Historian Warns of Alarming Rise in US Antisemitism Across Institutions

Historian Alex Grobman has identified a disturbing increase in antisemitism across American universities, politics, and social media, warning it poses a significant threat to the nation. He likens the current wave of hostility to a 'canary in the coal mine,' signaling a toxic environment long before widespread collapse.

While recent figures show a slight decrease in the perception of discrimination against Jews, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025, the third-highest total since 1979. Notably, physical assaults linked to Israel or Zionism surged to 45%, a stark contrast to the approximately 10% seen between 2020 and 2022. In academia, the U.S. Department of Education is investigating 60 universities for alleged antisemitic harassment or discrimination.

Grobman refutes direct comparisons to Weimar Germany, emphasizing that history teaches us how social and institutional restraints gradually weaken. He cites historian Robert Wistrich, who called antisemitism a 'primary symptom of social pathology,' indicating broader societal, cultural, and political ill health. Wistrich's observation of a rapid reversal of public opinion in Europe serves as a cautionary tale.

The historian attributes the current rise in American antisemitism to a confluence of old conspiracy theories, political polarization, and scapegoating during crises. He points to the persistent myth of a secret Jewish group controlling global finance, governments, and media, amplified by social media algorithms that promote outrage and conspiracy theories. Public figures repeating these stereotypes further lower the social cost of expressing prejudice.

Grobman identifies three ideological currents fueling this trend: progressive, exemplified by politicians criticizing Israel through anti-war populism; socialist, linking Zionism to 'white' systemic oppression; and right-wing populist, repackaging old stereotypes as isolationism. He argues that while antisemitism has appeared before in the U.S., the current threat is systemic, global, and increasingly embedded in institutions, aiming to undermine the legitimacy of Israel and Western values.

Researcher Ruth Wisse notes that antisemites rely on the indifference of the majority to the persecution of a minority. Grobman adds that passive complicity is almost guaranteed, as people tend to wish for the problem to disappear rather than confront it. He echoes the sentiment that confronting the truth, rather than religion or politics, is key to combating blind hatred.