February 21, 2025
This piece was originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News.
While antisemitism and anti-Jewish discrimination have long been present in our country, American Jews thrived here, living and shaping the American Dream. In recent years, that has clearly changed.
First came the Charlottesville protest (“Jews will not replace us”) in 2017 and then the Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh two years later. They were followed by attacks in Poway, Calif., Brooklyn, N.Y., and Colleyville, Texas, along with incidents closer to home in Cleveland, Parma, University Heights, and high school athletic fields in Beachwood and Orange.
However, it was the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre against Israelis that took antisemitism in the U.S. to a new level, as evidenced by American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report. It is a sober and troubling assessment of how American Jews have experienced antisemitism since the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Oct. 7 really did change everything for American Jews. The State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report is the first to look at the impact of antisemitism, both on American Jews and the U.S. general public, in the full year after the attack.
It found that more than three-quarters (77%) of American Jews feel less safe as a Jew in this country because of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, and that 91% of American Jews believe antisemitism has increased over the past five years, with 60% saying it has increased a lot, up from 50% in 2023.
The survey also found 56% of American Jews altered their behavior out of fear of antisemitism in the last year – by avoiding certain behaviors or activities – compared to 46% in 2023. That means most American Jews are thinking twice about what they wear, where they go or what they post online. Wearing a kippah should not be an act of defiance. Nor should it make you a target.
The specter of antisemitism is constantly looming. You don’t have to look for it. Chances are it will find you. All you have to do is turn on your phone or computer. Indeed, according to the State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report, about seven in 10 Jewish adults experienced antisemitism–including those who have been personally targeted or have seen or heard it– online or on social media. More than ever, it’s up to each of us to do something about that.
Last month, Meta—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp—announced it would no longer automatically scan for policy violations like hate speech. It will now rely more on users to file a complaint. You can also flag problematic content on platforms like TikTok, X and YouTube. Don’t be shy in doing so – the one in five American Jews who say they felt physically threatened by antisemitism they saw or heard online or on social media need your support.
As vital as the AJC report has been in opening a crucial window into how antisemitism has affected our lives and shaped public discussions about Jews and antisemitism, I still look to the numbers to find a light to the path forward. Thankfully, the report does provide a beacon that gives us some hope.
Eight in 10 American Jews say that caring about Israel is important to what being Jewish means to them. This is heartening, given all the scorn that has been heaped upon Israel, and antisemitic vitriol experienced by diaspora Jews, since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.
We also know that antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem – it is a societal problem. We take comfort in knowing Jews are not alone in understanding the corrosive effects of antisemitism. Our neighbors have become more aware of the problem. Seventy-two percent of U.S. adults believe antisemitism is a problem in the U.S., 34% have spoken out against antisemitism and 90% say everyone must play a role in countering it.
To be sure, we need a whole-of-society approach to fight antisemitism. Standing on the sidelines is not an option. That is why AJC has conducted antisemitism training sessions in Cleveland, across the country, and around the world with corporations, law firms, sports teams, and educational institutions.
I’ve led some of these sessions and found them enlightening not only because of what I learned about the scope of what people did not know about Jews and anti-Jewish hate, but also because of their willingness to learn, meaningfully engage in a dialogue, so that they, too, can confront and prevent antisemitism.
The more allies Jews have, the better chance we all have at finding tangible solutions to anti-Jewish hatred. That means, among other things, improved hate crimes reporting by law enforcement, more vigorous protections for Jewish institutions, and ensuring Jewish students can go to school without facing intimidation, harassment, and violence in places committed to critical thinking and democratic values.
These are indeed unprecedented times. We must speak out against this hatred, while educating and empowering those who choose to stand with us. Our future depends on it.
