% increase in incidents since 2019.

Rabbi Todd Chizner, of Temple Judea in Manhasset, says teaching tolerance and maintaining strong relationships in the community is important.

"We may not be able to change the haters of the world, but we must make sure the haters of the world don't change us," Chizner says.

"The alarming uptick in antisemitic incidents in our state should be deeply concerning to all – Jews and those outside of the Jewish community," said Scott Richman, Regional Director, ADL New York/New Jersey. "The fact that these incidents included an unprecedented number of vicious assaults – frequently targeting visibly Jewish individuals on the streets of New York, including young children, is incredibly disturbing. The message that this data is sending us is clear: antisemitism, like other forms of hate, is not going away, and we must proactively work together to protect our community by combating antisemitic statements and behavior before they lead to even more violence. In order to achieve a more compassionate, inclusive and safe New York and fight the normalization of hate, we must recommit ourselves to working with government, educational institutions, intergroup partners and law enforcement in collaborative ways."

The ADL says the increase in incidents is attributed to Israeli-Hamas conflict, the rise of hateful messages on social media and the stress from the pandemic.

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