Press Release: 2021-05-12

ADL Statement on Findings of Latest Pew Center Poll on Jewish Americans and Antisemitism

ADL Statement on Findings of Latest Pew Center Poll on Jewish Americans and Antisemitism:

New York, NY, May 11, 2021 … ADL (Anti-Defamation League) today issued the following statement in response to the findings of a new Pew Center survey released today that, among other findings, indicates that more than nine out of ten American Jews say there is at least “some antisemitism in the U.S.,” and that 75 percent believe there is more antisemitism in the U.S. than there was five years ago. The survey also found that more than half of Jews surveyed say they personally feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. than they did just five years ago.

Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director, issued the following statement:

“This survey further confirms what we have long observed: antisemitism is becoming a lived experience for more and more American Jews. Sadly, Jews are encountering antisemitism more frequently in their daily lives, as antisemitic myths such as Jewish control of money or exaggeration of the Holocaust are still spreading through society despite our strong efforts to improve education and awareness. We are especially concerned that Orthodox Jews and women, especially those who wear identifiably religious attire, reported feeling less safe in public.

“ADL is working closely with members of Congress to ensure that there is more funding for bolstering community security, training law enforcement in identifying and responding to hate crimes, and has partnered with community organizations, such as SCN, working to protect Jewish institutions.

“We hope that this report serves as a wake-up call to leaders across the country and on both sides of the aisle that antisemitism is still a harsh reality today and so we must continue to fight this ancient hatred through education, advocacy, enhanced security and greater awareness of the problem. ADL remains firmly and fully committed to rooting out antisemitism and hatred in all forms.”

The Pew survey findings are in line with a recent survey of Jewish American experiences with antisemitism fielded by the ADL earlier this year. The ADL survey found that well over half of Jewish Americans have either experienced or directly witnessed some form of antisemitic incident in the last five years, with 63 percent of respondents having either experienced or heard antisemitic comments, slurs or threats targeting others, an increase from 54 percent a year earlier.

The ADL survey was fielded by YouGov, a leading public opinion and data analytics firm, examining Jewish Americans experiences with antisemitism both online and offline. The survey of more than 500 Jewish American adults over the age of 18 was conducted from Jan. 7-15, 2021 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.