Anti-Jewish hate crimes in the U.S. soared 63% in 2023, the highest on record, according to data released Monday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The statistics come amid an unprecedented burst of antisemitism around the world, including in the U.S., after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel.
According to FBI figures, which are considered to be conservative since many hate crimes go unreported, 1,832 antisemitic incidents were reported in the U.S. last year, compared with 1,124 in 2022, though the number in 2023 doesn't indicate if the crimes occurred before or after the single largest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
There were some 236 anti-Muslim hate crime incidents reported last year, up from 158 the year before.
Although Jews make up about 2% of the U.S. population, antisemitic incidents comprised 15% of all hate crimes officially recorded in the country in 2023, and 68% of all religion-base hate crimes, a figure in keeping with previous years.
"At a time when the Jewish community is still suffering from the sharp rise in antisemitism following Hamas's Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, the record-high number of anti-Jewish hate crime incidents is unfortunately entirely consistent with the Jewish community's experience and ADL's tracking," Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement.
The ADL, which independently tracks hate attacks against Jews, counted 8,873 antisemitic incidents last year, a 140% jump from 2022, and the highest number since the group began collecting such data in 1979.
Antisemitic assaults increased 45% last year, the ADL said.
"Although it's encouraging to see more law enforcement agencies participating in reporting hate crimes data in 2023, we still have a long way to go toward ensuring comprehensive data collection that provides a more accurate picture of the lived experiences of targeted communities across the country," Greenblatt said.
"As the Jewish community is still reeling from Hamas' brutal attack against Israelis on Oct. 7, we are simultaneously contending with an earth-shattering increase in antisemitic violence," Ted Deutch, CEO of the New York-based American Jewish Committee, said in a statement. "It's unacceptable that in America of all places there are nearly five antisemitic hate crimes on average per day."
Deutch noted that the official record-breaking FBI figures were likely under-reflecting hate crimes against Jews.
Both American Jewish organizations called on the U.S. Congress to pass the Improved Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, requiring law-enforcement agencies to report hate crimes to the FBI to be eligible for types of federal funding.
The FBI found that African Americans remain the top target of racial hate crimes in the U.S.
This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.