August 5, 2025 — Washington, DC
FBI report finds that Jews are the target of roughly 70% of religiously motivated hate crimes
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, is deeply concerned by the findings published today in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Reported Crimes in the Nation 2024 – Hate Crime Statistics report. The data show that religiously motivated hate crime incidents have increased year-over-year, with incidents targeting Jews rising at a faster pace than the national average. Anti-Jewish hate crime incidents continue to reach record highs, with this year’s data reflecting the highest number of such incidents since the FBI began reporting this information.
“Leaders of every kind — teachers, law enforcement officers, government officials, business owners, university presidents — must confront antisemitism head-on,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “Jews are being targeted not just out of hate, but because some wrongly believe that violence or intimidation is justified by global events. With the added climate of rising polarization and fading trust in democracy, American Jews are facing a perfect storm of hate. Whether walking to synagogue, dropping their kids off at school, sitting in restaurants, or on college campuses, Jews are facing a climate where fear of antisemitism is part of daily life. This is unacceptable – the targeting of Jews is not a Jewish problem, it is a society-wide issue that demands a society-wide response.”
The FBI report shows that religiously motivated incidents increased by 3.1% from 2023 to 2024, with anti-Jewish incidents having increased by 5.8% from 1,832 in 2023 to 1,938 in 2024. Jews account for only 2% of the U.S. population, yet were the target of roughly 70% of religiously motivated hate crimes and more than 16% of all hate crimes reported in 2024. Even with total incidents of hate crimes decreasing – from 11,862 in 2023 to 11,679 in 2024 (2.6%) – religiously motivated incidents continue to increase, driven by the continued rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes.
According to AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report, one-third (33%) of American Jews say they have been the personal target of antisemitism – in person or virtually – at least once over the last year with young people bearing the brunt. Four in 10 (41%) young American Jews, ages 18-29, say they have been the target of antisemitism at least once over the last year.
As concerning as the FBI data is, it is likely that the number of religiously motivated and anti-Jewish incidents is actually greater – as hate crimes are widely underreported across the country. Since many major cities continue to not report hate crimes, the true state of antisemitism in the U.S. is likely much worse. AJC welcomes the news that an additional 410 law enforcement agencies participated in reporting for the 2024 Hate Crime Statistics Report, compared to 2023, and continues to urge all local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to accurately document and report this information. The difficulties faced by agencies nationwide in reporting this information deprive communities and elected officials not only of the opportunity to truly understand the degree to which hate-based violence permeates American society, but also of the information necessary to address this hate and to create new policy to combat antisemitism and all hate.
Accurate data and reporting are key tools in effectively combating hate. AJC has released Reporting Antisemitism to Federal Agencies, Law Enforcement, and Social Media: Guidance by American Jewish Committee, which contains information for law enforcement, the Jewish community, and witnesses of antisemitism to help close the gaps in reporting. AJC has also published A Law Enforcement Guide to Countering Antisemitism, which offers suggestions to law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.
To improve hate crimes reporting across the country, AJC is urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act (H.R. 2588). This legislation, led by Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE), would require law enforcement agencies representing populations of 100,000 or more to report hate crimes or be subject to auditing and potentially denied federal grant opportunities. There are currently more than 50 localities with populations of 100,000 or more that have reported zero hate crimes, including Albuquerque, NM; Baton Rouge, LA; Little Rock, AR; Montgomery, AL; Newark, NJ; Savannah, GA; and Tulsa, OK.
AJC is also calling on Congress to provide at least $500 million for the Department of Homeland Security-administered Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides funding for high-risk nonprofits – including synagogues, Jewish day schools, and Jewish community centers – to increase preparedness and security. NSGP grants fill a much-needed funding gap and allow grantees to acquire the resources they need to ensure their, and their communities’, safety. Additionally, AJC supports funding and promoting awareness of federal grants and programs such as the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program, and the Community Relations Service (CRS). These grants and programs empower both communities and law enforcement agencies to strengthen hate crime reporting and anti-hate efforts.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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