It’s back to school time and many Jewish families are worried about much more than just shopping for new shoes and school supplies.They are concerned that their children may not be safe because they are Jewish.Alongside math and reading, school is where children learn where they fit into society and whether the surrounding adults will protect them, but the recent rise in antisemitic threats and violence is putting all of that in jeopardy.According to the New York Police Department, antisemitic hate crimes increased by 8.5% in New York City in the first seven months of 2026.
The majority of hate crimes in the city were anti-Jewish, despite Jewish New Yorkers being only a tenth of the population.ANTISEMITISM CONTROVERSY ERUPTS AT ELITE NY HIGH SCHOOL AFTER ISRAEL FLYER FOUND IN URINALVile antisemitic graffiti on UCLA's campus in 2024 reads 'F--- ALL Jews." (Department of Justice)But it’s not just a New York problem.Recent FBI statistics show that, although Jews only make up only 2% of the U.S.population, they were the victims of 16% of all reported hate crimes and nearly 70% of all religion-based hate crimes.And 10% of those crimes happened in schools.
Antisemitic incidents at K-12 schools have increased 434% since 2020.While rising antisemitism has resulted in real-world violence that directly impacts the Jewish community, it is a problem for our entire society and requires a whole-of-society response, with our cultural and political leaders stepping up.CHRISTIAN LEADERS HOLD EMERGENCY SUMMIT IN JERUSALEM TO CONFRONT GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISMAftermath shown around the Children's Center at Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan.An attacker rammed into the building on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
(Temple Israel)Online platforms must enforce their own rules against incitement and threats.Research has found that 74% of Americans who encountered antisemitism saw or heard it online or on social media.
Two thirds of Jewish adults who experienced this di...