More than 80% of Americans rate anti-Semitism as a serious problem, with nearly half of them describing it as ‘very serious.’ That’s according to the latest survey from respected US pollster Gallup which points out that two decades ago, less than 10% of the nation considered it to be an issue of significant importance.
The poll found that more than one-third of Jewish Americans said that they have experienced anti-Semitism, either “frequently” or “occasionally.”Almost three quarters of those affected respondents are now afraid to reveal their ethnicity.
Only 10% of all American adults suffered similar persecution because of their religious beliefs. Jewish Americans are far more likely than most other US demographics to say they have been treated poorly or harassed over the past year
The percentage of Americans saying anti-Semitism is “not much of a problem” has shrunk from 30% to 10%, while the percentage saying it is “not a problem at all” has been steady at just under 10%. Gallup last polled the population about anti-Semitism in 2003 when former US Senator and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman ran for president, seeking to become the first Jewish major-party nominee.
Gallup reports: “In recent years, a number of crimes and rhetoric targeting Jewish Americans have sparked public concern and discussion about anti-Semitism. These include shootings at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 and a California, synagogue in 2019 that killed 12 Jewish worshippers. More recently, the Anti-Defamation League reported a surge in anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses and elsewhere in the months following last October’s Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military action in Gaza.”
The pollster found that 74% of Americans also view prejudice against Muslim people as a serious problem.
