A new study on antisemitism released this week by the American Jewish Committee shows that Jewish people are changing their behavior out of fear after three major antisemitic attacks took place in 2025.
The back-to-back incidents: the firebombing of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home in Harrisburg, PA, in April 2025 by Cody Balmer; the shooting deaths of Sarah Milgrim, 26, a Jewish American staffer at the Israeli Embassy, and her partner Yaron Lischinsky, 30, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. in May 2025; and the death of Karen Diamond, 82, after an assault on a Jewish group peacefully protesting in Boulder, CO in June 2025.
AJC conducted a survey of 1,222 Jewish and 1,033 non-Jewish people on American attitudes about antisemitism in October 2025. The survey was designed to build on existing trends, while including new questions about artificial intelligence (AI) and protest rhetoric.
The American Jewish population is around 5.7 million according to Pew Research, representing about 0.2% of the world’s population.
Dov Wilker is AJC’s Atlanta regional director and vice president of advocacy and innovation. Wilker said a few survey findings “shocked” him. Nine in 10 Jews feel less safe as a result of the three major attacks, Wilker said, and more than half have avoided publicly wearing, carrying, or displaying things that might identify them as Jewish out of fear of antisemitism.
“The overall majority of Jews feel less safe. We’re experiencing antisemitism in person and we’re seeing it online, and therefore we’re changing our behavior,” Wilker said. “The pattern is quite clear about how this impacts us.”
Thirty percent of American Jews have avoided places, events, or situations out of concern for their safety, the survey states.
In Atlanta, businesses and neighborhoods have reported been targeted by groups distributing flyers with hate rhetoric. On Feb. 4, a North Carolina man was sentenced to five years in prison for sending antisemitic threats to Georgia State Rep. Esther Pantich and Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar.
Wilker said people attending Jewish events have “their antennas up” looking for uniformed law enforcement and increased security – a reality facing Jewish schools, events, and synagogues.
The Jewish community continues to increase its security presence with the support of elected officials, Wilker said citing the fourth annual Legislative Shabbat held on Jan. 30.
“We had more elected officials there than ever before. They’re showing up for us and listening to our needs in many respects,” Wilker said.
In all, 31% of American Jews say they were a target of an antisemitic incident in 2025: a physical attack, a remark in person, antisemitic vandalism or messaging, antisemitic remark or post online or through social media, or any other form of antisemitism.
“The online realm is terrible, and there’s actually even more [antisemitism] in person than I would like to think about. Kids are feeling it in school,” Wilker said.
Wilker said last week a group of middle school students in Cobb County raised their arms to emulate a Heil Hitler salute. This comes after Cobb County parents reported antisemitic hate symbols found on two school properties in 2025.
“I still can’t believe this happened,” he said. “These things are still happening, and we’re not necessarily talking about them as much … we become normalized to it.”
The survey states that 23% of those who experienced antisemitism reported the incident.
“Reporting incidents can be defeating because people feel like, ‘What are the authorities going to do about it?’ This leads to an underreporting of antisemitism – perhaps even within our own data,” Wilker said.
Still, Wilker emphasized the old adage: See something, say something. He noted the $15 million Blue Square ad shown during the Super Bowl, which encouraged viewers to stand up to hate.
“Jewish people weren’t the target audience for that ad,” Wilker said. “Millions of people who watch the Super Bowl who don’t think about these issues all day, if ever, are the audience.”