A worrying escalation in antisemitic trends worldwide has emerged in 2025. The World Zionist Organization's Department for Combating Antisemitism published its 2025 status report summary on Tuesday. The report, released ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, determined that 2025 was characterized by a "normalization" of hatred, which has become a constant stream no longer dependent on isolated incidents or news "triggers."
Ifat Ovadia-Luski, Head of the Department for Combating Antisemitism at the World Zionist Organization and former KKL-JNF Chairwoman, stated upon the data's release: "International Holocaust Remembrance Day obligates us not only to commemoration, but to active commitment to protecting the lives and security of Jews worldwide. The findings from 2025 indicate a worrying deterioration; global antisemitism is not a marginal phenomenon but a sustained trend of systematic incitement and violence. A central lesson from history is the need for early identification of dehumanization processes and systematic intervention before they evolve into widespread violence. The time has come to move from counting incidents to real and effective combat."
Key findings
Sharp increase in incidents: During the first eight months of 2025, 4,574 antisemitic incidents were recorded worldwide, an increase of approximately 10.2% compared to the corresponding period last year. On average, approximately 22 incidents were documented per day.
Fatalities: In 2025, 20 people were murdered in antisemitic incidents, including 15 in the Hanukkah massacre in Sydney, Australia. Additional fatal incidents included the murder of security guards at the Jewish Museum in Washington and the attack at the synagogue in Manchester.
Radicalization of discourse: While a decline in "political" anti-Israel discourse was recorded, a spike of 75%-100% was documented in extreme antisemitic expressions, including explicit Nazi calls.
Digital arena and algorithms: Modern antisemitism operates as a constant stream, sometimes reinforced by authorities and governments. Social media algorithms based on engagement tend to amplify anger-inducing and extremist content, creating echo chambers of hatred.
Impact on Jewish communities
Overt antisemitism leads to deep harm to feelings of security and Jewish identity. Data from the US shows that 55% of Jews experienced at least one antisemitic experience in the past year. Responses of concealment among Jewish communities, such as removing mezuzahs, changing family names, or avoiding the display of religious symbols, have become an expression of "pragmatism of existence" that threatens cultural continuity and collective resilience.
Demands for action and policy
The report emphasizes that an effective response requires a transition from declarative condemnations to multidimensional practical policy:
Robust legislation and enforcement: Expanding the range of definitions in government institutions based on the IHRA definition and including digital incitement as a critical component in enforcement.
Regulation on digital platforms: Mandating transparency in distribution metrics and enforcement to prevent presentation of violent content as "neutral."
Institutionalization of education and resilience programs: Rehabilitation of feelings of security and Jewish pride through extensive community programs.
International coalition: Establishment of a governmental and civil alliance for coordinated combat against institutionalized antisemitism.
"The responsibility underlying this report is practical responsibility: to transform the lessons of the past into tools for action in the present in order to protect the lives and identity of Jews," the report concludes.
