The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released its annual audit on Wednesday, revealing a 33% decline in antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2025, the first drop in five years. However, ADL national director Jonathan Greenblatt described 2025 as "one of the most violent years for American Jews," citing a record-high 203 physical assaults, including three deaths.
Campus Incidents Plummet
The sharp overall decrease was largely driven by a 66% fall in antisemitic incidents on college campuses, from 1,694 in 2024 to 583 in 2025. This decline followed the Trump administration's pressure on universities to curb pro-Palestinian protests linked to the Israel-Hamas war. The ADL recorded 6,274 total incidents in 2025, down from a record 9,354 in 2024. New York (1,160), California (817), and New Jersey (687) reported the highest numbers.
Violent Attacks Rise
Despite the overall drop, Greenblatt noted that 2025 saw the highest number of physical assaults ever recorded. He referenced the May 21 shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., which killed two Jewish people, and the June 1 firebombing in Boulder, Colorado, that killed an 82-year-old Jewish woman. "People are being murdered because of antisemitism on American soil," Greenblatt said.
Debate Over Definitions
The ADL's methodology has sparked debate. In 2024, 58% of incidents were linked to Israel or Zionism, dropping to 45% in 2025. The ADL considers anti-Zionism a form of antisemitism, a stance that some critics, including Jewish anti-Zionists, dispute. Aryeh Tuchman of the Nexus Center for Antisemitism called for "room for multiple approaches."
Ongoing Concerns
Greenblatt cautioned against complacency, noting campus incidents in 2025 were still nearly four times higher than in 2021. Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations launched an "Unhostile Campus Campaign" to protect pro-Palestinian speech. Internationally, concerns persist: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for tougher action after stabbings in London, and an Australian inquiry is examining a rise in antisemitism following a Hanukkah massacre that killed 15. A Tel Aviv University study found 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks since 1994, with 20 deaths across Australia, Britain, and the US.
