If you go to church, mosque or Hindu temple, chances are you think nothing of the simple act of walking inside.

If you go to a synagogue, it’s not that simple.

Rare is the synagogue — or any Jewish institution, for that matter — that does not have some combination of metal detectors, armed security and doors or windows with bulletproof glass.

Such protection is not insurance. It is a necessity.

That became especially apparent in 2018 after a gunman slaughtered 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. It remains the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in America and signaled that antisemitism in the U.S. had become more prevalent and lethal. 

New York Jews should not be walking in fear

Jews should not have to fear walking into their synagogues, whether it's for prayer or community gatherings. However, the normalization of hate and violence against our community — which would never be tolerated against any other minority — has made that far too common.

The just-released American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report highlights this crisis in sharp relief. It surveyed more than 1,200 American Jewish adults and found 91% feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. because of attacks on Jews in the last 12 months; namely the arson attack of the Pennsylvania governor’s residence, the murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Laschinsky outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and the firebombing in Boulder, Colorado, of a march in support of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

AJC has issued the report annually since 2019, the first in response to the Tree of Life massacre. In 2025, the survey found that 31% of American Jews were the personal target of antisemitism in the last year. Of those, a staggering 80% changed their behavior out of fear of antisemitism.

That means such things as not wearing a Star of David necklace or yarmulke in public or avoiding certain places or events out of concern for their safety. That Jews should feel compelled to conceal who they are should worry us all. So should the ease in which antisemitism can spread today. And if you’re wondering how, look no further than your phone.

For the first time in the history of AJC’s survey, more than seven in 10 — 73% — American Jews report experiencing antisemitism online — this includes seeing or hearing it or being personally targeted by this hate. 

Regardless of the platform, the numbers are grim. Take YouTube as an example, where nearly four in 10 (38%) report saying they saw or heard antisemitic content there in 2025, an 11-point increase from 27% in 2024. YouTube has an estimated 122 million daily users in the U.S. alone. All those eyeballs mean ample opportunities for antisemites and conspiracy theorists to spread their vile ideas.

But YouTube holds no monopoly on online hate. American Jews also experienced more antisemitism on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram compared to 2024. This all comes as many platforms loosened enforcement of their hate-speech rules in the name of free expression.

However, that has led to a different form of censorship, for fear of triggering even more anti-Jewish hatred. AJC’s report found that 39% of American Jews avoided posting content online that would identify them as a Jew or reveal their views on Jewish issues. Judging by what I see online daily, many people don’t think twice about what they post. I do.

Don’t get me wrong. I take great pride and joy in being Jewish and supporting Israel, where I lived for many years. But I, along with many Jews, sometimes hesitate to convey that to the wider online world given the potential blowback. The fear is real, as AJC’s report found, with 21% of American Jews who experienced antisemitism online saying they felt physically threatened by these incidents.

New York's leaders must speak out against antisemitism

Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem. Antisemites don’t confine their hatred to Jews and the violence that erupts from this hate does not only affect the Jewish community. It permeates and tears at the very fabric of our society.

It is a problem that requires a whole-of-society approach. One way to make that happen is to get to know and show up for and with your neighbors — foster a real community where you live. The AJC survey shows that those who know a Jewish person are more likely to know what antisemitism means, believe antisemitism is a problem in the U.S. today, and respond to it.

Several years ago, a synagogue near where I lived held an interfaith gathering in response to a wave of antisemitism that had only kept growing after the Tree of Life shootings. Hundreds of people from all walks of life filled the sanctuary. The synagogue’s rabbi looked out at the crowd and said, “I am thrilled to see all of you. And I am sad to see all of you.”

Such a moment of fellowship is something Jews will never take for granted. Showing up was an important first step, even if the reason is often heartbreaking. But we need more, like public officials and civic leaders speaking out unequivocally and committing to stronger actions to make Jews feel safe and secure.

Together, we can push antisemitism to the fringes of society and make this country a safer place for us all.

Myra Clark-Siegel is Westchester/Fairfield regional director for American Jewish Committee.

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