By TIFFANY STANLEY (Associated Press)
Nearly two-thirds of American Jews really feel much less safe within the U.S. than they did a yr in the past, in response to a brand new nationwide survey.
The American Jewish Committee, a outstanding advocacy group, performed the survey final fall simply because the Israel-Hamas struggle started on Oct. 7. The variety of American Jews who say they really feel much less safe within the U.S. jumped 22% from final yr’s survey.
“This year’s study shows us very clearly that antisemitism that was really just a simmering flame is now, especially since Oct. 7, a five-alarm fire,” Ted Deutch, CEO of AJC, informed The Associated Press.
The survey launched Tuesday discovered one quarter of American Jews mentioned they’ve been the goal of antisemitism prior to now yr. Almost half of American Jews responding to the survey mentioned that they had altered their habits in the course of the previous yr to keep away from antisemitism – altering what they wore, what they posted on-line or the place they went so different folks wouldn’t know they have been Jewish.
“I live in a rural area and my home is most likely the only Jewish home in a 30-mile radius,” a 62-year-old girl is quoted as saying within the survey report. “We don’t tell people and outside the home do not show that we are Jewish.”
That reticence is “an enormous challenge for the Jewish community,” Deutch mentioned. “But it really represents a challenge for all of our society.”
The survey comes as Jewish and Muslim civil rights and advocacy teams have reported massive will increase in harassment, bias and bodily assaults towards their members within the wake of the Israel-Hamas struggle. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
Brian Levin, founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, mentioned he has seen a surge in anti-Jewish and Islamophobic web searches since final fall, together with “eliminationist” and homicidal language.
Levin, who just isn’t affiliated with the AJC survey, mentioned anti-Jewish hate crimes hit a file excessive final yr in a number of main cities. “As Jews are understandably feeling more insecure, police and social science data back up why,” he mentioned.
The AJC started its survey 5 years in the past, after the Tree of Life synagogue bloodbath in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic assault on American soil. Since then, most Jews and greater than half of Americans say they suppose antisemitism has elevated, in response to the AJC.
This yr’s major survey collected knowledge from 1,528 Jewish adults within the U.S., whereas its companion survey collected knowledge from 1,223 U.S. adults. The surveys, performed by the polling agency SSRS, had margins of error of three.5% and three.6% respectively.
Jews between 18 and 29 have been extra prone to report being the sufferer of antisemitism. As universities grapple with antisemitism, round 1 / 4 of Jewish school college students or latest graduates reported hiding their Jewish identification or refraining from talking about Israel on campus.
Most American Jews (85%) say the assertion “Israel has no right to exist” is antisemitic. A 52-year-old male respondent is cited within the report as saying, “Criticizing Israel’s political policies (ex: treatment of non-Jews in the country, Palestinians for example) is not antisemitic. Saying that Israel should not exist, as a result of these practices, IS antisemitic.”
Most Americans who witnessed antisemitism noticed it on-line or on social media, however solely 5% mentioned they reported it. More than one in 5 American Jews mentioned an internet incident made them really feel bodily threatened.
“So it’s not just some of the memes or jokes,” mentioned Holly Huffnagle, the AJC’s U.S. director for combating antisemitism. “This is real, vitriolic antisemitism that’s affecting them, that’s making them feel physically unsafe.”
There is a rising consciousness of antisemitism. Most American Jews and three-fourths of most people now imagine antisemitism is an issue within the U.S, in response to the AJC. That quantity will increase for non-Jews who know somebody who’s Jewish. About 90% of Americans mentioned everyone seems to be answerable for preventing antisemitism.
“That’s a good news piece,” Huffnagle mentioned. “I think the question is, ‘How do we empower the general public who sees the problem now in ways they hadn’t four years ago?’”
Last yr, the Biden administration launched a nationwide technique to fight antisemitism, and the AJC is encouraging additional motion on these suggestions. Deutch, a former Democratic member of Congress, mentioned they may hold working with the federal government to implement the nationwide technique.
“But ultimately,” Deutch mentioned, “we’re really looking to our friends, our allies in other faith communities, in our places of work, in our schools, to stand with us, to understand how we feel and to work together to fight antisemitism and in turn to fight hatred of all kinds.”
Associated Press faith protection receives assist by the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely answerable for this content material.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”