Even as major crime in New York City fell to historic lows, antisemitic incidents surged dramatically in May, exposing a troubling contradiction at the heart of one of the world’s most prominent Jewish communities.
New NYPD data shows that hate crimes jumped 74.4% year over year in May, rising to 68 confirmed incidents compared with 39 in May 2025. Of those, 41 targeted Jewish New Yorkers — representing 60.3% of all confirmed hate crimes in the city and a 71% increase over the 24 anti-Jewish incidents recorded in the same month last year.
The numbers are striking in their disproportion: Jewish residents make up roughly 10% of New York City’s population, yet they remain the single most targeted group in the city’s hate crime statistics.
A City of Contrasts
The surge unfolded during the same month that thousands flooded city streets for a massive pro-Israel parade, a vivid public demonstration of support for the Jewish community. Yet off those same streets, Jewish houses of worship faced a different reality.
On May 11, an anti-Israel demonstration outside a Brooklyn synagogue turned violent after protesters marched through the Midwood neighborhood chanting for an intifada. Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, cited that incident directly in his response to the new data.
“We are never going to resolve international disputes at the doors of houses of worship,” Treyger said, adding that the city still has “a lot more to do” to protect Jewish residents.
Leadership Under Scrutiny
Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew criticism from Jewish leaders after declining to attend the pro-Israel parade. Scott Richman, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey region, went further, calling a “Nakba” day video released by Mamdani “incredibly incendiary” — warning that rhetoric that assigns collective blame to Jewish communities creates a climate where violence becomes more likely.
Year-to-Date Picture
Through the first five months of 2026, confirmed hate crimes across New York City have increased 8.6%, with 265 incidents recorded compared to 244 during the same period in 2025. Of those, 152 have targeted Jews — more than 57% of the city’s year-to-date total.
Beneath the headline crime statistics — where murders, shootings, robberies, and burglaries are all trending downward — these numbers tell a different story about safety for a specific and ancient community.The data echoes a biblical pattern recognized across generations: in seasons of general prosperity, the people of Israel still face targeted hostility.
