Antisemitism in NJ: Bergen County Named #1 Hotspot as Violence Reaches Record Highs
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A chilling new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reveals that antisemitism is becoming “normalized” across the Garden State. While the nation saw a slight dip in overall incidents, New Jersey remains a volatile exception, ranking third in the nation for antisemitic acts, trailing only New York and California.
LOOKS LIKE “HATE DOES LIVE HERE “
Bergen County: The Center of the Crisis
The 2025 ADL Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, released on May 6, 2026, identifies Bergen County as the primary hotspot for hate in New Jersey.
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20% of all statewide incidents targeting visibly Jewish individuals occurred within Bergen County.
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Shocking Local Cases: Recent incidents include a Paramus grocery store encounter where a gunman used antisemitic slurs and a Fair Lawn student who was told they belonged in a concentration camp.
The “Normalization” of Violence
The report highlights a terrifying shift from verbal harassment to physical danger. In 2025, New Jersey recorded 687 total incidents, including:
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Record-Breaking Assaults: 20 physical assaults—the highest number ever recorded in the state.
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Targeting the Orthodox: Visibly Jewish individuals were seven times more likely to be victims of physical assault.
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School Safety: New Jersey now leads the nation in antisemitic incidents occurring in K-12 schools.
“Numbers that would have shocked us five years ago are now our floor,” warns Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “Antisemitism is being normalized, and it is essential that people speak up.”
Political Firestorm: The “WTF” Moment in the 11th District
The data arrives amid a heated special election in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District to fill the seat vacated by Mikie Sherrill.
Anilila Mejia, the Democratic Socialist nominee, has sparked national outrage following a debate exchange with Republican Joe Hathaway. During a testy discussion on hate speech, Mejia delivered a soundbite that has since gone viral:
“And if [anti-Semitism] is the worse thing that I could be accused of, then I will stand with it.”
The comment has drawn criticism even from within her own party. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) recently acknowledged the rise of antisemitism on the “far left,” particularly on college campuses, urging leaders to “call it out” directly.
But Republicans have their own problems. A study conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute, whose results were published Monday, put hard numbers behind the anti-Israel, antisemitic turns of right-wing American influencers Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens over the last year.
The two controversial talk show hosts, each significantly intensified their focus on Israel this year, compared to coverage of other international issues, such as the war in Ukraine or tensions with China. For Owens, the shift began in February 2025; for Carlson, in April.
A Pattern of Intimidation
The ADL report notes a disturbing trend of perpetrators driving through heavily Jewish neighborhoods—such as Teaneck, Lakewood, and Englewood—specifically to intimidate and harass residents. Furthermore, the use of swastikas increased by 28% over the previous year.
How to Combat the Rise of Hate
The ADL emphasizes that silence is the greatest ally of normalization. To reverse this trend, the organization recommends:
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Speaking Out: Do not ignore antisemitic posts or comments; report them immediately.
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Fact-Sharing: Counter propaganda with verified facts and historical context.
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Local Vigilance: Support local law enforcement in identifying perpetrators of intimidation in Orthodox neighborhoods.
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The current antisemitism tsunami is from the left.
Jonathan Greenblatt ignored it for years and now it’s on full display.
The Democrat Senate nominee from Maine has a NAZI tattoo on his chest.
After announcing his candidacy he had it covered.
Has Jonathan Greenblatt said one word about this?
Now I have to look up who Jonathan Greenblatt is.
By the way, Greenblatt is a Jewish surname so he’s a self-hating Jew ?
See book “Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind” by Saad
What’s happening in the middle east probably has nothing to do with it!
The ambulances from upstate NY that are being used as taxi on rt 17 don’t help (although they are a miniscule portion of the population they attract unfair attention to others)
The mainstream news media, social media, college professors and the more extreme members of the Democrat party have done a very effective job of indoctrinating millions of young people into hating Israel and the Jewish faith.
Paterson has a big population of Jew haters
Killing innocent women and children will do that.
you mean like on October 7th