Jews targeted in more than half of NYC hate crimes

Anti-Jewish incidents made up 53% of all hate crimes recorded in New York City during the first nine months of 2026, according to statistics released by the NYPD.

By World Israel News Staff

Jewish New Yorkers were targeted in nearly 53% of all confirmed hate crimes recorded in New York City during the first nine months of 2026, according to newly released police statistics, despite Jews making up only about one-tenth of the city’s population.

The New York Police Department recorded 245 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes between January 1 and September 30, compared with 463 confirmed hate crimes across all categories.

The number of anti-Jewish incidents was slightly higher than during the same period last year, when 242 were recorded, an increase of 1.2%.

Overall hate crime, however, rose much more sharply. The city recorded 463 confirmed hate crimes through September, up 12.9% from 410 during the first nine months of 2025.

“The most striking trend continues to be antisemitic hate crimes,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said while presenting the latest figures Tuesday.

“Those numbers are deeply concerning,” she added.

The figures stand in sharp contrast with broader crime trends across New York City. Major crime fell 6.6% during the first nine months of the year, while murders fell nearly 20% and shooting incidents declined 11.6%.

Police said the city recorded its lowest number of murders, shooting incidents and shooting victims ever for the first nine months of a year.

Anti-Jewish incidents nevertheless remained by far the largest category of confirmed hate crime.

The next-highest category was crimes motivated by sexual orientation, with 52 confirmed incidents. Police recorded 37 incidents classified under religion more broadly, 32 targeting Muslims, 31 targeting black people, 20 based on gender and 16 targeting Asians.

Anti-Muslim hate crimes showed one of the largest year-over-year increases, rising from 18 during the first nine months of 2025 to 32 this year.

During the third quarter alone, police confirmed 59 anti-Jewish hate crimes out of 125 hate crimes overall, meaning Jews were targeted in just over 47% of confirmed incidents between July and September.

That represented a decline from the same quarter last year, when 68 anti-Jewish hate crimes were recorded.

The NYPD distinguishes between incidents initially reported as possible hate crimes and those ultimately confirmed after investigation. During the third quarter, 181 incidents were reported as hate crimes, including 85 targeting Jews. Of those cases, 125 had been confirmed as hate crimes in the department’s latest figures.

The statistics come after several highly publicized attacks against Jewish New Yorkers in recent months.

In September, a 48-year-old Bronx resident was arrested after allegedly chasing a visibly Jewish man in Crown Heights with a knife while shouting a Nazi slogan. Police charged the suspect with aggravated harassment as a hate crime and other offenses.

A month earlier, a man disrupted Friday night services at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue, allegedly striking a congregant, damaging synagogue property and attacking a security guard. He was arrested and charged with multiple hate-crime offenses.

Police increased protection around Jewish institutions during the High Holy Days, deploying officers to synagogues throughout the city.

Tisch said the department would continue directing additional resources toward Jewish communities while its Hate Crime Task Force investigates antisemitic incidents.

The latest statistics were released immediately before the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, against the backdrop of continuing concerns over antisemitic violence and harassment in New York and other major cities.