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ADL: 77% of US Jews fear anti-Semitism more since Hamas-Israel flareup

ADL survey found that a full 60% have witnessed some form of Jew hatred since last month.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

A large majority of American Jewry is fearful as a result of the 11-day Operation Guardian of the Walls last month against the Hamas terrorist organization, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported Monday.

A nationwide survey conducted after the unprovoked launch of 4,600 rockets at Israel and the IDF’s counterattack found that a whopping 77% of Jews are now more concerned about anti-Semitism in the United States. Just since the May flareup began, fully 60% have witnessed behavior or heard comments they consider anti-Semitic, either online or in person.

In a similar survey six months ago, the ADL noted, an equal percentage (63%) said they had experienced anti-Semitism, but at some point in the last five years.

A large minority, 41%, is now more concerned than they were before May about their personal safety.

“At times of unrest or violence between Israel and armed terrorist groups, we have historically seen a spike in anti-Semitic incidents, but this year the surge was particularly dramatic and violent,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said regarding the disturbing findings.

“The anti-Semitic attacks we’ve witnessed in the streets and on social media in the past few weeks are weighing heavily on the American Jewish community.”

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The ADL, which tracks anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S., noted 251 occurrences from May 11, the day after Hamas began its attack, until the end of the month. Three quarters of them fell into the category of anti-Jewish harassment; 11 were dangerous physical assaults. This was a jump of 115% over the same three-week period in 2020.

American Jews also voiced low opinions of politicians and others in helping to address the issue. Despite comments from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) blaming Israel for the conflict with Hamas, the U.S. administration got the best marks at 42%, civil rights groups came second at 37%, and non-Jewish faith leaders trailed at 29%.

The respondents didn’t think that their representatives at the state and Congressional levels were doing much to help, with 35% giving good grades to Democrats and only 23% to Republicans. They definitely wanted all the groups to be more proactive, with at least three-quarters saying that they should do more to address the recent anti-Semitism.

The online survey polled 576 Jewish American adults from May 25-June 1who knew of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a margin of error of four percentage points.