Antisemitic incidents have surged in Jewish communities around the world since October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists in Gaza launched a war on Israel, infiltrating towns, killing some 1,200 people, and taking 251 hostages in a shocking assault. Many countries are now facing anti-Jewish activity — fueled by virulent criticism of Israeli policies and amplified by incitement on social media — at levels not seen since the Holocaust, with antisemitic incidents up by 100% to 300% or more in many countries, according to surveys.

Australian Jews experienced more than 2,000 anti-Jewish incidents over the past year, more than quadruple the number from the previous year, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) said in a report published Sunday.

A total of 2,062 incidents were recorded between October 2023 and September 2024, far more than the 495 incidents noted a year earlier. The total does not include antisemitic statements made on social media.