The State of Antisemitism in America 2021: Survey of American Jews, conducted by the research company SSRS, is based on interviews conducted by telephone and online from September 1 – October 3, 2021, among a nationally representative sample of 1,433 Jews aged 18 or older. Telephone interviews were conducted via SSRS Omnibus callback sample[1], and online interviews were conducted via the SSRS Opinion Panel[2] as well as a partner probability panel. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.9 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Find the methodology report here. American Jewish Committee (AJC) is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office.
*Please note: certain sums may not total 100% due to rounding.[3]
<< Download a copy of the 2021 results here >>
1. |
How much of a problem, if at all, do you think antisemitism is in the United States today? |
| A very serious problem | 40% | |
| Somewhat of a problem | 50% | |
| Not much of a problem | 8% | |
| Not a problem at all | 2% | |
A Problem - 90%
|
2. |
Over the past five years, do you think that antisemitism in the United States has… |
| Increased a lot | 37% | |
| Increased somewhat | 45% | |
| Stayed the same | 14% | |
| Decreased a little | 2% | |
| Decreased a lot | 1% | |
Increased - 82%
|
3. |
Compared to a year ago, is the status of Jews in the United States more secure or less secure? |
| More secure than a year ago | 11% | |
| Less secure than a year ago | 31% | |
| About the same as a year ago | 57% | |
| Don’t know/ refused | 1% | |
4. |
In your opinion, is antisemitism taken more seriously, less seriously, or is it considered to be the same as other forms of hate and bigotry? |
| More seriously | 16% | |
| Less seriously | 46% | |
| Considered to be the same | 37% | |
| Don’t know/ refused | 1% | |
5a. |
What social media platforms, if any, have you used in the past 12 months? |
65% | ||
| Youtube | 61% | |
46% | ||
36% | ||
| Tiktok | ||
| Snapchat | ||
| Clubhouse | ||
| Other | ||
| Do not use any social media | ||
5b. |
Over the past 12 months, have you, yourself, been the target of an antisemitic remark or post online or through social media? |
| Yes, one time | ||
| Yes, more than one time | ||
| No | 88% | |
Yes - 12%
|
5c. |
On which platform were you the target of an antisemitic remark or post in the past 12 months? |
55% | ||
| Youtube | ||
35% | ||
| Tiktok | ||
| Snapchat | ||
| Clubhouse | ||
| Other | ||
|
*Asked of American Jews who said they were targeted by antisemitism online or on social media. |
5d. |
If you were the target of an antisemitic remark or post in the past 12 months did you report it? |
| Reported incident | 42% | |
| Did not report incident | 58% | |
5e. |
Did the social media platform remove any of the content you reported? |
| Content was removed | 36% | |
| Content was not removed | 64% | |
|
*Asked of American Jews who said they were targeted by antisemitism online or on social media. |
5f. |
Did your experience with antisemitism online make you feel physically threatened? |
| Yes | ||
| No | 82% | |
|
*Asked of American Jews who said they were targeted by antisemitism online or on social media. |
6a. |
Over the past 12 months, have you, yourself, been the target of an antisemitic physical attack? |
| Yes, one time | ||
| Yes, more than one time | ||
| No | 97% | |
Yes - 3%
|
|
*Please note: 3% is a rounded figure from 2.6%, reflecting 37 American Jews (including 25 from the South) who reported that they had been physically attacked over the past year, out of an overall sample of 1,433. |
6b. |
Over the past 12 months, have you, yourself, been the target of an antisemitic remark in person? |
| Yes, one time | ||
| Yes, more than one time | ||
| No | 83% | |
Yes - 17%
|
6c. |
Over the past 12 months, have you, yourself, been the target of an antisemitic remark or post online or through social media? |
| Yes, one time | ||
| Yes, more than one time | ||
| No | 88% | |
Yes - 12%
|
|
In all, 24% of American Jews have been the targets of antisemitic incidents - physical attacks, remarks in person, or remarks online- in 2021. |
7a. |
Over the past 12 months, if you, yourself, were the target of an antisemitic remark online or on social media, did you report this incident or any of these incidents? |
| Yes, to the police | ||
| Yes, to a Jewish organization | ||
| Yes, through social media | 45% | |
| No, I did not report it | 46% | |
7b. |
Over the past 12 months, if you, yourself, were the target of an antisemitic remark in person, did you report this incident or any of these incidents? |
| Yes, to the police | ||
| Yes, to a Jewish organization | ||
| No, I did not report it | 79% | |
8a. |
In the past 12 months, have you avoided publicly wearing, carrying, or displaying things that might help people identify you as a Jew out of fear of antisemitism? |
| Yes | ||
| No | 78% | |
8b. |
In the past 12 months, have you avoided certain places, events, or situations out of concern for your safety or comfort as a Jew out of fear of antisemitism? |
| Yes | ||
| No | 83% | |
8c. |
In the past 12 months, have you avoided posting content online that would identify you as a Jew or reveal your views on Jewish issues out of fear of antisemitism? |
| Yes | ||
| No | 74% | |
| Don’t know/ refused | ||
|
In all, 39% of American Jews have changed their behavior out of fear of antisemitism in the last 12 months. |
9a. |
How much, if anything, have you heard about Jews being attacked in the United States and around the world in May 2021 during the conflict between Israel and Hamas? |
| A lot | 28% | |
| Some | 43% | |
| Not much | ||
| Nothing at all | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
A lot/ some - 71%
|
9b. |
To what extent, if at all, has hearing about these attacks on Jews made you feel less safe as a Jewish person in the United States? |
| A great deal | ||
| A fair amount | ||
| A little | 40% | |
| Not at all | ||
Feel less safe - 72%
|
|
*Asked of American Jews who have heard a lot or some about Jews being attacked in May 2021 during the conflict between Israel and Hamas. |
10. |
Over the past five years, have any Jewish institutions with which you are affiliated been targets of antisemitism? |
| Antisemitic graffiti | ||
| Antisemitic attacks | ||
| Antisemitic threats | ||
| None of these | 40% | |
| Not affiliated with any Jewish institutions | ||
| Don’t know | ||
|
In all, 24% of American Jews said that Jewish institutions with which they are affiliated had been targeted by antisemitism over the past five years. |
11. |
How effective do you think law enforcement is in responding to the security needs of American Jews? |
| Very effective | ||
| Somewhat effective | 49% | |
| Not too effective | ||
| Not at all effective | ||
| Don't know/ refused | 3% | |
Effective - 66%
|
12a. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is responding to antisemitism in the United States? |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 36% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | ||
| Disapprove strongly | ||
| No opinion | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
Approve - 53%
|
12b. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is responding to antisemitism in the United States? |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | ||
| Disapprove somewhat | ||
| Disapprove strongly | ||
| No opinion | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
Approve - 28%
|
12c. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democratic Party is responding to antisemitism in the United States? |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 34% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | ||
| Disapprove strongly | ||
| No opinion | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
Approve - 45%
|
12d. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republican Party is responding to antisemitism in the United States? |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | ||
| Disapprove somewhat | ||
| Disapprove strongly | 45% | |
| No opinion | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
Approve - 20%
|
12e. |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way state and local governments are responding to antisemitism in the United States? |
| Approve strongly | ||
| Approve somewhat | 34% | |
| Disapprove somewhat | ||
| Disapprove strongly | ||
| No opinion | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
Approve - 42%
|
13a. |
In your view, how much of an antisemitic threat does the extreme political right represent in the United States today? |
| Very serious threat | 45% | |
| Moderately serious threat | 28% | |
| Slight threat | 18% | |
| No threat at all | ||
| Don’t know/ refused | 2% | |
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
A threat - 91%
|
13b. |
In your view, how much of an antisemitic threat does the extreme political left represent in the United States today? |
| Very serious threat | ||
| Moderately serious threat | ||
| Slight threat | 33% | |
| No threat at all | ||
| Don’t know/ refused | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
A threat - 71%
|
13c. |
In your view, how much of an antisemitic threat does extremism in the name of Islam represent in the United States today? |
| Very serious threat | ||
| Moderately serious threat | 28% | |
| Slight threat | 34% | |
| No threat at all | ||
| Don’t know/ refused | 1% | |
A threat - 86%
|
14. |
In your view, how much of an antisemitic threat do individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups represent in the United States today? |
| Very serious threat | ||
| Moderately serious threat | ||
| Slight threat | ||
| No threat at all | ||
| Don’t know/refused | 2% | |
A threat - 72%
|
15a. |
How familiar are you with the BDS movement? |
| Very familiar | ||
| Somewhat familiar | 36% | |
| Not too familiar | ||
| Not at all familiar | ||
Very/somewhat familiar - 59%
|
15b. |
Do you view the BDS movement as antisemitic? |
| Mostly antisemitic | 40% | |
| Some antisemitic supporters | 42% | |
| Not antisemitic | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
Mostly antisemitic/ some antisemitic supporters - 82%
|
|
*Asked of American Jews who expressed some familiarity with the BDS movement. |
16a. |
Do you view the statement, “Israel has no right to exist,” as antisemitic or not? |
| Yes, antisemitic | 81% | |
| No, not antisemitic | ||
16b. |
Do you view the statement, “American Jews are loyal to Israel and disloyal to America,” as antisemitic or not? |
| Yes, antisemitic | 85% | |
| No, not antisemitic | ||
16c. |
Do you view the statement, “The Holocaust has been exaggerated,” as antisemitic or not? |
| Yes, antisemitic | 94% | |
| No, not antisemitic | ||
17. |
Over the past five years, do you think antisemitism on college campuses has... |
| Increased a lot | ||
| Increased somewhat | 29% | |
| Stayed the same | 23% | |
| Decreased a little | 2% | |
| Decreased a lot | 1% | |
| Not sure | 23% | |
Increased - 50%
|
18a. |
How much of a problem, if at all, do you think antisemitism from the far right is for Jewish college students in the United States today? |
| A very serious problem | ||
| Somewhat of a problem | 34% | |
| Not much of a problem | ||
| Not a problem at all | ||
| Not sure | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
A Problem - 61%
|
18b. |
How much of a problem, if at all, do you think antisemitism from the far left is for Jewish college students in the United States today? |
| A very serious problem | ||
| Somewhat of a problem | ||
| Not much of a problem | ||
| Not a problem at all | ||
| Not sure | ||
| AJC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor endorses candidates for elective office. |
A Problem - 45%
|
18c. |
How much of a problem, if at all, do you think anti-Israel campaigns, such as the BDS movement, is for Jewish college students in the United States today? |
| A very serious problem | ||
| Somewhat of a problem | 30% | |
| Not much of a problem | ||
| Not a problem at all | ||
| Not sure | ||
| Don't know/ refused | ||
A Problem - 54%
|
19. |
Over the past five years, have you or has anyone you know experienced antisemitism in a college setting? |
| Yes, me personally | ||
| Yes, someone I know | ||
| Yes, both myself and someone I know | ||
| No | 78% | |
| Don’t know/ refused | ||
Yes - 20%
|
|
*Note: A college setting includes both on campus as well as virtual or remote learning. |
View More:
To see how results from this survey compare to results from the State of Antisemitism in America 2021: AJC's Survey of the General Public, click here.
To see results from the State of Antisemitism in America 2021: AJC's Survey of the General Public, click here.
<< Download a copy of the 2021 results here >>
[1] This was prescreened sample from our Omnibus survey, which is a national, weekly dual-frame bilingual telephone survey designed to meet standards of quality associated with custom research studies. Similar to previous surveys, we included sample where someone in the household had been identified as Jewish in a previous Omnibus survey.
[2] SSRS Opinion Panel members are recruited randomly based on nationally representative ABS (Address Based Sample) design (including Hawaii and Alaska). Additionally, we recruit hard-to-reach demographic groups via our Omnibus survey platform. For more information: https://ssrs.com/opinion-panel/.
[3] Comprehensive and precise data available upon request.
