NYC schools see majority of antisemitic incidents as harassment, vandalism, threats: report

A recent report from United Jewish Teachers reveals that direct harassment, vandalism, and threats constitute the majority of antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents within New York City's public school system. The study, which monitored hundreds of hostile events across all five boroughs from October 2023 to July 2026, found that such direct actions accounted for 64.8% of all documented cases.

Beyond direct confrontation, the report identified biased teaching materials and instructional content as contributing to 23.2% of incidents. Disruptive events like walkouts and protests made up 9.6%, with staff actions and online posts comprising the remaining 2.4%. Brooklyn recorded the highest number of incidents at 36.8%, followed by Queens (27.2%) and Manhattan (24.8%).

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I am releasing a report on antisemitism that has happened in New York City schools over the last three years. The goal is for accountability and how to counteract the rising tide of antisemitism. We want to make sure that every Jewish student, faculty, and parents feel supported.

In response to the findings, United Jewish Teachers has proposed several key recommendations for district leadership. These include the formal adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, requiring NYPD investigations before hate graffiti is removed, implementing transparent public tracking of incidents, and conducting a system-wide curriculum review to identify and eliminate biased narratives about Israel and Jewish people. Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, emphasized the urgency of the report, stating, "With antisemitism rising across New York City and a new school year about to begin, this report could not come at a more critical moment."

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With antisemitism rising across New York City and a new school year about to begin, this report could not come at a more critical moment.