Antisemitic report for 2025 is out and the Florida data isn't good

• Florida ranked fourth in the nation for antisemitic incidents in 2025, with a total of 319 reported cases.
• The state moved up from its previous ranking of seventh, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League.
• Most of Florida's incidents occurred in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.

Florida had the fourth most antisemitic incidents in the country in 2025, according to date released May 5 by the Anti-Defamation League.

The report, which indicates antisemitic assaults in the United States reached record levels in 2025, showed Florida moved up from the seventh spot the previous year. There were a total of 319 incidents in the state in 2025.

Most of them took place in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, constituting 43% of Florida’s incidents.

“When you look at the fact that assaults have increased, it speaks to why so many in the Jewish community feel vulnerable,” Oren Segal, senior vice president of counter-extremism and intelligence at ADL, told USA TODAY. “There’s still a high level of anxiety.”

Where did most of Florida’s antisemitic incidents happen in 2025? 

• Jewish Institution: 65
• Colleges/University: 18
• K-12 School: 18
• Public Area: 83
• Business: 44
• Home/Housing: 56

The audit, as well as reports from other watchdogs and government agencies tracking hate crimes against Jewish Americans, shows incidents have increased after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel, followed by Israel’s devastating siege of Gaza.

ADL's audit includes harassment, vandalism and physical attacks. Researchers gather data using law enforcement and news reports, but the largest source of incidents are those reported directly by alleged victims. Since the ADL reporting began in 1979, the audit showed 2025 was the third-highest year for antisemitic incidents on record, with 6,274 incidents, but down from the record of over 9,300 incidents in 2024.

Questions on how ADL defines antisemitism

The ADL said its audit differentiates criticism of Israel with antisemitism. But since the 2023 attacks, ADL’s annual audit began including “certain expressions” that oppose Zionism, along with violent resistance against Israel and Zionists, which the audit’s methodology said "could be perceived as supporting terrorism or attacks on Jews, Israelis and Zionists."

For example, the progressive news outlet Jewish Currents found instances in ADL's 2023 audit in which the pro-Palestinian protest slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," was counted among antisemitic incidents multiple times. Many advocates of Palestinian rights say that is a call for freedom and equality, while pro-Israel groups see the slogan as calling for the removal of Jews from modern Israel.

Incidents related to Israel or Zionism made up about 45% of all cases, the audit said, adding this declined compared to 2024 but has remained high since before 2023.

Brendan Lantz, director of Florida State University’s Hate Crime Research and Policy Institute, said the report attempts to distinguish conceptually between criticism of Israel and antisemitism, but it takes a broader definition allowing for Israel-related expressions to be included.

While overall findings appear consistent with other sources showing antisemitism is elevated after 2023, ADL datasets differ from federal and survey-based data, Lantz said in an email. ADL uses non-criminal incidents, broader criteria and reporting from other sources, he said. Because of this, the data is better understood as trends in ADL’s data collection, rather than definitive evidence of nationwide patterns.

Aryeh Tuchman, director of the Nexus Center for Antisemitism Research and a former ADL antisemitism researcher, called rising assaults — even as overall incidents declined — a red flag, particularly with deadly attacks in 2025.

The audit is crucial, he added, but incidents need to be studied to understand people's motivations and factors leading to physical assaults against Jews.

"Simply looking at a list of incidents is not going to tell you that answer," he said. "You need to study it much more deeply."

Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.