US Jewish Community Spends Over $1 Billion Annually on Security Amid Rising Antisemitism
The American Jewish community is now spending over $1 billion annually solely on security measures for its institutions, a stark increase reflecting a growing threat of antisemitism. New data released by the Jewish Federations of North America reveals that annual security expenditures have reached approximately $1.015 billion, a 33% jump from the previous estimate of $765 million in 2024. This figure fulfills a prediction made eight years ago by Malcolm Hoenlein, former vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who warned of such costs following the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre.
The 2018 "Tree of Life" synagogue shooting, which claimed 11 lives, is considered a turning point for American Jewish security perceptions. Hoenlein had then cautioned about the significant financial burden this would place on smaller communities and local institutions, requiring them to fund security personnel, cameras, alarm systems, and reinforced doors. The latest figures encompass over 4,500 Jewish institutions, including synagogues, schools, community centers, and summer camps, with an average annual expenditure of about $225,000 per institution. This calculation excludes thousands of private Jewish businesses, such as kosher restaurants and markets.
The majority of these expenses are allocated to personnel, including guards and security directors, with an additional $150 million invested annually in surveillance systems, building hardening, and maintenance of existing security measures. These escalating costs are particularly concerning in New York City, where despite an overall decrease in serious crime, hate crimes targeting Jews have risen. The NYPD reported 229 anti-Jewish incidents in the first eight months of 2026, an 8% increase compared to the same period in 2025, with Jews being the target of over half of all verified hate crimes in the city.
Nationally, FBI data for 2025 indicates that crimes against Jews constituted 64% of all religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S., despite Jews making up only about 2% of the population. "The fact that the Jewish community's security expenditures have jumped by 33% is a measure of how much more dangerous life has become for American Jews," stated Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, adding that current spending is insufficient given the threat level.
The Jewish Federations are using these figures to advocate for increased federal investment in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and support for the Jewish American Security Act, aiming to expand aid and ease security funding for Jewish institutions. Beyond security, the Federations highlight the opportunity cost, noting that the over $1 billion spent annually on security could instead fund Jewish education for approximately 44,000 children, summer camps for all Jewish children in the U.S., or all Birthright Israel trips for a decade. Fingerhut emphasized that "every dollar our community spends on guards and cameras is a dollar not spent on Jewish education, elder care, and helping the needy."
