Newly released FBI data, published Monday by JNS, paints a troubling picture of the scale of antisemitism in the US during the first half of 2026.
According to the FBI, from the beginning of January through early July, authorities recorded 4,384 criminal offenses across 3,750 incidents classified as hate crimes. Jews were the targets in 15% of all reported incidents.
The figures show 566 antisemitic hate crime incidents involving 613 separate criminal offenses. Based on the data, Jews in the US were approximately 525% more likely to be victims of a hate crime than would be expected based on their share of the US population.
Of the 978 religion-based hate crime incidents-representing roughly one-quarter of all hate crimes reported nationwide-Jews were by far the most frequently targeted group. By comparison, Sikhs and Muslims each accounted for about 2% of religiously motivated hate crime incidents, while Arabs accounted for just 1%. Despite these findings, the FBI noted an overall decline in hate crime nationwide, with reported offenses down about 43% and total incidents falling approximately 41.5% compared with the same period last year.
A breakdown of the antisemitic incidents shows that the majority (55%) involved the destruction of, damage to, or vandalism of public or private property. Intimidation and threats accounted for 31% of cases, followed by simple assaults (8%), while aggravated assaults and theft each made up 2%.
The data also highlights how widespread antisemitism has become across different settings. The largest share of incidents (17%) occurred in public spaces, including roads, streets, alleys, and sidewalks. Educational institutions were another major hotspot: 16% of incidents took place at elementary and secondary schools, 15% occurred at victims' private residences, and 9% were reported on college and university campuses. Smaller proportions were recorded in parks and synagogues (6% each), as well as at businesses and office buildings (3% each).
A state-by-state analysis reveals significant disparities in reporting but identifies California and New Jersey as major hotspots. California reported 158 antisemitic offenses across 142 incidents, while New Jersey recorded 102 offenses in 92 incidents.
New York State reported just 88 anti-Jewish hate crimes to the FBI, a figure that raises questions about reporting consistency. According to the New York City Police Department, New York City alone recorded 178 anti-Jewish hate crimes during the first half of the year, including 26 in the past month alone.