Key facts
- A poll of 1,022 Jewish adults shows divided opinions on Israel's military actions in Gaza.
- About 6 in 10 Jewish adults consider prejudice against Jewish people a serious problem in the U.S.
- One-third of Jewish adults feel unsafe in the U.S., with 3 in 10 reporting personal experiences of prejudice in the past year.
- Only 2 in 10 Jewish adults believe President Trump strongly supports Jewish people in the U.S.
- Most Jewish adults hold unfavorable opinions of Donald Trump.
- Half of Jewish adults believe protesting in support of Israel is not antisemitic, while 4 in 10 disagree.
- Younger Jewish adults prioritize celebrating holidays over supporting Israel compared to older adults.
A survey of over 1,000 Jewish adults in the U.S. by the Associated Press and NORC reveals complex and often divided views on Israel's military actions in Gaza, personal safety, and political support.
Among religiously affiliated Jewish adults, while about 8 in 10 found Israel's immediate response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack justified, only half believe the ongoing operations in Gaza are justified. Among non-religious Jewish adults, only about half found the initial response justifiable, with just 2 in 10 deeming current operations acceptable. A significant portion, about one-quarter of religiously affiliated and 4 in 10 non-religious Jewish adults, believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, an accusation Israel and the U.S. government deny.
Prejudice against Jewish people is seen as a serious problem by 6 in 10 Jewish adults, with about one-third reporting feeling unsafe in the U.S. today. Roughly 3 in 10 Jewish adults or their household members experienced physical assault, verbal abuse, or harassment due to their Jewish background in the past year. Those with a close emotional tie to Israel are particularly likely to feel unsafe.
Few Jewish adults believe President Donald Trump, or the Democratic and Republican parties, are doing a good job supporting Jewish people in the U.S. Only about 2 in 10 Jewish adults feel Trump is highly supportive, a sentiment shared by a similar portion for the Republican Party. While more Jewish adults find the Democratic Party at least somewhat supportive, overall opinions of Trump are largely unfavorable, with 7 in 10 holding a negative view.
Views are split on whether protesting in support of Israel constitutes antisemitism, with half of Jewish adults saying it does not, and 4 in 10 saying it does. However, a strong majority agree that vandalizing synagogues, denying the Holocaust, blaming U.S. Jews for Israel's actions, or questioning Israel's right to exist are definitively antisemitic.
Support for Israel is a less significant priority for younger Jewish adults compared to older generations. While about half of older religious Jewish adults consider supporting Israel extremely or very important to their identity, only 4 in 10 younger religious Jewish adults share this view. Younger Jewish adults are more likely to prioritize other aspects of Jewish identity, such as celebrating holidays.