'Antisemitism exists in Idaho even if it's less common than in many other parts of country,' Jewish leader says

Late last month, JNS reported that although hate crimes were down 24% in Idaho in 2025, Jews, who are .3% of Idahoans, were the targets of 29% of religion-based incidents. A Jewish leader in Boise told JNS that two things are true—that the number of hate crimes in the Idaho State Police report is too small to draw wide conclusions from and that Jews in the state are on edge.

“I think it’s important to acknowledge both realities at the same time,” Moshe Herman, former executive director of Idaho Jewish Alliance and current outreach director at Build Israel, told JNS. “On one hand, seven religion-based hate crimes statewide is a very small sample size, so drawing broad statistical conclusions from percentages alone requires caution. A change of just one or two incidents can significantly shift the percentages from year to year.”

But Herman doesn’t think people should dismiss the official state hate crime numbers.

“When a community that represents roughly .3% of Idaho’s population is the target of two of the state’s seven religion-based hate crimes—about 29%—it reflects a pattern that is consistent with what we are seeing nationally, where Jews continue to be disproportionately targeted in religiously motivated hate crimes,” he said.

Many incidents that target Jews don’t get reported as hate crimes, he said.

When he hosted an Idaho Israel Alliance event last summer, anti-Israel protesters targeted it deliberately and “arrived with the apparent intent of intimidating attendees,” he told JNS. “We’ve also seen Nazi graffiti displayed on a highway overpass in the Treasure Valley and antisemitic graffiti placed on a Jewish person’s gravestone.”

“Incidents like these reinforce that antisemitism exists in Idaho, even if it is less common than in many other parts of the country,” he said.

Idaho’s small Jewish community is “remarkably resilient,” according to Herman.

“There has also been tremendous support from our broader community, including churches, elected officials, law enforcement and many Idahoans who have been outspoken in standing against antisemitism and in support of Israel,” he told JNS. “Those relationships have been invaluable.”

Jewish Idahoans are worried about more than just the number of reported crimes.

“More often, we see growing social hostility, misinformation about Israel and an increase in antisemitic rhetoric online and in public discourse,” he told JNS. “While much of that does not rise to the level of a criminal offense, it can create an environment where Jewish Idahoans feel less secure and more isolated.”

“Ultimately, even if the absolute numbers remain small, every hate crime matters in a state with such a small Jewish population,” he added. “The goal should be to ensure Idaho remains a place where people of every faith can live openly and safely, and I believe that requires continued vigilance, education and strong partnerships across our communities.”

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