3.5 million American Jews experienced antisemitism since October 7th, study finds

Data reveals that most Jews in the US have been impacted by antisemitism over the past year, following the October 7th invasion of Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

A new survey analyzing the impact of antisemitism on American Jews has revealed a significant increase in antisemitic experiences since October 7, 2023.

The study found that 3.5 million American Jews have personally encountered antisemitism since October 7, 2023.

Conducted by Dr. Ira Sheskin of the University of Miami, administered by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC), and commissioned by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), the survey was conducted with a randomized sample of 1,075 American Jews between August 12 and September 3, 2024.

The results revealed that one-fifth of Jewish children (380,000) have personally experienced antisemitism since October 7. There was also a sharp increase in local community experiences, with 25% of Jewish adults reporting antisemitism in their area, more than double previous reports.

Alarmingly, 3 in 4 Jews don’t report incidents to external entities outside their family. The impact of these experiences is profound, with 61% of American Jews reporting feeling less safe since October 7.

This growing sense of insecurity has led to changes in behavior– 27% of respondents now avoid displaying their Jewish identity in the workplace, up from 18% before October 7.

Furthermore, among respondents who are affiliated with a Jewish organization or synagogue, 25% report that their institution has been targeted with graffiti, threats, or attacks since October 7. 21% say local businesses have been targeted by antisemitic vandals in the same period, and 18% felt uncomfortable or unsafe in the workplace because of their Jewish identity.

The rise in security concerns has also led to a decrease in Jews’ perception of law enforcement effectiveness, with only 46% finding law enforcement to be somewhat or very effective, a significant decrease from previous reports.

The digital sphere has also seen a surge in harassment, with 58% of respondents having seen antisemitic content on social media since October 7 and 16% of respondents reporting being targeted online due to their Jewish identity, twice the rate observed in 2020.

Facebook (59%) was identified as the worst platform for such content, followed by Instagram (39%), X (28%) YouTube (23%), and TikTok (19%).

On college campuses, the situation is particularly concerning. The findings show that 39% felt uncomfortable or unsafe at a campus event due to their Jewish identity, while 29% have felt or been excluded from a group or an event on campus because they are Jewish.

Even more troubling, over 1 in 4 has been discriminated against or made to feel uncomfortable by a faculty member, teaching assistant, or instructor because they are Jewish, and the climate of fear has led to self-censorship, with 35% of Jewish students avoiding expressing views on Israel on campus due to fears of antisemitism, up from 29% previously.

With the US election around the corner, the survey also found that antisemitism is becoming a significant factor in political decision-making, with 43% of respondents indicating that it will influence their voting choices.

On a positive note, 49% of respondents expressed that they have received support from non-Jewish individuals because of their Jewish identity – an increase from 33% from earlier studies.

“The explosion of anti-Jewish hate since October 7th in this country has profoundly impacted individuals, families, and communities, said Misha Galperin, Ph.D., a Member of the Board of Governors of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM). “The extent of that impact on American Jews documented by this survey is simply stunning.”

“This survey emphasizes the number of Jews impacted by antisemitism rather than just the number of incidents, said Dr. Ira Sheskin, Professor of Geography and the Director of the Jewish Demography Project of the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies at the University of Miami.

“The results are deeply concerning and highlight the need for immediate action to address rising antisemitism in America.”

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