Many US Jews have taken action amid antisemitism many now see as ‘normal,’ analysis finds
A new study by the ADL and Jewish Federations found that 14% of Jews have mapped out plans to flee the country
Protesters at a Jewish solidarity march in New York City on Jan. 5, 2020. Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images
(JTA) — American Jews are installing security systems and buying guns in large numbers, according to survey data released nearly two years into the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The surveys by the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America took the pulse of U.S. Jews as the second anniversary approached of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war and a wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents around the world.
The analysis found that nearly one in five American Jews were the victim of an assault, threat or verbal harassment due to their Jewish identity over the last year.
Although the surveys are not directly comparable, that is lower than a similar survey taken one year after Oct. 7 by the American Jewish Committee, which found that a third of U.S. Jews had directly experienced antisemitism in the previous year.
But the new analysis shows a high level of sustained experiences of antisemitism — 55% of respondents said they had experienced or witnessed antisemitism, including online, or felt excluded or minimization based on their Jewish identity. It also points to dramatic changes by U.S. Jews in response to the ongoing threat.
According to the new findings, a third of American Jews said they had discussed with others how to plan for a “worst-case scenario,” with 14% developing a plan to flee the country, 13% installing new security systems and 9% purchasing a gun.
Among those who had been assaulted, threatened or harassed directly, those proportions were higher.
The analysis marks the first public data point supporting anecdotal evidence that some Jews have taken up arms in the wake of Oct. 7. Gun ownership among congregants has surged so much that Jewish security experts have urged synagogues to impose stronger regulations.
Additionally, 20% of American Jews who wore something distinctively Jewish prior to Oct. 7 have since decided to take it off — though about half as many have begun wearing such symbols at the same time, potentially as an act of resistance.
“It is so profoundly sad that Jewish Americans are now discussing worst-case scenarios,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO and national director of the ADL, in a statement. “When American Jews — who have built lives, careers and families here for generations — are making contingency plans to flee, we must recognize this as a five-alarm fire for our entire country. This is not just a Jewish problem; it’s an American problem that demands immediate action from leaders at every level.”
The analysis does not prescribe any policy solutions. It comes as the ADL faces a wave of criticism from conservatives and as the Trump administration has invoked concerns about antisemitism while pursuing a broad agenda against universities and immigrants.
The analysis is based on two surveys taken independently earlier this year. An ADL survey sampled 2,982 Jewish American registered voters between May 27 and July 6. The JFNA survey included 1,877 Jewish Americans between March 5 and March 25. The margin of error for the ADL survey ranged for each question but maxed out at 3.2 percentage points, according to a spokesperson.
The ADL’s annual antisemitism audit released in April found that antisemitic incidents had reached an all-time high in 2024, with the majority of all incidents being related to Israel or Zionism.
The new analysis found that 44% of respondents had experienced some type of antisemitic exclusion or minimization, which the survey defined as “acts or communications that minimize or discredit Jewish lived experience,” and 22% reported they had been blamed for the actions of the state of Israel.
It also found that Jews most commonly experienced antisemitism online, at 44%, compared to in public spaces, at 21%, or in educational settings, at 13%.
The surveys found that younger U.S. Jews and those who identify as Republicans were more likely to report facing antisemitic exclusion or minimization.
Nearly three-quarters said they did not report their antisemitic experience, with half of American Jews saying the reason they would not speak out was due to concern about expressing “politics” in public. The analysis also found a marked decline in the proportion of U.S. Jews who feel certain of “non-Jewish support in fighting antisemitism” — though half of U.S. Jews say they remain sure of that support.
While 57% of Jews said they believe that antisemitism is now a normal Jewish experience, the analysis also found that over half of Jews who had directly experienced antisemitic harm are more likely to still seek out increased engagement with Jewish life — a trend that JFNA has termed “the surge” and made a centerpiece of its response to Oct. 7.
“Rather than retreating in fear, American Jews are choosing to stand together, strengthen their bonds and affirm their identity,” said Eric Fingerhut, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, in a statement. “This surge in Jewish engagement represents hope and determination in the face of hate.”
