By 5 Towns Central Staff

NEW YORK CITY (August 18, 2026)

Nearly two-thirds of the antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents documented in New York City public schools since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack involved direct actions such as harassment, vandalism, assaults or threats, according to a new report from United Jewish Teachers.

The organization recorded 250 incidents between October 2023 and July 2026, with Brooklyn reporting the highest number at 91. Queens followed with 68 incidents, Manhattan with 62, the Bronx with 22 and Staten Island with seven.

Direct incidents accounted for 64.8% of the cases tracked. Another 23.2% involved classroom materials or instruction, while 9.6% were connected to student walkouts or protests. The remaining 2.4% fell into other categories, including incidents involving teachers’ unions.

United Jewish Teachers President Moshe Spern said the findings highlight what he described as a failure by the city’s current policies to adequately protect Jewish students and educators.

“With antisemitism rising across New York City and a new school year about to begin, this report could not come at a more critical moment,” Spern told JNS. “The data make clear that current policies have failed.”

The report also raised concerns about how schools responded after incidents were reported. According to the organization, numerous cases received little or no meaningful follow-up from school or district administrators, allowing what it described as hostile environments to continue.

United Jewish Teachers is calling on NYC Public Schools to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, require hate-related graffiti to be immediately investigated by the NYPD, publicly maintain statistics on antisemitic incidents and hold school leadership accountable for addressing them.

With another school year approaching, Spern warned that Jewish families and educators cannot afford to see the same patterns continue, saying stronger enforcement and accountability are needed to ensure Jewish students can attend school without fear of harassment or intimidation.