Antisemitism Watch

Global Terror Threats Escalate: Israel Warns Jews Abroad Ahead of High Holidays
US Jewish Institutions Spending Over $1 Billion Annually on Security Amid Rising Threats
Macklemore's 'Free Palestine' Performance Sparks Calls for Tour Removal

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Antisemitism Watch

Antisemitism Watch is a daily monitoring and analysis program tracking antisemitism worldwide — incidents, rhetoric, policy, and institutional responses — r

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You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

Today, we're tracking escalating global terror threats targeting Jewish communities and a stark new picture of security costs at home.

Israel's National Security Council has issued a global warning about heightened terror threats against Israelis and Jews abroad ahead of the High Holy Days. According to the NSC, Iran and its proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, alongside lone attackers, remain significant dangers, driven by ongoing conflicts and incitement campaigns. The council has designated Jordan, Qatar, Somaliland, and Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, as Level 4 travel warning areas, urging travelers to avoid them entirely. Other countries flagged as high-risk or prohibited for Israelis include Azerbaijan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and several nations in Africa and Asia. Israelis abroad are advised to contact local security services immediately if they suspect a threat, and to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli identifiers, speaking Hebrew in public, and posting real-time locations on social media. The NSC noted that October 2026, marking the third anniversary of the October 7th massacre, is considered a particularly sensitive period for potential large-scale protests and intensified terrorist efforts. The Foreign Ministry also reported receiving 45 incidents involving Israelis overseas in the past year, ranging from physical assaults to verbal abuse and denial of services.

At home, the financial burden of these persistent threats continues to mount. New data from the Jewish Federations of North America reveals that U.S. Jewish institutions are now spending approximately $1.015 billion annually on security. This figure represents a substantial 33% increase from 2024 estimates and impacts over 4,500 organizations nationwide, with average spending reaching around $225,000 per institution. This escalating cost, which diverts funds from educational and welfare programs, is directly tied to rising antisemitic threats. This is underscored by FBI data showing that in 2025, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for nearly two-thirds of all reported religiously motivated hate crimes, despite Jews comprising only about 2% of the U.S. population. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025, a decline from the previous year but still the third-highest annual total since tracking began in 1979, with physical assaults reaching a record high.

On the cultural front, rapper Macklemore is facing calls for his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour. The Israeli-American Council, or IAC, launched a petition urging Sheeran and his management to drop Macklemore after he used his opening set at MetLife Stadium to call for a 'Free Palestine' and perform his song 'Hind's Hall,' while footage from Gaza and pro-Palestinian encampments was shown. The IAC stated that Macklemore used the global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda with selective imagery and biased messaging. StopAntisemitism also criticized the performance, calling it 'relentless anti-Israel obsession' and demanding apologies and refunds from attendees.

The pervasive nature of these threats, both abroad and at home, demands our continued vigilance. I'm Rachel Adler. Thank you for joining us on Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-907681
- youtube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Dn23JvSKQ
- worldisraelnews.com: https://worldisraelnews.com/us-synagogues-jewish-groups-paying-more-than-1-billion-a-year-for-security/
- Times of Israel (Telegram): https://t.me/TheTimesOfIsrael2022/9041
- ground.news: https://ground.news/article/nsc-warns-terror-threats-against-israelis-jews-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-high-holy-days_634aff
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-907677
- timesofisrael.com: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-warns-of-ongoing-terror-threats-to-jews-israelis-abroad-ahead-of-high-holidays/
- ynetnews.com: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1zrhyqoge
- jpost.com: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-907674
- i24news.tv: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/artc-national-security-council-warns-of-terror-organizations-sharp-motivation-to-target-israelis-and-jews-abroad