New York Antisemitic Hate Crimes Rise 8.5% in 2026, NYPD Data Shows

The number of hate crimes targeting Jews in New York City has continued to rise during 2026, according to data released overnight Monday into Tuesday by the New York Police Department. The report found that 205 antisemitic hate crimes were recorded in the city during the first seven months of the year, compared with 189 during the same period last year—an increase of 8.5%. The figures are being released as some members of the Jewish community voice sharp criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, arguing that his rhetoric toward Israel contributes to a hostile atmosphere toward Jews.

The data show that more than half of all hate crimes documented in New York City targeted Jews, even though they make up only about 10% of the city’s population. In July alone, 23 antisemitic incidents were recorded. New York is home to the largest Jewish community in the world outside Israel, and the figures continue to point to an upward trend that has persisted since the October 7 attack, when the number of antisemitic incidents surged in the city and across the United States.

The rise in antisemitic crimes stands out especially against the backdrop of an opposite trend in most other crime measures across the city. According to police data, most major categories of crime declined during the same period, including shootings and murders, which reached historic lows. Of all hate crimes in the city, about 56% targeted Jews, while the rest were directed at other minority groups, including Muslims, Black people, and Asians.

Since Mamdani took office in January 2026, criticism from figures in the Jewish community has intensified. They believe that his harsh statements against Israel are creating a hostile public climate and heightening the sense of insecurity among the city’s Jews. For many, the new data reinforce those concerns.

New York State Assembly member Sam Berger addressed the figures in an interview with The Wall Street Journal: "The mayor’s political life has been marked by the use of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric, especially toward the Jewish community." Berger, who is Jewish himself, added that "throughout his tenure, we have seen that instead of tempering his rhetoric, he has only intensified it."

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, has also sharply criticized the mayor in recent weeks. In his words, "Mayor Mamdani’s apparent obsession with attacking Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu further endangers New York’s Jews by encouraging people who feel legitimized by his inflammatory rhetoric."