- A recent national survey by the American Jewish Committee found that nearly two-thirds of American Jews feel less safe in the United States than they did a year ago.
- A quarter of American Jews have experienced anti-Semitism in the past year, and nearly half have modified their behavior to avoid it.
- Jewish and Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups have reported significant increases in harassment, prejudice, and physical attacks against their members.
Nearly two-thirds of American Jews feel less safe in America than they did a year ago, according to a new national survey.
The American Jewish Committee, a prominent advocacy group, conducted the study last fall, just as the Israeli-Hamas war began on October 7th. The number of American Jews who say they feel less safe in the United States has increased by 22% since last year’s survey.
“This year’s study shows that anti-Semitism, which was really just a smoldering flame, has now increased to 50%, especially since Oct. 7,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch told the Associated Press. “This clearly shows that this is a high-alarm fire.”
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In a survey released Tuesday, a quarter of American Jews said they had been the target of anti-Semitism in the past year. Nearly half of American Jews surveyed said they had changed their behavior in the past year to avoid anti-Semitism, including the things they wear, the things they do online, and the things they wear to make it less obvious to others that they are Jewish. He said he has changed what he posts and where he goes.
Pro-Israel demonstrators gather to denounce anti-Semitism and demand the release of Israeli hostages on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2023. Nearly two-thirds of American Jews feel less safe than they do in the United States. A year ago, according to a new national survey. (Stephanie Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
“I live in a rural area, and my house is probably the only Jewish house within a 30-mile radius,” the 62-year-old woman is quoted as saying in the investigation report. “We don’t tell people we’re Jewish, and we don’t show them outside our homes.”
This reticence is a “huge challenge for the Jewish community,” Deutsch said. “But this really represents a challenge for our society as a whole.”
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The study comes as Jewish and Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups report a significant increase in harassment, bigotry and physical attacks against their members in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. Ta.
Since last fall, Brian Levin, founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, has been conducting anti-Semitic and Islamophobic Internet searches that include “exclusionist” and murderous words. He said that there has been a rapid increase.
Levin, who was not involved in the AJC investigation, said anti-Semitic hate crimes hit record highs in several major cities last year. “It’s no surprise that Jews feel more insecure, and police and social science data support why,” he said.
The AJC began its investigation five years ago in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, the worst anti-Semitic attack on American soil. Since then, most Jews and more than half of Americans say they think anti-Semitism has increased, according to the AJC.
This year’s primary survey collected data from 1,528 American Jewish adults, and a companion survey collected data from 1,223 American adults. The survey, conducted by pollster SSRS, had a margin of error of 3.5% and 3.6%, respectively.
Jews between the ages of 18 and 29 were more likely to report being victims of anti-Semitism. As universities grapple with anti-Semitism, nearly a quarter of Jewish college students and alumni report hiding their Jewish identity or refraining from talking about Israel on campus. did.
Most American Jews (85%) say the statement “Israel has no right to exist” is anti-Semitic. The report quotes a 52-year-old male respondent as saying, “It is not anti-Semitic to criticize Israeli political policies (e.g., the treatment of non-Jews in the country, e.g. Palestinians).” “It is not anti-Semitic to say that Israel should not exist.” As a result of these practices, IS has become anti-Semitic. ”
Most Americans who witnessed anti-Semitism saw it online or on social media, but only 5% said they reported it. More than one in five American Jews said they felt physically threatened by an online incident.
“So this is more than just a meme or a joke,” said Holly Hufnagle, AJC director of counter-anti-Semitism in the United States. “This is real, virulent anti-Semitism that is affecting them and making them feel physically unsafe.”
Awareness of anti-Semitism is increasing. According to the AJC, most American Jews and three-quarters of the general public currently believe that anti-Semitism is a problem in the United States. For non-Jews who know Jews, the number increases even more. About 90% of Americans say everyone has a responsibility to fight anti-Semitism.
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“That’s good news,” Hufnagle said. “I think the question is, ‘How do we empower the public, who now see the issues in a way that they didn’t see four years ago?'”
Last year, the Biden administration released a national strategy to combat anti-Semitism, and the AJC is encouraging further action based on these recommendations. Mr Deutch, a former Democratic MP, said he would continue to work with the government to implement the national strategy.
“But ultimately, we are counting on our friends, our allies in other faith communities, our workplaces, and our schools to stand by us, understand our feelings, work with us, and support us in our opposition. We will fight against Judaism and, by extension, against hatred of all kinds.”
