Antisemitism in the United States

Jewish Americans have flourished in the United States , enjoying freedom and opportunity that have not been afforded to them in other countries . However, like other minorities, Jewish Americans have also suffered prejudice and oppression, especially during times of economic hardship or war. During World War I and the Great Depression , Jews were often targeted as scapegoats . Antisemitism in the United States has always been less prevalent and less severe than its counterpart in Europe . Moreover, its occurrence has been on a generally decreasing trend since the end of World War II . However, antisemitism continues to exist among a minority of the American populace (about 14%) . In the United States, most Jewish community relations agencies draw a distinction between antisemitism which is measured in terms of attitudes and behaviors and the security and status of American Jews which is measured by specific incidents. While antisemitic attitudes and behaviors have been on a general downward trend, there has been an upward spike in antisemitic incidents , a trend which has been disturbing to Jewish community relations agencies. In addition, some scholars have commented on a perception that has grown during the past decade that there is a greater expression of both behavioral and attitudinal antisemitism than is reflected in the data collected and assessed by experts in the field .

Hatred towards the Jewish people within the US Antisemitism in the United States has existed for centuries. In the United States , most Jewish community relations agencies distinguish between antisemitism , which is measured in terms of attitudes and behaviors; and the security and status of American Jews , which are measured by specific incidents. FBI data shows that Jews were the most likely group to be targeted for religiously-motivated hate crimes in every year since 1991, the Anti-Defamation League said in 2019. Despite this, however, antisemitic incidents were following a generally decreasing trend in the last century along with the general reduction in socially sanctioned racism in the United States since World War II and the Civil Rights Movement . Most Americans who have been surveyed express positive viewpoints with regard to Jews . An ABC News report in 2007 recounted that about 6% of Americans reported some feelings of prejudice against Jews. According to surveys by the Anti-Defamation League in 2011, antisemitism is rejected by clear majorities of Americans, with 64% of them lauding Jews' cultural contributions to the nation in 2011, but a minority of them still hold hateful views towards Jews, with 19% of Americans supporting the antisemitic canard that Jews co-control Wall Street . Additionally, Holocaust denial has only been a fringe phenomenon in recent years; as of April 2018 , 96% of Americans are aware of the facts of the Holocaust . A protest against Jews, held by the Westboro Baptist Church .

Hatred towards the Jewish people within the US A protest against Jews, held by the Westboro Baptist Church Antisemitism has existed for centuries in the United States . Most Jewish community relations agencies in the United States draw distinctions between antisemitism , which is measured in terms of attitudes and behaviors, and the security and status of American Jews , which are both measured by the occurrence of specific incidents. FBI data shows that in every year since 1991, Jews were the most frequent victims of religiously motivated hate crimes , according to a report which was published by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019. Evidence suggests that the true number of hate crimes against Jews is underreported, as is the case for many other targeted groups. In an attempt to combat anti-Semitism, the Biden administration launched the United States’ first-ever comprehensive U.S. Public opinion surveys paint a mixed picture. According to a survey which was conducted by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019, antisemitism is rejected by a majority of Americans, with 79% of them lauding Jews' cultural contributions to the nation, however, the same poll found that 19% of Americans adhered to the longstanding antisemitic canard that Jews co-control Wall Street , and 31% agreed with the statement "Jewish employers go out of their way to hire other Jews ".

A protest against Jews, held by the Westboro Baptist Church Antisemitism in the United States is the manifestation of hatred, hostility, harm, prejudice or discrimination against the American Jewish people or Judaism as a religious , ethnic or racial group . Antisemitism has long existed in the United States of America . It includes antisemitic attitudes, including those of organised hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and those more widely disseminated in the population; antisemitic behaviors that can threaten the security of American Jews (measured by the occurrence of specific incidents, including hate crimes ), and discrimination against Jews, threatening their secure status in country. In terms of antisemitic attitudes, according to a survey which was conducted by the Anti-Defamation League in 2019, antisemitism is rejected by a majority of Americans, with 79% of them lauding Jews' cultural contributions to the nation. The same poll found that 19% of Americans adhered to the longstanding antisemitic canard that Jews co-control Wall Street , while 31% agreed with the statement "Jewish employers go out of their way to hire other Jews". Organised antisemitic groups are mainly from a white nationalism or white supremacist background, but the Nation of Islam and some branches of the Black Hebrew Israelites have also been identified as antisemitism, reflecting heightened levels of antisemitism among some African-American communities. In terms of antisemitic incidents, FBI data shows that in every year since 1991, Jews were the most frequent victims of religiously motivated hate crimes . The number of hate crimes against Jews may be underreported, as in the case for many other targeted groups. Anti-Jewish discrimination has been a strong history of the history of antisemitism in the United States but is less prevalent in the current century. There have been a range of approaches to combating antisemitism, including by the government (such as the Biden administration 's U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism ) and by Jewish communities. There is some evidence for the intensification of antisemitism since the Israel/Gaza war that began in October 2023 . According to an August 2024 survey by the Combat Antisemitism Movement , 3.5 million Jews in America have experienced antisemitism since the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel . Of the 1,075 American Jews interviewed, 28% claimed to have heard that "Jews care too much about money", 25% heard "Jews control the world", 14% heard "American Jews care more about Israel than about the US", and 13% heard "the Holocaust did not happen" or its "severity has been exaggerated". The FBI 's 2023 statistics state that antisemitic incidents accounted for 68% of all religion-based hate crimes, a 63% bump vis-à-vis 2022, while the American Jewish Committee (AJC) said that it was "likely much lower" than the actual number as hate crimes had been "widely underreported across the country". A total of 10,000 antisemitic incidents were recorded in the US since October 7 - the highest number of incidents in the ADL's history. The Times of Israel . With the FBI reporting that hate crimes against Jews increased a staggering 63% year over year, from 1,124 in 2022 to 1,832 in 2023, AJC recognizes that the actual numbers of incidents is likely greater, as hate crimes are widely underreported across the country. Despite Jews only accounting for 2% of the U.S. population, the community was the target of 68% of religiously motivated hate crimes committed in 2023. "Despite Jews only accounting for 2% of the US population, the community was the target of 68% of religiously motivated hate crimes committed in 2023," AJC said in a statement. Although Jews only make up around 2 percent of the U.S. population, reported single-bias anti-Jewish hate crimes comprised 15 percent of all hate crimes and 68 percent of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2023, which is consistent with patterns from prior years. The Times of Israel . Antisemitic incidents were 15% of all hate crimes in 2023, and 68% of all religion-based hate crimes, according to the data — even though Jews only make up some 2% of the US population.